Christmas for the new guy

[220swift]

Just got a brewing kit from AHS. Now need a beer kit to start off with. Was going to try the Budweiser Ale kit from AHS, has anyone tried this before? Since Budweiser is a lager and this is an Ale kit was wondering if there would be much of a taste difference? Thanks in advance for any help

 

[NWAleDad]

all of the wonderful beers in the world you...want to start off with a Bud ale clone?

 

[220swift]

Yea thought I would catch some grief for that but what can I say! Thought i would give that a go first and move on to something else. This is not a final decision, would be open to any sugestion, I guess in the past I have mostly drank light colored beers. From a very small town with limited options.

 

[metalbrewer]

It has no taste

 

[TwoGunz]

I'd imagine it definitely would taste different, jokes and digs aside, beers like bud are very low in taste -- which is often hard to replicate in homebrewing and typically requires lagering. If you're into beers with a bit more character, I think you're better off with a flavorful ale and the fresh aspect you'll get will amaze you.

 

[JoeyChopps]

I would agree a hundred percent much of use trash bmc but they are very hard to get right ( from what I have read ) if I was you go with a pale ale or maybe an amber ale imo u will be much happier in the long run just my .02

 

[birvine]

To get a lager you'd need to create it like a lager otherwise the taste will not be the same. That being said, I bet if you were to ferment with an ale yeast you'd still like it.

B

 

[jwplessner]

What's the recipe, a bunch of pale lme plus some German hops? Maybe it won't taste like bud, but it may end up a nice, pleasant lawnmower beer. Ferment cool!! Have fun.

 

[TheBrewinator]

I'd imagine this is the bud American ale kit, not a lager. I'd say if its what you want to do, go for it, from what I recall (it has been a while), the Bud American Ale was not that bad of a beer for a BMC offering.

 

[jpoder]

lol. most here will have the same reaction as NWAleDad...meh...different strokes for different folks.

typically, you'll find that ales tend to be have less of a "clean and crisp" taste than lagers do. there are exceptions, but generally true. brewing a lager correctly (and getting the flavor profile you desire) requires quite a bit more equipment, time, and know-how than ales do. The biggest difference is the need to "lager" the beer...store it close to freezing for 4-8 weeks after doing a primary fermentation at around 50 degrees F. If you don't have the ability to closely control fermentation temperature you shouldn't attempt a lager. There are some ale yeasts that ferment pretty clean, and some folks will brew a lager recipe using these yeasts. While it won't be identical, you can come close...it still helps to keep the temperatures low, but you can do that by putting your fermenter in a tub of water with frozen water bottles in it and changing the bottles twice a day.

You may be disappointed trying to brew a bud clone...really light beers with minimal malt and/or hops and/or yeast contributions are REALLY difficult, even for experienced brewers. every flaw is exacerbated. Most here would recommend brewing a brown ale or a stout early on as the roasted malt will cover up most of the flaws in beers produced by inexperienced brewers, and will still leave you with a good tasting/drinking product.

Best of luck!

 

[220swift]

Thanks for the quick replies. Like I said I'm open to suggestions, just excited to get started, now just need a day off from work!

 

[TwoGunz]

What's your favorite amber or brown beer? I'd go with the same style. I was drinking a lot of new castle when I first started brewing so I made a northern English brown -- it was great and got me hooked.

 

[nytimez]

all of the wonderful beers in the world you...want to start off with a Bud ale clone?

my reaction too

 

[NWAleDad]

I would go down to your LHBS with a style in mind and talk with the folks there. you will get a good reciepe, local advice, and start to build a relationship with people you are going to see a lot of...good luck and always remember, RDWHAHB! oh and you can always come here for help.

 

[boomtown25]

To OP-
When I first jumped into the deep end on here, I caught grief for my (whisper) like for Bud and Bud light, but someone gave me a really good pice of advice which I have taken to heart (sorry I cannot remember who it was): You can brew really good craft brews doing homebrews and using kits or doing your own recipe. But Bud Light and Budweiser are so clean and crisp they are hard to replicate. While brewing a 5 gallon batch can give you 50 bottles of beer which you would pay $3-5 a glass for in a pub, after recouping the cost from your equipment, most of the time you are paying somewhere around 0.50 cents for these quality beers (some which may turn out to be the best thing you have ever tasted!). but if Bud and Bud light (Coors and Miller as well) is what you are wanting, just go out and buy it- it will be cheaper that way and you do not have to wait 4-8 weeks to drink it. Good luck, you are fixing to go down a wormhole you will never leave!!! (and love it)

 

[220swift]

Well I decided to get two kits to start off with, an American wheat and an amber ale. If I don't care for one I'm sure my camping buddies will take care of it for me and that will give me a reason to brew up something else.


NWaledad, The first chance I get I plan on going to my well not so local brew house as it is 95 miles away... one direction, yea that sucks!

 

[Germelli1]

Swift, try out a "Cream Ale" recipe kit. The name doesn't mean it is creamy or dairy-related like it sounds, but rather it is a type of ale that is similar to a lager in terms of being light, refreshing and not strenuous on the tastebuds.

Something like this would probably suit you well: http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_452_42_172&products_id=356&osCsid=21a31e2b880be6caed9bc6771f75c5ee

 

[Zixxer10R]

Whats the name of the LHBS you're planning on going to? Maybe we can all do a little research and see if we can find you a closer one to frequent.

Either that, or save up for about 10 batches and hit that one HARD!

 

[220swift]

I may have to try a cream ale, thanks.

As for a closer brew store, the expression bumf@@k Egypt, well that applies to me. 95 miles is the closest town that has a population of over 2,000 people. My living room is larger than the local liquor store.

 

[phenry]

I'd recommend a darker beer for your first. They mask up off flavors a lot better than a light pale ale. But that doesn't mean you can't make a good pale your first time around.

 

[ScreamingDemon]

I started out the same way. Didn't know which 1st beer to brew. Picked up a American Light Ale kit. It came out good but nothing like a bud clone which I thought I was brewing. I talked to the guys at the LHBS and was steered in the direction of English Browns, Irish Reds and Belgiums. One of my favorite go to beers is a Irish Red. Now I'm no expert just started in January and this weekend was my 21 batch but everyone including the wife and sisters love my new hobby. Whats crazy is they all now perfer homebrews over the Bud beers which I never thoutht would happen. The wheat beers I brewed with watermelon and orange and came out great(not together). Whatever you choose will most likely come out great. Whats that saying once you go dark you never go back - ya. Well good luck

 

[passedpawn]

Pick anything. Do the bud clone if you want. It's gonna be a lot of fun for you. No matter what you do, it won't taste like Bud but you're gonna love it.

Above all, have fun. Learn what RDWHAHB means. Learn in, live it, love it.

 

[petey_c]

I brewed that beer from AHS. Didn't taste much like the original. I actually like it more than the BAA. More hoppy. Passedpawn is right, brew what you like, or what you think you might like, or what SWMBO might like.

 

[Yuri_Rage]

If I made a dry, lightly hopped amber that looked and tasted like Bud American Ale, I'd be rather proud of it. Bud Ale isn't bad beer, it just has a bad rap because homebrewers like to scoff the big companies. Brew what you like.

 

[nos33]

my first was an Irish Stout. still have a couple bottles after 7 months of brewing. And i would shy away from making a bud clone. The whole reason I got into homebrewing was to get away from commercialized beer and get into craft beer.

 

[220swift]

Thanks for all the responses, I can already tell this forum will be a great place for help. On that note, I ordered a deluxe kit from AHS, I also picked up 2 24 packs of bottles, some star san, vinator and a 6.5 gallon brew pot, is there anything besides that I should need or be helpfull? Some may say get a kegging set up but that will have to wait until I get a few batches under me belt. My first brew kits should be here tomorrow can't wait!

 

[Germelli1]

If you have the money then you can dive into kegging. I have been brewing for a 18 months, all grain for 14 of those months and don't really have plans to keg. I like having "mobility ready" home brew on the fly. I also like storing bottles, forgetting about them then being blown away by them 6+months later and kicking my self for not aging them longer haha. I don't have the space for a kegging set up plus bottling is like a zen meditation experience for me

 

[Germelli1]

Oh, and pick up an "Auto Siphon". Best 10 bucks I ever spent in terms of long term investments for homebrewing!

 

[220swift]

Forgot to add that I also ordered a few books, How To Brew and The Joy of Homebrewing.

 

[phenry]

Thanks for all the responses, I can already tell this forum will be a great place for help. On that note, I ordered a deluxe kit from AHS, I also picked up 2 24 packs of bottles, some star san, vinator and a 6.5 gallon brew pot, is there anything besides that I should need or be helpfull? Some may say get a kegging set up but that will have to wait until I get a few batches under me belt. My first brew kits should be here tomorrow can't wait!

I'd reaaallly lean towards something bigger than 6.5 gallons. I have an 8 gallon, and I'm pushing the limits of it when I do a 90 minute boil. I'd also honestly look into all grain before kegging, but that's just my opinion.