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Schlenkerla

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My favorite BIL is getting married and I've taken on the commission of making a batch for his enjoyment once the ball & chain attached to his ankle.

He is a Bud Light drinker. Says he likes Heineken and Sammy's. He probably would drink SA light I'm thinking, but I don't think it would be his fav. He drank one of my summer wheats at Xmas and thought it was OK. He drank several. This wheat was crystal clear and very light. Not a traditional hefe.

His 30YR sentence starts in August so I'm thinking summery and not too hoppy.

I would like some suggestions. Here is few guidelines.

  • Extract Preferred w/ grains steep
  • Must be an Ale
  • No Budlight Clones

I was looking at a Kolsch or a Cream Ale w/Ale yeast.

What do think or recomend? (BTW - He wants to start makin' his own)
 
Cream Ale is a little heavy for a summer brew, IMHO.

Perhaps a Blonde Ale is more in order based on his preferences. If you want a little more character, maybe a Pale Ale that just barely meets the style guidelines for bitterness/hoppiness.
 
Yah, I think the Cream Ale now that mention it is too heavy. I'm going to have to check out a blonde ale. Thanks!

Can you recommend a recipe or kit?
 
My blonde seems to go over fairly well with BMC guys . . .An extract version would roughly be . . .

9lbs of the lightest colored DME you can find
1lbs of carapils
1lbs of wheat malt

steep grains
bring to boil
add extract

Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.00 oz. Hallertau Northern Brewer Whole 8.50 17.3 30 min.
1.00 oz. Spalter Whole 4.50 4.8 15 min.
1.00 oz. Perle Whole 8.25 5.5 5 min.


yeast = wyeast 1272 American Ale Yeast II

ferment near the high end of the limits (68 - 70 degrees)

**EDIT**
dont forget the irish moss, I did and the chill haze is very noticeable
 
Pumba,

You don't think 9#'s of DME is too heavy? Even if its extra light?

What was the gravity numbers?

Please clarify this hop call out too. :confused:

Was:

1.00 oz. Hallertau Northern Brewer Whole 8.50 17.3 30 min.​

Maybe:??
1.00 oz. Hallertau or Northern Brewer Whole 8.50 17.3 30 min.

1.00 oz. Hallertau & Northern Brewer Whole 8.50 17.3 30 min.​
 
Yuri_Rage said:
A quick search turned up this kit at Austin Homebrew. Skip the 1% alcohol boost - it's a bit of a gimmick, and it won't help your beer.

I've always been happy with AHS, but I've never brewed one of their kits. Perhaps someone here has a good recipe to share.


I made that kit awhile ago and it was very popular with my Coors light drinking roomate. I would recommend it for your buddy.
 
Yuri_Rage said:
Cream Ale is a little heavy for a summer brew, IMHO.

:confused:

From the BJCP guidelines...

Flavor: Low to medium-low hop bitterness. Low to moderate maltiness and sweetness, varying with gravity and attenuation. Usually well attenuated. Neither malt nor hops prevail in the taste. A low to moderate corny flavor from corn adjuncts is commonly found, as is some DMS. Finish can vary from somewhat dry to faintly sweet from the corn, malt, and sugar. Faint fruity esters are optional. No diacetyl.[/SIZE]

Mouthfeel: Generally light and crisp, although body can reach medium. Smooth mouthfeel with medium to high attenuation; higher attenuation levels can lend a “thirst quenching” finish. High carbonation. Higher gravity examples may exhibit a slight alcohol warmth.

Overall Impression: A clean, well-attenuated, flavorful American lawnmower beer.

.....


Sounds like a pretty nice summer ale to me... if anything, maybe a little too Bud Light-ey.
 
When I was thinking about Yuri's comment about being too heavy, I was thinking about being higher in ABV.

The 9#'s DME for the Blonde, shouldn't that make it limited to a 1-2 pre-lawmower beer? Assumes a riding mulcher and 1-2 acres. (My Place)

Being safety minded my BIL will be pushing a bagger. :D

I could always drink a cream ale all year round. But its not for me. My last cream ale I hopped with homegrown hops. Its not bitter but the flavor & aroma is quite noticable. Maybe more noticeable because it was different. The lady folks liked it because of the floral-citrus smell and residual sweetness.

I'm gonna check on the blonde. No opinions on the kolsch idea?
 
Schlenkerla said:
Pumba,

You don't think 9#'s of DME is too heavy? Even if its extra light?

What was the gravity numbers?

Please clarify this hop call out too. :confused:

Was:

1.00 oz. Hallertau Northern Brewer Whole 8.50 17.3 30 min.​

Maybe:??
1.00 oz. Hallertau or Northern Brewer Whole 8.50 17.3 30 min.

1.00 oz. Hallertau & Northern Brewer Whole 8.50 17.3 30 min.
Extra light is only in reference to the color. 9lbs put it at the upper end of the OG for the style (1.054) and high end for the ABV since it should finish out around 1.008 - 1.013. If your worried about the ABV being too high for him cut it back a bit to get it in the range you're looking for but remember to cut back the hops to stay in the same ratio (original IBU's = about 26 - 27)

As for the Hops . . . there are 2 types of Northern brewers that i know of, the US version and the German version, IIRC Hallertau NB = German. They are just about identical AFAIK except the HNB have a bit higher AA's. Either should work IMHO

**EDIT**

FWIW when I first started on this beer it was going to be a cream ale but then decided I really didnt like the idea of corn in beer. I had just made a recipie I saw for Thomas Jeffersons beer in BYO and tried it out and IT WAS FREEKING HORRIBLE and it had a big chunk of corn in the recipie. It was the first beer I dumped out straight from the primary because it tasted so bad I couldnt stand the idea of wasting time on it by bottling it. The 2 styles are so simular I figured I would get rid of the corn and make it a blonde and it turned out great.

If you really want to make a kolsch, kolsch yeast is acceptable for the style so you could use it instead of the American Ale II yeast

check out styles 6A, 6B and 6C, just about the same beer but with minor tweeks
http://www.bjcp.org/styles04/Category6.html#style6A
 
I'd recommend my Haus Pale. Someone will have to help convert it to extract though.

8# 2 row Pale
2# Vienna
8 oz. Crystal 10L

Single infusion mash for 60 minutes

1 oz. Cascade 60 min
.5 oz. Cascade 30
.25 oz. Cascade 15
.25 oz. Cascade 5

Nottingham Yeast.

Ferment for 10 days, crash cool for 2, then keg.

OG 1.047
FG 1.011

It's pretty durn tasty and very quaffable!

HausAle3.jpg
 
Thanks Guys,

I copied both recipes.

Pumba - I'll plug Hallertauer & Northern Brewer into Q-brew to figure the IBU's, then pick one. The high ABV will be good for him!!!!

Yuri - I want to support my LHBS. I've considered Auston HB many times they have one of the best sites for kits. Very tempting....

Ed, I'll do the AG version soon. I have everything but my chiller ready to do this. Not to mention I have the fresh cascades to go with this.

Call me selfish, but my first AG will be for me.

I can probably figure the extract version with Q-brew.

:mug:
 
the_bird said:
From the BJCP guidelines...
[see above for content]
Sounds like a pretty nice summer ale to me... if anything, maybe a little too Bud Light-ey.
Wow! I should've read my style guide before jumping in. I could've sworn cream ales were supposed to have a bit thicker mouthfeel and sweeter flavor (lactose backsweetening, perhaps?). Not the first time I've been wrong.

Nonetheless, the OP seems to have been answered. Good thread! (especially for those wishing to sway their BMC drinking bros to the dark side...or at least the flavorful side of light)
 
Yuri_Rage said:
Wow! I should've read my style guide before jumping in. I could've sworn cream ales were supposed to have a bit thicker mouthfeel and sweeter flavor (lactose backsweetening, perhaps?). Not the first time I've been wrong.

Nonetheless, the OP seems to have been answered. Good thread! (especially for those wishing to sway their BMC drinking bros to the dark side...or at least the flavorful side of light)

I blame Cheesefood and his omnipresent Caramel Cream Ale... ;)

Good ideas all around; EdWort's pale ale looks very tasty, methinks. More of an APA with that Cascade goodness. Anything mentioned here would probably go over pretty well.
 
the_bird said:
I blame Cheesefood and his omnipresent Caramel Cream Ale... ;)
As much as I like to poke at Cheese and his fatass avatar (Pilsbury brewboy?), that's not the reason. I had a cask conditioned, beer engine drawn, cellar temperature cream ale at an Alaska pub once, and it was very thick on the palate. I loved it, but I guess it was a bit out of line.
 
I vote Kolsch, I brewed the kit from www.beer-winemaking.com it is very good. My wife, who likes lite beer, liked this alot, just cut back a little on the hop boil time and I think it will be a winner. This is my LHBS. I used the dry yeast that they had with it, I think it's a Saflager or somethingn like that.
 
If your buddy enjoyed your wheat beer, a Belgian wit may also be an option. From the BJCP:

Pleasant sweetness (often with a honey and/or vanilla
character) and a zesty, orange-citrusy fruitiness. Refreshingly crisp
with a dry, often tart, finish. Can have a low wheat flavor. Optionally
has a very light lactic-tasting sourness. Herbal-spicy flavors are
common but not overpowering, and can taste moderately of coriander
and other spices at a more subtle level. A spicy-earthy hop flavor is
low to none, and never gets in the way of the spices. Hop bitterness is
low to medium-low (as with a Hefeweizen), and doesn’t interfere with
refreshing flavors of fruit and spice, nor does it persist into the finish.

Anyway, I've found that a lot of my BMC friends enjoy a wit (e.g. Celis White, Blue Moon), especially in the summer.
 
If you want a brew that will please not only your BIL but his bride-to-be, you might modify the Begian Wit recipe (listed below) by reducing the Coriander and Orange peel. If he (or she) likes Blue Moon, they'll love this recipe. Try and strike something that she'll enjoy too, and he'll have an easier time getting into this hobby with her blessing.
 
Yuri_Rage said:
That's why I didn't ever mention the kolsch. I have no personal stories, but there are too many failed attempts floating around here.

Sounds scary. I'll let ya'll know on June 1st. That's when I'm going to tap my first truely All Grain Kolsch. I'm going to keg it this weekend and let sit for two months before tasting.

I believe it will be a winner!
 
For those of you how felt your kolsch was aweful was it the fruity wine-like character you didn't like?

I have a recipe that calls for 4#s of Alexander Pale Malt Extract & 2#s of their DME.

It doesn't use a real authentic Kolsch yeast. I believe it called a German ale yeast wyeast 1007. It supposely has a rocky head but low flocculation.

I don't recall all the hops, maybe Perle, but it finished with Saaz and Tettnanger.

It also has 1# of Munich Malt 10L & 1/4 lb of Crystal w/o a lovibond call-out.


BTW - I loaded Pumba's Blonde Recipe in QBrew - 9# of DME + 1lb wheat & 1 carapils. It came out w/ OG of something like 1.064 with an ABV 7.9% which is way out of whack for the style. Is the 9 lbs supposed to be pale malt grain? I'm think it should be grain. Edworts call for 8#'s but its grain.

Am I the only one who thinks it high?
 
Schlenkerla said:
BTW - I loaded Pumba's Blonde Recipe in QBrew - 9# of DME + 1lb wheat & 1 carapils. It came out w/ OG of something like 1.064 with an ABV 7.9% which is way out of whack for the style. Is the 9 lbs supposed to be pale malt grain? I'm think it should be grain. Edworts call for 8#'s but its grain.

Am I the only one who thinks it high?

I did it on the quick and may have had my settings in promash screwed up. Lower the DME until you get to about 1.054 and remember your not mashing the wheat and carapils so ya wont get much if anything out of them.

**EDIT**
make it 5.5lbs of DME (rest remains the same) should end up with a OG of 1.054 for a 5.5 gallon batch
 
Is it possible that people have had bad luck with Kolsch because it needs a cool secondary?

I am looking to make one, maybe next up, who knows.
 
Pumbaa said:
I did it on the quick and may have had my settings in promash screwed up. Lower the DME until you get to about 1.054 and remember your not mashing the wheat and carapils so ya wont get much if anything out of them.

**EDIT**
make it 5.5lbs of DME (rest remains the same) should end up with a OG of 1.054 for a 5.5 gallon batch


Thanks Pumba - When I asked if it was high earlier in ABV, I was surprised nobody caught on... Not to many lawnmower brews are at 7.9%

We might loose our brewing fingers, or do a patchy job of mowing!!!

I dialed it down to six pounds last night and it was close. When you go to the LHBS do you get it in half pound increments or do you weight out at brew time?

Call me lazy. - I usually go to nearest whole pound.
 
I finally made up my mind. Since this is for my BIL and its gift, I don't want to screw it up so I decided to go this something simple.

I went with Northern Brewers Honey Kolsch. It just kind of hit me when I saw it, like thats it, thats the one I'm doing...

http://www.northernbrewer.com/docs/kis-html/1611.html

Ed - I'm gonna make your Haus Ale for my first AG. My birthday beer for myself.

Thanks for all your help!
 
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