ZebulonBrewer
Well-Known Member
So I got hitched this last Friday 
and after I became engaged a friend of mine who was a much more senior brewer said to me, "Why don't you make the beer for the wedding?" This was a few brews into our evening and I thought it was just crazy enough to work. 
It was a smashing success, and here's the story:
Planning started in early February, right when I started getting ready for brewing spring and summer beers. I've brewed for ~two years and have had more successes than failures, and switched this last Spring to partial mash BIAB. However, to provide beer for my wedding, I wanted it to be good, and my tiny apartment with all of my two year old's toys has no room for temperature controlled fermentation area, much less mass production and storage
After several months of trial recipes, tweaks, and coming to reality, I ended up brewing three, five gallon recipes, so about one keg's worth. Lame, I know, but with ~120-150 people, some of which I didn't think would like any of it. I also decided to provide ~six cases of cheap stuff (bud, bud light, miller light, busch).
The recipes I used are partial mash adaptions of the following recipes.
Strawberry Blonde (strawberry was ~half of recommended extract amount
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f62/simple-blonde-ale-extract-54953/
This beer was the crowd favorite, the blonde is one of the most popular beers that I brew, because did I mention the wedding was completely outside in Ohio and it was 90°F (full tuxedo......I thought I was going to die)
Honey Orange Hefeweizen
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f70/honey-orange-hefeweizen-169857/
Pretty crisp, and it ended up a little drier than I wanted it. Also well liked, and also the most consumed of all three. Because it finished so dry (1.010), it was also the highest alcohol (5.5%).
Blood Moon IPA
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f69/blood-moon-ipa-471019/
This was my personal favorite. It was summer, and I didn't want people to die under oppressive stouts and browns in 90°F+humid weather. I lowered the alcohol to ~5.0% from the recipe recommended level, and at both strengths, I love it. A few people who like good beer and hate IPA's said they liked this IPA.
Transportation to the venue:
I also have to say, that brewing, fermenting, and conditioning three batches that not being consumed really eats into the pipeline. I had been brewing two batches per month since February, and this summer has been insane (guess why?), so I actually had to buy beer for general usage .
TL;DR - I so very pleased that my homebrew was such a successful part of my wedding. Very little survived, and I plan to brew a Dusseldorf Altbier to get the Fall started. Yes I know I'm behind.
:cheers:
and after I became engaged a friend of mine who was a much more senior brewer said to me, "Why don't you make the beer for the wedding?" This was a few brews into our evening and I thought it was just crazy enough to work. It was a smashing success, and here's the story:
Planning started in early February, right when I started getting ready for brewing spring and summer beers. I've brewed for ~two years and have had more successes than failures, and switched this last Spring to partial mash BIAB. However, to provide beer for my wedding, I wanted it to be good, and my tiny apartment with all of my two year old's toys has no room for temperature controlled fermentation area, much less mass production and storage
After several months of trial recipes, tweaks, and coming to reality, I ended up brewing three, five gallon recipes, so about one keg's worth. Lame, I know, but with ~120-150 people, some of which I didn't think would like any of it. I also decided to provide ~six cases of cheap stuff (bud, bud light, miller light, busch).
The recipes I used are partial mash adaptions of the following recipes.
Strawberry Blonde (strawberry was ~half of recommended extract amount
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f62/simple-blonde-ale-extract-54953/
This beer was the crowd favorite, the blonde is one of the most popular beers that I brew, because did I mention the wedding was completely outside in Ohio and it was 90°F (full tuxedo......I thought I was going to die)
Honey Orange Hefeweizen
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f70/honey-orange-hefeweizen-169857/
Pretty crisp, and it ended up a little drier than I wanted it. Also well liked, and also the most consumed of all three. Because it finished so dry (1.010), it was also the highest alcohol (5.5%).
Blood Moon IPA
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f69/blood-moon-ipa-471019/
This was my personal favorite. It was summer, and I didn't want people to die under oppressive stouts and browns in 90°F+humid weather. I lowered the alcohol to ~5.0% from the recipe recommended level, and at both strengths, I love it. A few people who like good beer and hate IPA's said they liked this IPA.
Transportation to the venue:
I also have to say, that brewing, fermenting, and conditioning three batches that not being consumed really eats into the pipeline. I had been brewing two batches per month since February, and this summer has been insane (guess why?), so I actually had to buy beer for general usage
.TL;DR - I so very pleased that my homebrew was such a successful part of my wedding. Very little survived, and I plan to brew a Dusseldorf Altbier to get the Fall started. Yes I know I'm behind.
:cheers:
