I like Natural Light.

[GT_Jon]

Just because you've worked years and years for the perfect woman doesn't mean you don't enjoy a little NSFW content occasionally. Same goes with beer. Cheap, easy, refreshing.

But at the end of the day you're still mowing the lawn...

 

[two_hearted]

I'd be crazy to support any brewery that makes it harder for smaller craft breweries to get there beer to me. If I want refreshing I'll have some lemonade, or better yet some skeeter pee.

If you enjoy BMCs that's fine, but I won't support them.

 

[winstonofbeer]

Anyone have a clone recipe for natty light?

 

[rayg]

I've run into plenty of beer snobs, but this is the first time I've run into a homebrew snob!

Perhaps as you come along and refine your palate a bit, you can appreciate the subtleties in flavor that come with the lighter styles of beer.

Ever had a helles beer on draft *in* Germany?
In fact, most American drinkers have no idea
what real lager is, they only know the overcarbonated
stuff they get here. And that American
over carbonated, tart, thin bodied character
has been transplanted into some microbrews,
and many homebrewers try to duplicate it
using American ale yeast, although I doubt
most of them are conscious of what they
are doing, they are just shooting for a type
of flavor profile they are used to.

If you think you can't make a good flavored beer with American Ale Yeast....well, um, wow. Go check BeerAdvocate's top 25 beers, compare the styles listed to a book of styles and see how many of them American Ale Yeast is appropriate for. :

It doesn't matter. I don't like that style.
My point is many American drinkers have
been conditioned to like that style.

The rayg school of wisdom:
Nobody can possibly like light lagers

Wrong. American drinkers have been conditioned
to like it, just like they've been conditioned to
like fake burgers from McDonald's and fake
Mexican food from Taco Bell.

American Ale Yeast drains your beer of flavor

Wrong. American ale yeast is designed to create a
thin-bodied, tart ale that some people who are
conditioned to like bmc will like, but which I don't.

Aging beer is for idiots

Wrong, aging beers is for lagers, especially those
made with relatively continental hops, and malts,
because those beers aren't supposed to have
a complex flavor profile, and the sulfurous aromas
from the malts used and the farnesene (green
apple aroma) from those hops has to be reduced
by aging because you don't have a lot of other
strong flavors to cover them up as you do in
ales.

Ray

 

[modernlifeisANDY]

Wrong. American drinkers have been conditioned
to like it, just like they've been conditioned to
like fake burgers from McDonald's and fake
Mexican food from Taco Bell.

Wrong, aging beers is for lagers, especially those
made with relatively continental hops, and malts,
because those beers aren't supposed to have
a complex flavor profile, and the sulfurous aromas
from the malts used and the farnesene (green
apple aroma) from those hops has to be reduced
by aging because you don't have a lot of other
strong flavors to cover them up as you do in
ales.

Really? REALLY? I'm not "conditioned" to like BMC. At all. I'm not enjoying one when I do because I've been "conditioned" that way, or brainwashed into thinking I'm enjoying it when I'm not.

Aging beers is not only for lagers, and for someone that claims to know their stuff about beer, your reasoning is laughably naive.

 

[dvdanny]

Wrong. American drinkers have been conditioned
to like it, just like they've been conditioned to
like fake burgers from McDonald's and fake
Mexican food from Taco Bell.

A huge majority of american do not drink nor would they like an American IPA. An IPA is a beer that shows off it's blend (sometimes very complex blend) of hops (I am only stating this because it seems you have never tried an IPA), I am failing grasp (although more then likely you are failing to convey) how a beer that showcases hops deserves any less respect then a beer that showcases it's yeasty or malt flavors.

Wrong, aging beers is for lagers, especially those
made with relatively continental hops, and malts,
because those beers aren't supposed to have
a complex flavor profile, and the sulfurous aromas
from the malts used and the farnesene (green
apple aroma) from those hops has to be reduced
by aging because you don't have a lot of other
strong flavors to cover them up as you do in
ales.

Ray

Wow, and here I was aging my Barleywine on oak chips and my Dunkelweizen on Maple thinking it would add complex flavors, thanks for showing me the light and letting everyone know aging is only for lagers and has zero benefit for ales, and aging is only for beers without complex flavors... those crazy Belgians and their Bocks and Lambic, when will they learn what you have... what a effing tool.

Your knowledge on this subject is very limited, and it is even further clouded by your personal opinions.

 

[rayg]

A huge majority of american do not drink nor would they like an American IPA. An IPA is a beer that shows off it's blend (sometimes very complex blend) of hops (I am only stating this because it seems you have never tried an IPA), I am failing grasp (although more then likely you are failing to convey) how a beer that showcases hops deserves any less respect then a beer that showcases it's yeasty or malt flavors..

Right, they don't like strongly flavored beers because they
have been conditioned to like relatively flavorless, bodiless,
over-carbonated adjunct lagers. I have tried many IPA's, but
I don't like the ones made with American ale yeasts. They
are certainly more interesting than Bud lite, but not my ideal.

Wow, and here I was aging my Barleywine on oak chips and my Dunkelweizen on Maple thinking it would add complex flavors, thanks for showing me the light and letting everyone know aging is only for lagers and has zero benefit for ales, and aging is only for beers without complex flavors... those crazy Belgians and their Bocks and Lambic, when will they learn what you have... what a effing tool.

Your knowledge on this subject is very limited, and it is even further clouded by your personal opinions.

Your aging on oak chips may add some subtle flavors over
a long period of time but at the same time most of the
hop flavor and other flavors are disappearing. Ever try
those bocks and lambics a week after they were brewed?
Probably undrinkable because of the intense flavors.
The whole point of aging is to make strong flavors go
away or change to something else less intense.

Ray

 

[dvdanny]

Right, they don't like strongly flavored beers because they
have been conditioned to like relatively flavorless, bodiless,
over-carbonated adjunct lagers. I have tried many IPA's, but
I don't like the ones made with American ale yeasts. They
are certainly more interesting than Bud lite, but not my ideal.




Your aging on oak chips may add some subtle flavors over
a long period of time but at the same time most of the
hop flavor and other flavors are disappearing. Ever try
those bocks and lambics a week after they were brewed?
Probably undrinkable because of the intense flavors.
The whole point of aging is to make strong flavors go
away or change to something else less intense.

Ray

Thats interesting because that is not what you said at all before. I mean I can quote you on exactly what you said but I already did. And your post is still there and open for all to see. I'll let you take it back if you want, this is the internet after all, you can pretend to be as knowledgeable as you want.

 

[modernlifeisANDY]

Right, they don't like strongly flavored beers because they have been conditioned to like relatively flavorless, bodiless,
over-carbonated adjunct lagers. I have tried many IPA's, but
I don't like the ones made with American ale yeasts. They
are certainly more interesting than Bud lite, but not my ideal.

Next you're going to tell me that people that take cream and sugar in their coffee do so because they have been "conditioned" to like only breakfast beverages that contain sugar and dairy products, instead of strongly flavored breakfast beverages. Get real.

I can virtually guarantee that if you did a blind taste test with several IPAs brewed with American Ale yeast and several with English Ale yeast you would NOT know the difference. I can absolutely guarantee it.

 

[dvdanny]

Next you're going to tell me that people that take cream and sugar in their coffee do so because they have been "conditioned" to like only breakfast beverages that contain sugar and dairy products, instead of strongly flavored breakfast beverages. Get real.

I can virtually guarantee that if you did a blind taste test with several IPAs brewed with American Ale yeast and several with English Ale yeast you would NOT know the difference. I can absolutely guarantee it.

Actually I can vouch for this, I used to use english yeast for my IPA's but any of the fruity flavors english yeast are known for are totally covered up by the hop additions (When I do IPA's I like hops out the a**). American Ale yeast consistently get my high gravity IPA's to their desired FG and bottle condition faster then their english brethrens.

I tried a Belgian yeast once with my IWA (wheat IPA)... bitter and banana... never again. I mean I love banana phenol flavors, I intentionally underpitch Trappist yeast for my Dunkelweizen (at an OG of 1.089 regular hefe yeast shrivels up and dies) just so it can have a ton of it, but I'll stick with American Hefe yeast for my IWA's.

 

[JoeBronco]

 

[JoeBronco]

Anyone have a clone recipe for natty light?

but I have one, not sure how exact it is since im going by taste.

Extract
8lbs horse piss Liquid extract
3lbs pale liquid extract

Seeping Grains
1lbs dog ****
3lbs horse ****
1lbs aged dingleberrys

Hops
.000001 oz citra hops @ flame off


Sounds yummy!

 

[two_hearted]

Anyone have a clone recipe for natty light?

Sprite + a little corn liquor + pee

 

[celbii]

My "goto" beer is Sapporo. I usually grab cans these days since it stores easier and I can get a 12 pack for $12.

 

[rayg]

Sprite + a little corn liquor + pee

That would be way too much flavor. What you
need to do is use about 60:40 malt/corn or
malt/rice but a bit less than what you would use
normally for 5% alcohol, but add an enzyme so
that all the normally unfermentable sugars get
broken down, so that will bring the alcohol
level up and minimize body. Then carbonate
the heck out of it.

Ray

 

[rayg]

I can virtually guarantee that if you did a blind taste test with several IPAs brewed with American Ale yeast and several with English Ale yeast you would NOT know the difference. I can absolutely guarantee it.

And I can virtually guarantee that you have no idea what you
are talking about. Case in point is comparing Saranac pale ale,
which they claim is a "British style" ale, but which is made using
an american ale yeast, with Magic Hat Lucky Kat. The first time
I tried Lucky Kat I thought "Ah, what a change, a commercial
US ale made with a British ale yeast." I then went to their web
page and sure enough, they say they use a British ale yeast.
I'm sure you can find a British ale yeast somewhere that is
close to the typical American ale yeast, but by and large they
are very different, not just in body but in flavor, and different
from each other. Wyeast London Ale III is a totally different
flavor from the Wyeast Fuller's strain.
I brewed many beers using American ale yeast and couldn't
get the style I was looking for. It wasn't a question of quality,
it was just not the flavor, not to mention it takes forever
to flocculate and thus by the time it's ready to drink the
body has decreased even more. I got what I was looking
for when I switched to London Ale III.

Ray

 

[Nova5]

The cheapest mass produced beer I go for is Yuengling Lager.

 

[undrtker66]

i live on the Eastern Shore of Va. and the water that comes out of my well has more taste and alcohol content than Natty Lite.......

 

[modernlifeisANDY]

And I can virtually guarantee that you have no idea what you
are talking about. Case in point is comparing Saranac pale ale,
which they claim is a "British style" ale, but which is made using
an american ale yeast, with Magic Hat Lucky Kat. The first time
I tried Lucky Kat I thought "Ah, what a change, a commercial
US ale made with a British ale yeast." I then went to their web
page and sure enough, they say they use a British ale yeast.
I'm sure you can find a British ale yeast somewhere that is
close to the typical American ale yeast, but by and large they
are very different, not just in body but in flavor, and different
from each other. Wyeast London Ale III is a totally different
flavor from the Wyeast Fuller's strain.
I brewed many beers using American ale yeast and couldn't
get the style I was looking for. It wasn't a question of quality,
it was just not the flavor, not to mention it takes forever
to flocculate and thus by the time it's ready to drink the
body has decreased even more. I got what I was looking
for when I switched to London Ale III.

Ray

I'm sorry, but you can't compare two beers from separate breweries with different recipes and use that as a basis for yeast comparison. Likewise, you can't blame the yeast completely for your own recipes. There are plenty of ways to pull off a beer with plenty of body using an American yeast strain without sacrificing intended flavor, and if you think there aren't then you're just plain wrong.

 

[Pick]

I love natural light. That's why I spend as much time as I can outdoor's!!

 

[winstonofbeer]

but I have one, not sure how exact it is since im going by taste.

Extract
8lbs horse piss Liquid extract
3lbs pale liquid extract

Seeping Grains
1lbs dog ****
3lbs horse ****
1lbs aged dingleberrys

Hops
.000001 oz citra hops @ flame off




Sounds yummy!

Ya very helpful....Thanks

 

[two_hearted]

The cheapest mass produced beer I go for is Yuengling Lager.

ditto

 

[dvdanny]

Sprite + a little corn liquor + pee

Seems more like the recipe for MGD then natty light. I swear I could give people 50/50 Budweizer and Club Soda and tell them it was *insert generic light beer* and they would believe it. That said, I never let a BMC logo get in the way of a good time while camping/fishing (I do prefer scotch or bourbon when I go fishing though), that just makes you a dick. Cold water is refreshing, as is cold beer, it stands to reason a mix of the two is equally refreshing if the situation limits you to only BMC.

 

[logan3825]

If you really wanted to make a BMC light product you would need a lot of specialized equipment. You need to make a 9% ABV beer with hop extracts, filter it through diatomaceous earth to get out practically every solid, then cut it 50/50 with carbonated water.

 

[Indyking]

Do I hate Natural light, Miller High Life, etc nowadays? Sure.

Have I had them before? Lots and lots and it was fun!

But life changes, doesn’t it? There was a time when one either didn't have time, or didn't have money, or simply didn’t have the knowledge (or altogether) to drink a good beer, or better yet, to actually craft their own good beer.

When one drinks a cheap commercial lager, one is fooling himself and wasting money, for beer is an art that requires carefully selected ingredients and process.

But a few days ago I thought, well they cannot be that bad, and had on purpose a Bud select. I found myself struggling to finish it.

 

[JoeBronco]

Do I hate Natural light, Miller High Life, etc nowadays? Sure.

Have I had them before? Lots and lots and it was fun!

But life changes, doesn’t it? There was a time when one either didn't have time, or didn't have money, or simply didn’t have the knowledge (or altogether) to drink a good beer, or better yet, to actually craft their own good beer.

When one drinks a cheap commercial lager, one is fooling himself and wasting money, for beer is an art that requires carefully selected ingredients and process.

But a few days ago I thought, well they cannot be that bad, and had on purpose a Bud select. I found myself struggling to finish it.

Best response yet...

 

[Flomaster]

I've been buying the WalGreens special beer until my first beer is ready to drink. I am cheap bastard and money is tight. if I can score a six pack for $2.99 I'll drink that until my Hef is done.

2.99 vs 6.99 for BMC vs 8-9 for craft....

-=Jason=-

 

[dvdanny]

I've been buying the WalGreens special beer until my first beer is ready to drink. I am cheap bastard and money is tight. if I can score a six pack for $2.99 I'll drink that until my Hef is done.

2.99 vs 6.99 for BMC vs 8-9 for craft....

-=Jason=-

I don't even think it's about cheap, if I can enjoy cold water on a hot day then anyone sure as hell can enjoy cold watery beer. I don't think it's that outrageous an idea, besides there are those sick people who like shaking the sh*t outta their sodas and making them flat before they drink it... so liking both BMC and craft is not that far out IMO.

 

[Flomaster]

they each have their place.

for me its about cheap at the moment until tax return comes and I can pay down some debt.


-=Jason=-

 

[Ernst-Haeckel]

Do I hate Natural light, Miller High Life, etc nowadays? Sure.

Have I had them before? Lots and lots and it was fun!

But life changes, doesn’t it? There was a time when one either didn't have time, or didn't have money, or simply didn’t have the knowledge (or altogether) to drink a good beer, or better yet, to actually craft their own good beer.

When one drinks a cheap commercial lager, one is fooling himself and wasting money, for beer is an art that requires carefully selected ingredients and process.

But a few days ago I thought, well they cannot be that bad, and had on purpose a Bud select. I found myself struggling to finish it.

Just drink the d*** thing!

 

[flabyboy]

Grain Belt ain't bad

 

[DRoyLenz]

I can agree with rayg on one thing, I don't like American Light Lagers, or most American Lagers (namely BMC) for that matter.

That's where my agreement ends.

To say, though, that homebrewers shouldn't like BMC, or that those who like BMC shouldn't homebrew is off-base. I brew, not only because I like fine beer, and I enjoy my beer, but also because I like the craft. I like formulating recipes, and calculating pitching rates. I like analyzing the taste profile and figuring out how to make a better beer. This has nothing to do with whether or not I like BMC. And, frankly, I'd be very impressed with a homebrewer's capabilities if he/she were able to clone BMC.

As far as American Ale Yeast goes, I think it's a fine yeast. I made a wonderful Dark IIPA with it, one of my finest brews yet. If rayg doesn't like it, that's fine, he doesn't have to.

It's ok to be a beer snob about your own tastes. If you don't want to drink BMC, or brew with American Ale Yeast, that's your perogative. You cross a line, though, when your beer snobbery leads you to telling other people what THEY should be drinking. Stop all the hate, after all, RDWHAHB.

 

[DRoyLenz]

Grain Belt ain't bad

No it's not. I work in Minnesota, and I went to a few Twin's games. When confronted with a lack of decent beer selection, I reluctantly tried this, expecting the worst. It was quite tasty.

 

[Indyking]

Just drink the d*** thing!

No, thanks!

I do not snob BMC-drinking people, especially those who know the difference between a good craft and a BMC. It's a personal choice and must be respected.

My personal choice of avoiding a BMC relies on the simple fact that a good tasting beer has a lot to offer. I have friends who get BMC because it's the cheapest way to get alcohol or to avoid the caloric burden of craft beers. That is not my case, but again it is all very personal.

Alcohol is just one of the several features of a good beer. Perhaps, an outstanding craft beer is one of the most complex beverages available to date, and I simply enjoy the complexity of the taste and the craftsmanship dedicated to build it.

I must say, I have drunk BMCs in some of the largest beer consumer nations in the world, and the US versions are the worse to my taste.

 

[HoyaSaxa]

No, thanks!

I do not snob BMC-drinking people, especially those who know the difference between a good craft and a BMC. It's a personal choice and must be respected.

My personal choice of avoiding a BMC relies on the simple fact that a good tasting beer has a lot to offer. I have friends who get BMC because it's the cheapest way to get alcohol or to avoid the caloric burden of craft beers. That is not my case, but again it is all very personal.

Alcohol is just one of the several features of a good beer. Perhaps, an outstanding craft beer is one of the most complex beverages available to date, and I simply enjoy the complexity of the taste and the craftsmanship dedicated to build it.

I must say, I have drunk BMCs in some of the largest beer consumer nations in the world, and the US versions are the worse to my taste.

Aussie BMC is pretty terrible too. Decent micro stuff available in the cities, but the typical tap swag is as bad or worse than U.S. domestic BMC. China is pretty terrible too. Japan, India, and of course Continental Europe all have their own BMC garbage, but it tends to sit with me better than the Aussie/U.S. stuff.

As I said before, I still drink BMC light when the mood and occasion strike (hot out, fishing, or ball game) and don't bat an eye. I've actually taken a liking to Tecate in a can for summer camping/fishing. Technically brewed in Mexico, but very drinkable for a BMC.

 

[AngerManagement]

I'm partial to PBR myself, plus it makes a great beer for brats or for use as the secret sauce when grilling steaks.

 

[winstonofbeer]

2 years ago i was drinking allmost 2 cases of natty light a week...
Finally got tired of drinking it and went to something better and long stort starting making my own.

The thing about natty light and i just had a few the other day...first time in 2 years. It really isnt the best beer in the world....But its not bad. I remember when it was 9.99 24pk..now its like 18.99 30pk. Good thing about natty was it was a good summer beer...Drink it all fricken day and not get hammered.

BMC has a majority of the beer sales in USA, We all know that.... But not everyone is going to give up the bud light, Coors, Natty or PBR..... The only thing that is going to change allot of these people to drinking something that doesnt come out of a can is to be able to make something exactly like that or very close to as long as they can save $$$...I know at least 15 people that would brew tomorrow if i could save them $$$ and make there favorite beer of choice BMC.

I think the thing that has gotten missed here over this topic is one very important thing.

Everyone here likes beer, Alltho.... Not everyone will enjoy the same Style of beer.
How is BMC any different? Its beer... May not be the beer you like...But its beer.
Yes, Its not a IPA, Its not dark, Its not full of a ton of aroma....Its a plain light beer.
And why not try to figure out a recipe for those kinds of beer?...might be a easy way to slowly get a person like me who loved the beer to try something new and want to save $$$ and try out new things...and most importantly, Make my beer the way i want my beer to taste.o

just my .02 cents

BTW, If anyone is willing to have a serious take on natty clone recipe...It would be nice.

 

[mightynintendo]

Ever had a helles beer on draft *in* Germany?

I have. Do I get a prize?

In fact, most American drinkers have no idea what real lager is

Cry as you might, BMC is real lager. Even Miller Lite, which uses artificial beer flavoring in their beer, is a real lager.

they only know the overcarbonated stuff they get here.

What's your beef with carbonation? Seriously, wtf? Who cares? It's not like anyone here is saying PBR should be the ideal to which all beer makers should aspire. It's f*cking PBR for christ's sake. It's just a beer to drink after your friends leave it in your fridge from a party you had. If you're too good for that then you really don't appreciate beer. You may appreciate good beer, but you don't appreciate all beer, and that is made evident by a lot of your misinformed and obviously-inexperienced comments.

And that American over carbonated, tart, thin bodied character has been transplanted into some microbrews, and many homebrewers try to duplicate it
using American ale yeast, although I doubt most of them are conscious of what they are doing, they are just shooting for a type of flavor profile they are used to.

Any homebrewer trying to duplicate a BMC light american lager with american ale yeast is at least as inexperienced and clueless about brewing and beer as you appear to be. Mainly: WHY THE HELL ARE YOU TRYING TO BREW A LAGER WITH AN ALE YEAST?

Wrong. American drinkers have been conditioned to like it, just like they've been conditioned to like fake burgers from McDonald's and fake Mexican food from Taco Bell.

Again, nobody thinks McDonalds or Taco Bell is the ultimate in taste and quality. It's fast, cheap, and easy. I wouldn't go to Taco Bell for dinner with my parents, but it definitely has a legitimate place on the highway when you have to bang out 12 hours of driving. Same thing is true for BMC (though not on the highway, just in regards to convenience). I'm just saying BMC has a legitimate place on the shelves.

American ale yeast is designed to create a thin-bodied, tart ale that some people who are conditioned to like bmc will like, but which I don't.

Yeast is not designed to create or destroy the body of the beer you brew. As a brewer you should know this. Your mash profile and grain bill determines all that. Believe it or not, you can make some truly heavy-bodied beers with american ale yeast if you mash at a high enough temperature and/or use appropriate quantities of crystal/roasted malts.

American ale yeast simply doesn't produce a lot of other flavors. It is quite good to use for many styles of beer, especially if you want to showcase hoppy or malty profiles. If you are consistently sacrificing body with american ale yeasts, you are just not mashing properly or your grain bill needs more unfermentables. If you were a knowledgeable brewer you would understand this.

Wrong, aging beers is for lagers, especially those made with relatively continental hops, and malts, because those beers aren't supposed to have a complex flavor profile, and the sulfurous aromas from the malts used and the farnesene (green apple aroma) from those hops has to be reduced by aging because you don't have a lot of other strong flavors to cover them up as you do in ales.

This is probably by far the most ignorant (an longest) sentences I have ever read by a home brewer on this forum as pertaining to brewing beer.

 

[brettwasbtd]

Again, nobody thinks McDonalds or Taco Bell is the ultimate in taste and quality.

I love Taco Bell... Went there for my birthday lunch!

 

[mightynintendo]

I love Taco Bell... Went there for my birthday lunch!

The chicken enchilada grilled stuffed burrito was admittedly pretty damn good.