Recipe for Beer to Put on Tap at Pub/Bar

[permo]

I am in the process of possibly putting one of my brews on tap at a local establishment for a period to test the waters. This is a beer place with 16 taps and 1 handle could be mine for a while. I am currently wading through the red tape with our f-ed up distrubution system, zoning issues, licenses, etc.etc...etc......

So, I am wondering if I do get all the BS squared away, what should be the first brew to go on tap? I am thinking a nice nutty, malty, caremel balanced american amber ale with all willamete hops. OG = 1.050, FG = 1.012, SRM = 16, IBU = 20, WLP007

That is the conservative side of me........the other part of my says give them something they have never had...like Red IPA

 

[TTB-J]

Congrats - I hope it all works out.

First, let me state the obvious: go with your gut!

Second, let me throw in my humble opinion: whenever I'm trying to convert someone to craft brews I always look for an amber. Must people associate dark beers with bitterness or roastiness - many are surprised when they taste that slightly sweet but balanced, full-bodied splendor that is a properly made amber.

I should add that it would also depend on the type of establishment. If it's a place that has 16 taps, 10 of which are BMC, then I would definitely go with the amber - the people that frequent that place would probably run away in terror from a Red IPA. If it's 16 craft brews on the wall, you might consider trying to stand out a bit. But still, I find that it's very "hip" to load craft brews with hops these days, so you still might be standing out with the amber, despite the fact that it feels like a conservative choice.

Either way you go, it's exciting!

 

[HoboBrewery]

i'm gonna share with you a thought i've had for a while now.

speak to the establishment about asking their insurance company about the legality of you offering free samples to people at the establishment. if you could do this, it would be an awesome "focus group" to find out what people are going to like. after all, the regulars are going to kick your keg so you want them happy. what a better way than getting feedback from the regulars? to the owner, you pitch it like this- "i'd like you to give out a sample of this along with a rating sheet that i make up. ask your patrons if they want to be part of a survey- it includes free beer. whenever someone buys a certain tap, you pour them a 3-4 oz sample of my beer along with the score card to rate it. the beer i'll give you for this tap will be a style similar to the one they normally drink. they give you the score cards and i'll pick them up when i drop you off new beer."

16 taps you say? are 11 of them anheuser-busch or miller-coors? yes? then maybe you want something light and devoid of real flavor. are 11 of those taps pale ales, porters, stouts, and other "real beer"? then maybe something with a punch of flavor and aroma.

you gotta know what your up against. if they're drinking coors light because it's 2 dollars a glass and is served really cold, then maybe you want something with high adjuncts that you can flip a quick product and serve for 2 dollars a glass too. if they're drinking pale ales and west coast ipas, then ****, maybe they like beer, and now you just gotta key in on what they like, and what they like about what they're paying for.

feel free to PM me when you're rich successful and in need of a beer sommelier- aka a drunk that knows beer.

 

[moosetav]

I agree with the above. To me, it's gonna depend on the types of people frequenting that pub and what kind of beers do they normally serve. Find out how frequently they rotate their beers and what might be on tap when yours is ready to go. I'd find something to compliment the existing offerings. I think either one of those beers would be excellent.

 

[permo]

16 taps 1 of which is bud light, the rest of which are rotated between different craft beers, dead guy ale is the best seller behind bud light, but where I am from, bars with decent beer on tap are few and far between, so there is a good amount of folks that come in just for good and exciting beers.

I will talk to him again tonight about possibly doing a free sample or tasting day, we have talked about actually doing an all grain brewing demonstration as well, so that could help generate some interest too.

I am fairly excited by this, it very well could spiral out of control, or fail miserably. However, my process is good and my beer is good, so I think it will work out.

We have no distributer for new belgium in the town and folks are always asking for fat tire so I know that the interest in a dumbed down american amber ale is there..... I wouldn't dumb mine down through..

6 gallon example

10 pounds base malt
1 pound munich
1/2 pound victory
1/2 pound C50
1/2 pound C60
1/4 pound C120
1/4 pound pale chocolate
WLP007
20 IBU Willamete at 20
lots of Willamete at FO
Possibble dry hop
Mash at 154.......

Something like that.......

Also, do you think I could get in trouble for selling beer that uses harvested Pacman yeast?

 

[HoboBrewery]

the only way you could fail is giving up on it. what's the worst that can happen? people drink your beer, tell you why they wouldn't drink it, and rate it. even the failures at the homebrew competitions get feedback to make their beer better...or in this case, better for your market.

dr albert hofman accidentally spilled a chemical on his hand and had a hell of a bike ride home. sometimes it's the "failures" that just aren't failures at all.

moral? yea, i dont know. keep trying.

 

[Dunerunner]

I have to agree with Hobo. Be fearless! If you have the confidence to make a beer and get it into public distribution, what are you worried about. If Rogue "Dead Guy" is their best seller, your Amber should hit the spot!!

I would not try to compete with "Dead Guy" by hopping the "H" out of your amber. Give it a good malt backbone with some residual sweetness and perhaps the promise of hoppiness and citrus in the nose with a mild hop finish. I like the Willmaettes, perhaps some Cascades in the last 5 minutes.

Best of luck to you.

 

[robtotten]

Neat idea but totally illegal

 

[cw_racefan]

Neat idea but totally illegal

Um, re-read his original post where he says:
I am currently wading through the red tape with our f-ed up distrubution system, zoning issues, licenses, etc.etc...etc......


Sounds completely legal to me if he's getting licenses, etc. I'd love to be able to do something like that, but it's next to impossible here in MD.

 

[permo]

Neat idea but totally illegal

If I am going to do it at all, it has to be legal. No way an establishment here would risk one of the very expensive and very rare beer license by pushing illegally distributed and brewed beer.

I have financing lined up if I want to go big, and I do have a lawyer to help me with the legality.....

 

[robtotten]

You're not going to get a license to give away homebrew at a bar, it would be great but such a thing doesn't exist. You could set up a tasting at your home, you could get financing together like you mentioned and go all out, but you'll have to be a fully licensed brewery (in a structure that is not a dwelling) with the TTB and your state to distribute beer in any commercial setting.

 

[jfowler1]

OP,

This sounds like a great opportunity. Let's ignore the legality issues and red tape for a minute, and just think about the original question. You have 1 tap available at the restaurant, and what should you have it pour?

Normally, I would say that your idea of an American Amber is a great choice. However, I see it as more or a hurdle than a benefit that Dead Guy is the restaurant's best seller. How many people really understand that Dead Guy started out as a Maibock, and was slowly changed to it's own unique, American Strong Ale and brewed with a propriatary strain? A fan of craft beer knows it is a great beer, but I would be shocked if they could really explain its unique style.

Even people who like craft beer would typically fall back and describe Red Guy as a good, red ale. The bulk of the population either likes a "red" beer, or they don't. Browse the BJCP guide, and you will probably find 15 beers that can be described as "red". Red really means nothing. The problem is that you are going to get constant comparisons to Dead Guy; either "this is better than Dead Guy", or "this is not as good as Dead Guy". The average person/patron does not recognize 80 (or so) beer styles. Spend a few minutes at the bar of your local brew pub, and listen to bartenders/waiters (even the brewer) struggle to explain their beers to curious customers. Even beer-educated employees do not have much to work with if the customer base does not know classic examples of a style. The stretches they make are unreal. I have heard of Bavarian Weizens described as "like Blue Moon", and Irish Reds that are "Like Sam Adams". Color does not equal style. My point is, your recipe might be a great American Amber, but if people are set up to expect one flavor, but they get another, they are going to critique (even if they like what they taste).

I suggest looking at the menu, and choosing a beer that pairs great with food, and is still good on its own. My suggestion is a flavorful, unrestrained American Brown. Give it plenty of body, plenty of sweetness, lots of chocolate, and lots of hops. I think it is one of the most enjoyable pints of beer in existance. It is also easy to explain by a bar tender. The red may be explained as "it's like dead guy", but your American Brown is explained as sweet, chocolate-ey, and hoppy. A patron will get what they expect, instead of a beer that looks, but doesn't taste, like Dead Guy.

Good luck,
Joe

 

[permo]

OP,

This sounds like a great opportunity. Let's ignore the legality issues and red tape for a minute, and just think about the original question. You have 1 tap available at the restaurant, and what should you have it pour?

Normally, I would say that your idea of an American Amber is a great choice. However, I see it as more or a hurdle than a benefit that Dead Guy is the restaurant's best seller. How many people really understand that Dead Guy started out as a Maibock, and was slowly changed to it's own unique, American Strong Ale and brewed with a propriatary strain? A fan of craft beer knows it is a great beer, but I would be shocked if they could really explain its unique style.

Even people who like craft beer would typically fall back and describe Red Guy as a good, red ale. The bulk of the population either likes a "red" beer, or they don't. Browse the BJCP guide, and you will probably find 15 beers that can be described as "red". Red really means nothing. The problem is that you are going to get constant comparisons to Dead Guy; either "this is better than Dead Guy", or "this is not as good as Dead Guy". The average person/patron does not recognize 80 (or so) beer styles. Spend a few minutes at the bar of your local brew pub, and listen to bartenders/waiters (even the brewer) struggle to explain their beers to curious customers. Even beer-educated employees do not have much to work with if the customer base does not know classic examples of a style. The stretches they make are unreal. I have heard of Bavarian Weizens described as "like Blue Moon", and Irish Reds that are "Like Sam Adams". Color does not equal style. My point is, your recipe might be a great American Amber, but if people are set up to expect one flavor, but they get another, they are going to critique (even if they like what they taste).

I suggest looking at the menu, and choosing a beer that pairs great with food, and is still good on its own. My suggestion is a flavorful, unrestrained American Brown. Give it plenty of body, plenty of sweetness, lots of chocolate, and lots of hops. I think it is one of the most enjoyable pints of beer in existance. It is also easy to explain by a bar tender. The red may be explained as "it's like dead guy", but your American Brown is explained as sweet, chocolate-ey, and hoppy. A patron will get what they expect, instead of a beer that looks, but doesn't taste, like Dead Guy.

Good luck,
Joe

Its a burgers and fries joint, personally I like a nice pale ale with my burger, but I don't think that would be appreciated. Actually, the only BMC tap that they have is bud light, and that outsells everything else, but the best selling craft beer is dead guy, and there is no doubt that nobody knows about it's history or that it is a psuedo maibock fermented with a propriatary strain, or even that it is brewed in Oregon for the most part.

Many folks that go there go for the food and just try a few "wierd" beers. I am hoping to make something that would get folks hooked on craft beers.

The beers that I have made to this point that have had the most "commercial" appeal to my non craft beer drinking buddies are as follows.

#1 American Wheat
#2 Belgian Farmhouse Style Ale with Oats and Honey
#3 Cream Ale
#4 Tripel
#5 American Amber

All of these beers are a lettle...blah for me, but out of all of them, a nice, crisp, more towards to the hoppy side, American Amber sounds best. If I were to be putting on a beer to completely showcase my brewing skills it would surely be a big red or brown ale.....