Homebrew and a Wedding.

So, my brother is getting married.
I have been elected to serve homebrew at the wedding. Here are my thoughts:
1) Brew a sturdy 'Wedding Brew' to be given out to guests, 2 bottles each, probably corked. Something that will last a long time, Barley wine, maybe a Tripel, or a Strong Ale. This will not be drunk at the wedding.
2) Have about 3 lower ABV 4-5% range to serve at the wedding on tap. Various popular styles. Maybe a weizen of some sort, an APA, and a brown ale.

I haven't done anything like this and I currently have no experience with kegging. I am looking for suggestions as to whether or not this is a good idea, what would you do? What kind of equipment would I need (though, I could probably figure that one out)? Or any other tips you could give me to pull this off.

I'm doing something similar, except it's at the bachelor party (I'm actually doing it for two bachelor parties).
I decided to just brew a whole heck of a lot of one beer I know everyone would enjoy (my dirty blonde ale) and nix the fancy or difficult stuff that won't have mass appeal. I'm serving it in bottles, and everybody who comes gets a commerative pair of etched pint glasses with the bride and grooms names and the date of the wedding on them.
Good luck with your idea though.

If you want to show up the bride, wedding party, and the band...
Keg the brews, put it in a trash can keezer found here in the forums, and enjoy the party.

I brewed three beers for my wedding: a dunkelweizn, a IIPA and a tripel. All the BMC drinkers loved "the light one," AKA the tripel. I highly recommed a nice cheap blonde ale to satisfy all the BMC lovers. Light in color, easy on the alcohol (and inexpensive to brew as well). I wouldn't send guests home with a barley wine or something strong. People aren't going to age them properly and probably wouldn't appreciate them in 4 years anyway. Send them off with something "romantic" like a chocolate beer or something. Something that sounds "neat" and appetizing to the novice beer drinker. If it's a warm weather wedding, I'd definitely go with a wheat/wit of some kind, although a weizen might (again) be a little challenging for the uninitiated. Maybe not, who knows!

Definitely make the jump to kegging for this one. No way you want to fill 500 bottles for the reception/gifts! Good luck and keep us posted!

Kinda off topic, but if I ever get married, the first wedding plans I make will be what to brew. That's when you know you're addicted to homebrew

I've done some beers for our family grad parties etc... A light wheat is a great way to go. People go nuts for a light witbier. If you can't get the kegging thing together consider bottling in Growlers for serving your guests. Have fun

I have done three weddings and a family reunion. All were hits. Make a label. It creates a great convertsation piece.
Only did 5gal for the weddings and wished I did more each time. Did 25gal for the reunion. 10 in bottles and 15 in keg. That was about right for a two day event and 90 moderate drinkers.

The bottled beers were ment as a take home gift, but I bet 75% were opened. Most people don't get the concept of aging beer.

SPR-GRN said:

I'm doing something similar, except it's at the bachelor party (I'm actually doing it for two bachelor parties).
I decided to just brew a whole heck of a lot of one beer I know everyone would enjoy (my dirty blonde ale) and nix the fancy or difficult stuff that won't have mass appeal. I'm serving it in bottles, and everybody who comes gets a commerative pair of etched pint glasses with the bride and grooms names and the date of the wedding on them.
Good luck with your idea though.

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I did the same for a bachelor party even though most of the guys are craft beer drinkers. I figured we'd be drinking so much that a lighter session beer would be smart. Worked out well.

I agree with the others, you can't give just anybody a bottle and except them to properly age them the way you would. They will be drank prematurely and be unappreciated. Brew more of a general light beer for the masses, and a smaller amount of something special for you and other "sophisticated" palates. But no matter what you do, good luck, sounds like you've taken on quite a task.

Brew the 'Wedding Brew' and split/give half to your brother (if he's into beer). Then make an announcement that there is some BW that needs to be aged for the fine beer lovers out there. Tell them to come talk to you. You'll make a lot less, hand out a lot less, spend a lot less, and be more appreciated for your efforts.