Quick light beer.. I can't decide!

I want to brew up a low ABV light beer for when my mild kicks out. I can't decide which one! I've done the Centennial Blonde thing a few times before and I want to try something different.

I'm thinking about a Kolsch, or something.

Anyone got any recommendations?

Kolsh are very nice. I want to try to add some pear to one to really push that flavor but I do not know if you do the fruit thing or not...

Have been dreaming of a SMaSH with Fully modded Pilsner malt, the new French Aramis hops and French Saison yeast.

I have to many empty fermenters ATM and need to fill them up!

I also will remind you that you are running out of March to make a true Marzen Oktoberfest...

I've got a Cream Ale plugging away in the basement now, should be ready to bottle in another week. I would like to do a Kolsch also, I can cool down my fermenter with a swamp cooler but really have no way of lagering or cold crashing later. Cream ale I just use Notty and keep around 60-63

I am brewing up the Eagle Rock Solidarity clone which should be a quick turnaround at 1.039 OG. A kind of black mild.

After that I am going to make a smoked Scottish 70/- Heavy:

Heavy Smoker

Batch size: 5.5 gal
OG: 1.038
FG: 1.010
Bitterness (IBU): 17.7
Color (SRM): 19.1
ABV: 3.8%

[Grains]
Maris Otter Malt 3.0lb Grain 37.5%
Munich (German) 2.75lb Grain 34.4%
Weyermann Smoked 1.0lb Grain 12.5%
Chocolate Malt (US) 0.5lb Grain 6.2%
Torrified Wheat 0.5lb Adjunct 6.2%
Weyermann Melanoidin 0.25lb Grain 3.1%

[Hops]
Willamette 1.25oz 4.5% AA Pellet @ 60 min, 17.2 IBU
Willamette 0.75oz 4.5% AA Pellet @ 1 min, 0.4 IBU

[Yeast/Other]
Dry English Ale yeast 1.0 unit(s), Yeast

Not exactly to style, being a little dark and the addition of smoked malt, but I am looking forward to giving it a go.

A traditional Kolsch would need to be lagered, so it doesn't really qualify as "quick."

Do a 1/2 Wheat 1/2 Pilsner Malt Hefewiezen.

TopherM said:

A traditional Kolsch would need to be lagered, so it doesn't really qualify as "quick."

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I agree, i always have a kolsch going and its about a 2 month turnaround from grain to glass.

hefe or ipa are both "quick"

Low ABV is a requirement as well. Not sure if there are any good ways to make an APA low ABV, or if I'm just better off brewing a blonde or something.

I keep planning on brewing beer, and then stuff pops up all week to keep me from doing it. Darned responsibilities!

I'm planning a simple quick brew myself this weekend when I have time. I'm going with an american wheat... don't even have to clear it

Scottish 60/70/80 shilling ales are low alcohol and quick to brew. Very tasty as well!

I love milds, but thats what you said you already had. How about a bitter, or a 60/-?

The Mild I already have turned out very nice. I'm not always in the mood for that obvious roasty flavor.

By the time I decide what to make the Golden Wheat beer I made will be done lagering...

I could make another Centennial Blonde, but I just thought about mixing it up a bit and trying a different recipe.

I make a Citra APA that is very good in just a tad over 4 weeks, tad over 3 if you keg:

5 gallon batch:

9.0 lbs Two Row
0.5 lbs Honey Malt
0.75 oz Citra @ 60
0.5 oz Citra @15
0.5 oz Citra @ 5
Safeale US-05 Yeast

Mash at 156
Mashout 170 (optional)
2 weeks primary
Bottle and carb/condition for two weeks (or keg and force carb to 2.2-2.4 atmospheres)
3 days in the fridge before serving

This one tastes like sunshine and smells like lemon-lime!

I was going to suggest American Wheat. I'd use something like Wyeast 1272 that will ferment fast and drop clear - and pitch plenty of it.

Two row and wheat. Maybe a little light crystal or something. Moderate gravity. Hit it up with some late addition hops.

Howie said:

I was going to suggest American Wheat. I'd use something like Wyeast 1272 that will ferment fast and drop clear - and pitch plenty of it.

Two row and wheat. Maybe a little light crystal or something. Moderate gravity. Hit it up with some late addition hops.

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I already have a light wheat beer in the lagering fridge (well, it should be in there today. I forgot to rack it to secondary and put it in there after a couple of days for D-rest...)

I think I'm going to try the Cream of 3 Crops recipe. Not as low ABV as I was shooting for, but close enough. Biermuncher hasn't let me down so far and it looks like something that I can bottle up and give to regular beer drinkers if the need arises too.

Backporchbrewery said:

I'm planning a simple quick brew myself this weekend when I have time. I'm going with an american wheat... don't even have to clear it

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I agree. I have a wheat beer on tap now that is perfect for the spring, with some orange zest and coriander.

Opps just saw the post above scratch that

TopherM said:

I make a Citra APA that is very good in just a tad over 4 weeks, tad over 3 if you keg:

5 gallon batch:

9.0 lbs Two Row
0.5 lbs Honey Malt
0.75 oz Citra @ 60
0.5 oz Citra @15
0.5 oz Citra @ 5
Safeale US-05 Yeast

Mash at 156
Mashout 170 (optional)
2 weeks primary
Bottle and carb/condition for two weeks (or keg and force carb to 2.2-2.4 atmospheres)
3 days in the fridge before serving

This one tastes like sunshine and smells like lemon-lime!

Click to expand...

I might brew that up in a few weeks. I had a Citra IPA at The Vierling in Marquette last summer and it was really good. I don't have any Cirta ATM, and I've been seeing a lot of recipes with honey malt lately, so I might throw in a few pounds of that too while I'm at it.

That new on BM just posted looks good. (Im too lazy to find the link) or his cent. Blonde

I've been seeing a lot of recipes with honey malt lately, so I might throw in a few pounds of that too while I'm at it.

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Just note that honey malt is pretty potent stuff. I wouldn't put more than 10% of the grain bill of honey malt in any recipe. Even at the 0.5 lbs I put in the recipe above, the honey taste shows up in the final brew.