My friends are sheep

So far I have made an English pale ale, IPA, 2xIPA, APA, and a bells Oberon clone. All of these have turned out fantastic. The problem is many of my friends are sheep and mainly drink piss-like commercial beers. I have grown tired or watching their facial reactions when thy take their first drink of my delicious homemade nectar and don't appreciate it.

I have given up on showing them the way to bigger and better brew so I am looking for a recipe that I can make to appeal to wool companions. Unfortunately lagering is not an option for me since I don't have the equipment. Anyone have any recipes that can help me out?

Cream ale. It is essentially a pilsner in ale form.

But, you are brewing for yourself. Why are you trying to impress them? Brew for yourself bro, no one else. Just my thoughts.

Brew the beer you like... if you like it dont get mad if others dont... some like light commercial beers and some dont... its much like music alot of my friends like dubstep but it hurts my mind... to each their own my friend

Don't be an evangelist.

If they are beer drinkers, they will probably come around if they hang out with you enough. Get some Mich Ultra for them, but make them drink it out of a glass when they are with you. That stuff looks really bad next to real beer.

brewing an american light lager is one of the big challenges in homebrewing.

but if you don't like , why bother.

I agree, with Shaneoco. Brew for yourself. If they enjoy complexed beer than share away. I made the mistake of giving a amber ale to a friend who loves Bud light, she didn't appreciate it and the guy with her said she started to pour it out, but he drank it instead ( he is a Brit) and he loved it. I will now only share with people who Like good beer.

I second the cream ale. My wife usually prefers light, commercial beers but is just barely learning to appreciate "the good stuff" and does enjoy a cream ale. Their tastebuds have been trained to think BMC is good beer. It may take some time to come around and appreciate if they ever even do. Like others suggest, brew what you like and let them worry about their own beer. More for you!

Don't be a homebrewdouche Beersnob. If you were really a "friend" you wouldn't be calling them "Sheep" and judging them because of what they choose to drink, or not wanting to worship the beergod you must think you are.

It's not your job to convert them.

People like what they like. If they like Bud Light, that's their perogative.

I love beer. I consider myself a beer geek. I like beer, to brew beer, to talk beer, beer history, etch.

I no longer care who brews what or who drinks what. I think beer is beer, and this is the best time to drink/brew beer. There's plenty for everyone...those who like light lagers and those who like ales...we have plenty to choose from. Hell even in my chain grocery store, there's now more craft beer on the shelves than BMCs.....

I don't like rice adjuncted light lagers, or rice adjuncted lagers in general, not because they're BMC, or made by the "evil empire" and I'm "better" than those folks that drink it, but because they contain rice. So I don't like bud, bud light or sapporo for instance. But if other folks do, it's their choice. If that's all that's available, I'll drink wine or mixed drinks.

But I know why I don't like them, not 'cause it's the beersnob/homebrewer thing to do....And I don't look down on the folks who choose to drink them.

A snob looks down on or judges what other folks drink. Or avoid certain beers, not because simply they don't like the taste, but for other reasons.

Even after all the years brewing and especially drinking craft and imported beers since 1986, the best beer I ever had was ice cold Negra Modelo Especial bought for probably a dime a bottle in 2001, in Ensenada Mexico, and drank on a Sandbar in mexico with fish tacos where the fish was caught and fried within a half hour after is was pulled out of the bay. With a simple wedge of lime for both.

Like what you like, drink what you want, and don't give a **** what other's think about it. Every beer has it's place and time.

My brewing is most definitely based on my own preferences. I am a college student though and also enjoy the social aspect of brewing. My roommate and I just had an article in the school paper about our brewing so we are starting to get a lot of interest from people on campus. Tryin to make something out of this in the next couple years so we want to make something people like.

Plus beer is one thing I'm never picky about. Always down for something new.You brew it and I'll drink it.

Lastly, props on the dubstep friends. Bass head myself. WOMP WOMP

Also terrible way to start that post off REVY. Read about 2 sentences of that post and moved to the next. Very constructive. You don't have to post on everything... Leave the computer for awhile and get some fresh air

If they have not graduated from BMC to Sam Adams, then I don't usually offer my own beers. Since Sam is probably the most widely available non-pilsner, non-American Lager if they buy that then there's a good chance they will appreciate a nice ale. Since Sam costs more than BMC, it also is a good indicator they are open to new things.
Many of the BmC people I know are low class, drink only to get drunk types so they are looking for cheap over flavor... Ie. if they say Sam is too expensive, thats a problem and I can't be their friend anymore. Heh.

agreen said:

Also terrible way to start that post off REVY. Read about 2 sentences of that post and moved to the next. Very constructive. You don't have to post on everything... Leave the computer for awhile and get some fresh air

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He does bring up a valid point. I don't sneer and look down on my children because they don't enjoy a complicated flavor like portobello infused risotto and would rather just have rice. My tastes are different and more mature. As your college friends probably aren't drinking the beer to enjoy its flavor anyway, why waste good brew on them?

I think it's just a matter of exposure and time. Some people have never been exposed to microbrews, or different styles of beer. Maybe mass-produced lagers are all they had. In any case, I wouldn't be wasting my homebrew on them unless they showed a genuine interest.

OP: Aside from the Oberon, all the beers you mentioned tend to be quite hop-forward, especially the IPA's. It's a strong possibility that your friends just don't like hoppy beers. Try brewing a Kolsch or maybe an English Mild, something less in-your-face (although the English Pale, depending on the recipe, could be quite subdued) than those hop-ades.

It seems to me that the craft beer industry in the US has gone hop strong. There's so many other great beers out there that are being virtually ignored just because they don't have a hop presence that makes you buckle at the knees. Everyone has different tastes and there's nothing wrong with your friends' opinions. I bet they'll like a Kolsch if you brew one; I've never met a Lager drinker that didn't like Kolsch.

I'm not trying to call you out or anything, but if you aren't picky, why not drink BMC?

Hence the original post on suggestions to do so.... Looking for a recipe for spigheti O's haha

DarthMalt said:

It seems to me that the craft beer industry in the US has gone hop strong. There's so many other great beers out there that are being virtually ignored just because they don't have a hop presence that makes you buckle at the knees.

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Thank you

The kolsch or an American wheat are a good idea. I can't think of anyone who hasn't been exposed to craft ale at this point tho, it is everywhere. Might be more about not wanting to change what's working for them, unexperimental mindset or something. Some ppl are just weird about their food too... They have a very narrow list of items they eat and drink... I know a few like that too... Lol.

My friends are sheep

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Get you some tall rubber boots, slip their hind legs in in front of yours ...

Or, get the commercial equivalent of what you brew and see if they like that. It may not be home brew they don't like. It may be that style of beer you've brewed.

MGD is a good beer. People like it. I'm sure any good home brewer could make it, right? Make them that and see if they like your version.

After this, you'll know what's up.

agreen said:

Also terrible way to start that post off REVY.

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Not really, not everyone on this forum is anti BMC or the style of beer they produce. I agree that it isn't your job to change people's opinions or tastes in beer. If your friends like Coors it doesn't hurt you or anyone else on the beer world. Brew what you like, expose people to new styles and if they appreciate it, great. If not, well life goes on.

Zuljin said:

MGD is a good beer. People like it. I'm sure any good home brewer could make it, right? Make them that and see if they like your version.

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Ok, MGD or any other American Pilsner is VERY HARD to make. He also said that lagering is not an option, which makes MGD impossible to make. Like I said, if you really want to make a beer they may enjoy, go the Cream Ale route. If not, make them buy their own, and enjoy yours.

*popcorn*

I homebrew so that I can drink any beer I want, why should it be any different for your friends?

agreen said:

Also terrible way to start that post off REVY. Read about 2 sentences of that post and moved to the next. Very constructive. You don't have to post on everything... Leave the computer for awhile and get some fresh air

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He's harsh to people some times but generally accurate and straight to the point. I have two possible observations based on your post and your friends reaction; First, just because you love your beer does not necessarily mean others will or even that it is good for that matter;second, of the I have been brewing for several years now, have many beers and styles under my belt and from the examples you listed, even if brewed to sheer perfection, I can not guarantee I would enjoy them either. I could certainly appreciate them for the style they represent but your choices are generally not my mug of beer so to speak.

If you want to brew something for your friends to enjoy, which is perfectly understandable, pick something fairly mild like an American wheat, cream ale, Kolsh, a nice mild mannered amber, or something like that. Or you could always ask them what they would like to try.

Shaneoco1981 said:

Ok, MGD or any other American Pilsner is VERY HARD to make. He also said that lagering is not an option, which makes MGD impossible to make. Like I said, if you really want to make a beer they may enjoy, go the Cream Ale route. If not, make them buy their own, and enjoy yours.

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No. It's commercial pee water. One could simply bottle their own urine and pop it in the fridge. Bam. MGD.

Hey. I sent a bottle of [mass produced and sold in high volume commercial American beer that is yellow in color] to [agricultural school of your choice]. They sent back a letter saying my horse was pregnant.

We all do this. We get into home brewing and go all hipster beer snob. I thought I was making better beer too. What I'm really doing is making the beer I like better than BMC's most popular offerings.

I like stouts and porters. There are some great stouts and porters out there. But, those are not the most common of beers one finds in restaurants and bars. And when you do find them, it's usually Guinness; also a fine beer, by the way.

I also like making weird stuff, beers included. Beers especially. This has led to some good ones and some horrible ones. Terrible, dare you to drink it ones, even.

At the end of the day, some folks actually like BMC yellow beer. It's their favorite. That's their style. Should we look down on them as lesser creatures than ourselves? No. We should look down on them because we're taller.

I have a friend that not only *only* drinks BMC, but he only drinks 1 type of BMC. You can't force him to even try any other. If his Coors light runs out he quits drinking. There could be 5 cases of Bud light in the cooler and he won't touch them. HE knows what he likes and refuses to try anything else, so I don't even bother offering him any home brew. His SWMBO will try anything I hand to her and he gets pissed!

And a cream ale or wheat (a plain wheat especially) is a great choice of home brew for the BMC macro drinker. It's different without being so far out there different that it's like a different beverage altogether. I think that's part of what turns people off to home brew. We so often make things that are so far off from what folks are used to that they don't consider it beer.

They aint the only ones. Reinheitsgebot?

Brew for yourself first. If you like the beer you made...awesome! If nobody else likes the beer you made...they can buy their own.

lschiavo said:

Brew for yourself first. If you like the beer you made...awesome! If nobody else likes the beer you made...they can buy their own.

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+1 million

DarthMalt said:

It seems to me that the craft beer industry in the US has gone hop strong. There's so many other great beers out there that are being virtually ignored just because they don't have a hop presence that makes you buckle at the knees.

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With as much as I love hop-strong beers, I completely agree with you. Especially on the West Coast. I think there is a bit of a "wild west" mentality to push the envelope and make extreme examples of styles, that, while perfectly legitimate and interesting, somewhat obscure the huge range of well-balanced beers that oftentimes make for more satisfying drinks. Same thing with wine, with newer wine regions (e.g. comparing Central Coast of California to Napa Valley wines).

Thanks fellas. Def going with a cream ale next. Would be something new for me to brew. Looking forward to trying to make something a little lighter.

Revvy said:

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No offense but if I saw one of my friends refer to me as a sheep because he didn't agree with my taste in something, especially as trivial as beer, he sure as hell wouldn't be my friend for very long. Your fiends don't like your beer, who cares? Let them drink what they like and vice versa. Putting them down for it is just immature.

Oh, get off it people...he's joking. Clearly he does not hate these people for their taste in beer. If he did, I suspect he wouldn't call them "friends". Lighten up. Friendship is not some kind of sacred blood oath that requires constant solemn mindfulness. If you stopped being my friend because I called you a sheep in a clearly light-hearted manner, I wouldn't miss you.

Back to the topic, I wish my friends were sheep. Instead they just come over and drink all my beer.

P.S. Anti-snobbery is the new snobbery.

MalFet said:

P.S. Anti-snobbery is the new snobbery.

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Does that mean anti-hipster is the new hipster?

MalFet said:

P.S. Anti-snobbery is the new snobbery.

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I like it!

(but if we all start ragging on the anti-snobs, does the contra-anti-snob become the new bore?)

MalFet said:

Oh, get off it people...he's joking. Clearly he does not hate these people for their taste in beer. If he did, I suspect he wouldn't call them "friends". Lighten up. Friendship is not some kind of sacred blood oath that requires constant solemn mindfulness. If you stopped being my friend because I called you a sheep in a clearly light-hearted manner, I wouldn't miss you.

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No doubt. This thing went way too far. Relax y'all! And Revy... Good god man....

OP, I think you're doing just fine. Try a cream ale like some others said and like you mentioned. I've got some BMC friends that really like the brown ale (NB Kit) that over made too. Maybe you could try that.

agreen said:

Also terrible way to start that post off REVY. Read about 2 sentences of that post and moved to the next. Very constructive. You don't have to post on everything... Leave the computer for awhile and get some fresh air

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You are new here, aren't you? I suggest you lose the attitude. Since you didn't read his entire post, let me reiterate: You were being a beer snob, and he called you on it. Sorry, dude, but Revvy just calls 'em like he sees 'em, and this time he nailed it.

Most def on the X-treme hopery. Its not enough to just be an IPA. Its gotta be an X-TREEEEEEME!!!! IPA. Quintuple brewed with 1000 pounds of eleventy kinds of hops for 3 hours and dry hoped with 7 more. Next thing they'll be brewing with hops roots. You heard it here first.

Yeah, exactly.

One day you will decide not To pour out the funkiest nastiest foulest tasting brew you ever came across in a kitchen, but methodically carbonate and bottle it. You might even make a special label and place it at the forefront of the fridge. when your friends come to raid your fridge you can sit back and warn them that it might not be their style and that you followed the recipe to the letter. You then go to the fridge and pick out another "special" with a tiny dot in the corner label and drink it with fanfare. Problem solved, my friends bring commerc beer and I keep my second love.

ThAts as anti- non- triple negative as I got.