America Light - Good and Easy recipe needed

[SquireBrewing]

I'm looking for a good american light recipe that I would love to drink year round. My brewing partner and I would also like this to be our main recipe and then do the usual 4 seasonals around it. I just cant drink these hoppy beers day in and day out (probably because I'm not used to drinking them, but used to drinking yuengling light or labatt)

So whats the best American light recipe out there?
Also, i'm not equipped with all grain brewing but figured this type of beer would be some of the easiest to make and you all would have recipes that would not require me to do an AG.

 

[Yooper]

Well, light American lagers are probably the hardest beer to make well. It would require adjuncts such as corn and/or rice, and fermentation at 50 degrees and a longer lagering period.

But if you wanted to make an American ale, it could be done.

Do you have an idea of the type of beer you'd like to make? What about a commercial equivalent, to give us an idea of your goal?

 

[SquireBrewing]

I do have lagering capabilities, so probably labatt (even though its not really american light) would be what I'm shooting for.

I guess I was wrong in assuming they should be easy. My initial thought was that the ingredients list and process should be easy, but I guess without the overpowering hops it would be really easy to mess something up and end up with an off taste.

Maybe I dont even know what I want to make after all...haha
Just looking for something to quench the thirst that can be made for 20 - 25 per 5 gal batch.

 

[Pappers_]

Yooper's right of course.

Other than that, welcome to HBT! There is a section here called a recipe database, as well as a subforum on recipes and ingredients. You might look at the database, under "light hybrid" I think it's called, or maybe "hybrid ale" - in any case you can figure it out.

You'll find both all-grain and extract recipes there. Good luck!

 

[Pappers_]

and another thing

If you see an all-grain recipe you like but want to convert it to extract brewing, drop me a PM and I can take a shot at it converting it for you.

 

[Yooper]

We want to encourage you to make what you like, so don't take my words of warning as to the difficulty as discouragement!

You hit the nail on the head- the beer is so light and "clean" that any mistake will be much more apparent. Darker, hoppier, sweeter beers can cover up a slightly too-high fermentation temperature, for example.

You CAN make a good lighter beer, especially if you can lager and have plenty of experience.

Look around in the recipe database, as Pappers said, and feel free to ask any questions.

 

[Hilbert]

I've had the same goal for a while now. I'm an extract brewer as well and have been trying to make an ale light enough to make my poker buddies happy. I also do not have the ability to lager but I have a fairly cool basement.

I just brewed a Steam (California Common) Beer with White Labs San Francisco yeast around 50 degrees. The beer came out very light. I was trying to mirror Anchor Steam and I think it came out very close. Good everyday drinker and you don't have to be able to lager which worked out nice for me.

Let me know if you want the recipe and I'll post it.

 

[Pappers_]

Hi Hilbert - did you do a late extract addition? Many batches ago I did a light blonde ale from extract and the late addition was key.

 

[mkling]

The recipe for this style beer is the easiest thing in the world. It's the technique of brewing it that is hard.

You have a lot of flexibility here. If it were me, I'd do something like:

5 lb American Extra Light (or Pilsener) malt extract
1 lb Rice syrup or Corn sugar
.5 oz Hallertauer hops (60 min)
.25 oz Hallertauer hops (5 min)
lager yeast (I like the WLP 800 -- You'll need a big starter)

Boil for 60 minutes adding hops at appropriate time. Ferment at 48-50F for 2 weeks. Secondary for 4 weeks at 35F. Bottle or keg & you're set.

 

[craigbrew]

Hilbert, I live in Michigan and I have been drinking Labatt light for 10+ years now. It was mine and wife's favorite beer and we always had a keg of it in the kegerator. Then I got in to brewing and came across a recipe is just what you are looking for https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=42841. It is an easy drinker with a quick turn around. Search the thread, there are a couple of extract versions in there.

It is always on tap at my house and now at my bosses house also.

happy brewing

 

[Hilbert]

Hi Hilbert - did you do a late extract addition? Many batches ago I did a light blonde ale from extract and the late addition was key.

Yes. I put in 1/2 my LME in for the full boil and the last half in for the last 15 minutes.

The last 3 or 4 batches I have done late additions and I noticed my beer was considerably lighter in color.

I've also made beers where I have done partial mashes with flaked maize and 2 Row. I've noticed that those have turned out very smooth but the key that made the biggest difference has been the yeast. I've been really pleased with the light taste of the San Fran lager yeast.

 

[SquireBrewing]

I just spotted the recipe database. I'll be looking around there to see what I can come up with. I didnt even realize it was at the bottom of the front page. I'll post back with what we decide to go with.

Thanks again to everyone!

 

[Bob]

I don't think it's possible to overemphasize what Yooper and others have said: With a beer like Light American Lager, the recipe is only about 15% of success, with the other 85% being technique and skill.

Here are some hints which will go a long way toward success:

1. Boil as large a volume as possible. Concentrated boils will make too dark a beer.
2. Use the lightest, freshest extract you can find. Order it from the large online supply houses, and don't order via the web; call them and get the freshness dates.
3. Start mashing - even if it's just partial mashing - as soon as you feel comfortable. It's next to impossible to really nail pale lagers with extract. It'll just end up too dark.
4. Tune in your lagering setup. Buy a copy of Greg Noonan's (God rest him) New Brewing Lager Beer at your earliest opportunity and read it. If you don't understand something, ask an experienced brewer.
5. Learn about yeast pitching. Read my short Wiki article on the subject. You need to pitch sufficient amounts of the right type of yeast.

That's about it to start. Welcome to HBT, and may you have all the success any brewer has ever had!



Bob