Wedding Beer batch #1: Oatmeal stout

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thisgoestoeleven

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I'm brewing batch number one of my wedding beer. We're getting married at the end of June, and I plan on brewing an oatmeal stout, a pale ale, an IPA, and a hefeweizen before the wedding.

Today's oatmeal stout is as follows:

Malt:
10# 2-row pale malt
1# Flakes oats
1# chocolate malt
1# crystal 120L
.5# roasted barley

Hops:
1oz Fuggles (60min)
.5oz Fuggles (15min)
.5oz Fuggles (5min)

Yeast: WLP005 London Ale



I'm not sure yet if we'll be able to serve beer at the wedding, what with alcohol regulations and all. If I can, I'll do that. If I can't, I'm going to put together mixed 12packs or cases as gifts for my groomsmen.

Thoughts on this recipe/experience brewing for a wedding/other recipe ideas?
 
So let me get this straight. Your getting married in JUNE. It is only the end of October. If you are going to start brewing now you should start with some mega brews that will age well.

Your stout looks tasty btw. Very similar to the grain bill for one I brew on occasion.
 
I'm doing the stout now because those keep the best and I've got the day free to do it. I'll probably do the rest in late March/early April so they're fresher.
 
At my brother's wedding I couldn't bring my own beer to be served at the reception, but the rehearsal was at his in-laws' house and there was a small after party in the hotel (that almost got the police called. . . my extended family is just far too loud.... so my parents broke it up with my help).

In any case, I kegged up:

Wedding Night Stout - A Guinness clone for the Irish side of the family (The best comment: It tastes very stouty). This was about an 8 gallon batch (3 for me) and only served at the after party. I'm getting to drink at least 6 gallons of it at home.

Green Mountain Summit Amber - The wedding was in VT, so I made an Amber Ale (one of my most popular ones with the family) and used Summit hops. This one was popular but I would choose more hops variety next time. Only served at the Rehearsal Dinner (I only have a 2-keg system).

White Wedding Kölsch - Absolutely my most popular beer. It came out excellently with a white-wine nose and a light body. There were even a couple of people at the after party who'd lived in Cologne for a year and thought it was great (though not a Kölsch... it had to be brewed in Cologne to be called that).


My take-aways were:

* Have a lighter (on flavor) beer. . . a blonde, kölsch, or lager.
* Avoid after parties in hotels. These must be at someone's house.

I used standard 5 gal kegs (pin lock). It was a relatively new system that I got specifically so I could do this at the wedding. I put the kegs in a bucket with ice and had no problem... neither venue had to look fancy, though... Cobra taps zip-tied to their respective keg and tags with the beer type also zip tied (and laminated) worked well. The party taps can be positioned over the ice bucket... so even spills are minimized.

Now I just wish they didn't drink all my Kölsch! I'd have liked to enter that one in a contest ;) (It was easily my best beer of the three).

Congratulations!!
Good Luck!
 
Why would you not be able to serve the beer at your wedding? I'm not completely sure of laws surrounding serving your own beer but I thought it mostly concerned selling it. If you're offering it to guests at your reception free of charge, you shouldn't have anything to worry about. This is, of course, just the way I understand it and I'm certainly not an expert on the matter so don't take my word for it, but it seems to make sense to me...

Anywho, congrats and happy wedding!
 
rhinoceroceros said:
Why would you not be able to serve the beer at your wedding? I'm not completely sure of laws surrounding serving your own beer but I thought it mostly concerned selling it. If you're offering it to guests at your reception free of charge, you shouldn't have anything to worry about. This is, of course, just the way I understand it and I'm certainly not an expert on the matter so don't take my word for it, but it seems to make sense to me...

Anywho, congrats and happy wedding!

I think this would depend on the venue. If I understand right, its up to the venue whether or not you can, but you'd still need to obtain a liquor license (permit) for the day to serve it. Something like that.
 
Good looking brews.

I've photographed more than 50 weddings. Some venues allow beer to be brought in by guests, others do not. In the Midwest where I am, it's up to the venue. I'm not aware of any state laws here limiting such things, but of course any state law would apply if it exists.

I must say, with brews like that you are pampering your guests! Have fun with the planning and execution of the big day! :D
 

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