BYO Budweiser Clone

Found the following recipe on BYO's website

• 2.5 lbs. extra light dry malt extract
• 1.5 lbs. light honey
• 1 oz. Cascade hops (6% alpha acid): 0.25 oz. for 60 min., 0.25 oz. for 30 min.,
0.5 oz. for steeping
• 1 tsp. Irish moss for 15 min.
• 1 tsp. gypsum
• Wyeast 1056 (American ale) or Yeast Lab Canadian ale (AO7)
• 3/4 cup corn sugar for priming

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Are there any ingredients that I could add to sweeten this beer? How much lactose would you recommend as a possibility?

With an ale yeast and Cascade hops (especially a half-ounce steep addition) , I can't imagine this recipe coming anywhere close to Bud. But that doesn't answer your question.

Lactose would be a good choice, because you can add it at bottling to get the taste you want. I'd add a little at a time (half-ounce to an ounce, boiled to sanitize), stir gently and taste after each addition.

I'm not really looking to make a Bud clone. My friend heard I brew and wants to get into it, wanted a simple recipe for an easy-drinking beer and came upon this one.

EDIT: oops... forgot to thank you for the tip! Thanks!

I would also drop the honey and use rice or another lb of extra light DME.

WTF... a sweet BMC,,,,,
Sorry that sounds repulsive..
Check out the Wiki for the article on Pale lager and Brewing BMC.
Seriously it's a bad idea, go for a pale ale/ pale English session bitter.
Much tastier and easier.

orfy said:

WTF... a sweet BMC,,,,,
Sorry that sounds repulsive..
Check out the Wiki for the article on Pale lager and Brewing BMC.
Seriously it's a bad idea, go for a pale ale/ pale English session bitter.
Much tastier and easier.

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I know...I tried Papazian's Propensity Honey Lager...it was crappy sweet...no more honey in my beer...

Is that for 5 gallons?

Why dont you do something like Pilsner Urquell clone? much better lager

orfy said:

Seriously it's a bad idea, go for a pale ale/ pale English session bitter.
Much tastier and easier.

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+1.....

If he's a BMC drinker and is getting into homebrew he most likely wont be able to lager the brew (no temp control) so go with a low IBU pale ale like Edworts haus Pale on this site. Even my analretentive Miller lite freinds like that stuff. And so do I, I'm finishing of a pint of it now.

orfy said:

WTF... a sweet BMC,,,,,
Sorry that sounds repulsive..

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I see you never drank a Keystone Light. That stuff tastes like you're sucking on a sugar stick.

Yeah, maybe go with the Urquell clone and go easy on the hops for a first-time homebrew drinker. I'd keep the IBU's to around 25 or so for a first attempt, even though the Urquell is higher than that. That recipe you posted is pretty weak; I wouldn't brew a beer with that recipe. Just by first glance, the ABV will probably be around 2-3%. Go with maybe 9# 2 row, 1# rice (cook it on your stove as you would eat it, then mash with the grains), and maybe 8 oz of the lightest crystal you can get, but the crystal would probably add too many unfermentable sugars, seeing as Bud is rather dry. Ferment with a lager strain that attenuates high (maybe Wyeast 2007?).

homebrewer_99 said:

I know...I tried Papazian's Propensity Honey Lager...it was crappy sweet...no more honey in my beer...

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Hmmm usually honey ferments out pretty dry, how long was it in the primary?
Honey makes for awesome pale ales, if you hop it properly the smell alone is worth it

Don't use lactose. It's not good for lighter beers since it will cloud it up. Try using some dextrin or steep a bit of carapils on top of the grain bill. Both will increase sweetness a bit and give the beer more mouthfill.

I would also drop the honey and use rice or another lb of extra light DME.

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Flaked corn would make it more authentic

I actually I made this when I was waiting for my BarleyCrusher to come. It's not sweet as written. The honey is an early addition and all the "honey" taste is long gone by the time it's done.

It didn't really taste like Bud to me more like Molson Export. I only ended up with an estimated 3.75 % ABV.

I'm not saying it's my favorite beer but I'm a little heavy on my heavy ales at the moment so a litre of it went nice with the Vindeloo last night.

Dead easy if someone is starting out you could do worse.

Rudeboy

adx said:

I see you never drank a Keystone Light. That stuff tastes like you're sucking on a sugar stick.

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I've never heard someone call Keystone Light sweet. Huh.

homebrewer_99 said:

I know...I tried Papazian's Propensity Honey Lager...it was crappy sweet...no more honey in my beer...

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Honey in Beer? Blasphemy und gegen Reinheitsgebot!!!!!!

Hmm.... rethinking my plan here. Still using the original recipe, but rather than using lactose at bottling I think I'll add some table sugar at the boil with the honey, so the sweetness will hopefully go away but alcohol will be boosted. I also have about a half pound of extra DME I'll be adding which will help.

PearlJamNoCode said:

I think I'll add some table sugar at the boil with the honey...

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Worst idea you've had so far. Table sugar imparts a nasty, cider-like flavor to beer. It's especially noticeable in lighter flavored beers. Why don't you try the original recipe and see how it works before messing with it in the random ways you keep suggesting?

Yuri_Rage said:

Worst idea you've had so far. Table sugar imparts a nasty, cider-like flavor to beer. It's especially noticeable in lighter flavored beers. Why don't you try the original recipe and see how it works before messing with it in the random ways you keep suggesting?

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okay then.