What would be considered among the "fastest" beers?

[BierMuncher]

So let's say the phone rings and it's wife family (all Irish) inviting themselves over to the house for dinner three weeks from Saturday (pretend today is Tuesday).

That means I have slightly less than 4 weeks to throw something together to drink.

Is there any beer style that is considered a quick beer? I'm not looking for the most complicated recipe or any exotic brew. THis is mostly curiosity.

In a crunch...what (style) would you'all try to brew in a hurry?

 

[magno]

A mild or something else low ABV and low IBU. You would still be pushing the envelope at 4 weeks though. If you keg, you could possibly cut some time off.

I think your best bet would be to serve the Toad Spit Stout and your English Ale, maybe some of your others that you have going may be ready by then.

- magno

 

[BierMuncher]

I think your best bet would be to serve the Toad Spit Stout and your English Ale, maybe some of your others that you have going may be ready by then.

- magno

Thanks Magno...I like my in-laws, but not THAT much.

I'm thinking mayby a Carpils heavy APA with some extra DME and a 1lb of honey. That should force a malty brew with enough kick to please this Irish crowd. Maybe I'll throw in a 1/2 lb of black patent and roasted barley and pass it off as stout.

I love this experiment that is beermaking.

 

[D*Bo]

Honey takes a bit to ferment out.

I did an Old English Bitter that my LHBS owner came up with, keged in 10 days. I've had it at 7 days.
10 days in primary and bottle. Should be ready to go by then. I'll post the recipe in the morning.

 

[Tony]

My option would be a Wheat. No secondary, fast and furious ferment, quick and easy, and ready in no time.

 

[Kaiser]

4 weeks is plenty of time to get a beer ready.

I once did a bottle conditioned APA in 4 weeks:

1 wk primary
1.5 wk secondary with dry-hopping
1.5 wk bottle conditioned (I bottled with Kraeusen to speed up the carbonation time)

Though the beer peaked between 6 and 8 weeks it was pretty good at 4 weeks when I served it at a party.

Kai

 

[Fiery Sword]

As a half-Irish (half-Sicilian, gaspacho) dude, I'm simply offended that you heard that SWMBO's Irish family was coming over and you feel that if you dont have beer they will stomp you to death with old, wooden clogs.

 

[muzleldr]

Kenny Bernsteen bud man top fuel

 

[Pumbaa]

if you start ASAP you can bang out a good red in 4 weeks, keep ABV on the lower just keep the IBU's on the lower end of the style scale

 

[D*Bo]

This is the extract recipe

5 lbs light DME
.25 lbs Cara Amber
.19 lbs Crystal 55

1.5 oz Whitbread Gold Varity 60 min.
.5 oz WGV 30 min

Ferment with Safale-04

It ferments very quickly. This yeast floculates very well and produces a compact cake.
10 days in primary clears well, you won't get much additional benifit from secondary, so straight to bottles, unless you have access to kegs (by your list of brews I'm assuming not)
I heard someone mention turning the bottles (upside down) after a week to disturb the sediment helped to speed up the carbonation process.

I hadn't proofed the yeast before I pitched or airated. There was a little bit of lag time, but once it took off, it fermented within two days. Probably mid 60's for fermentation temp. Tasted nice and smooth.



Some people trassh talk the dry yeast and are dead set agains using it, but I've always had great results. It may lag a bit if you forget to proof it, but there are many times more cells than with vials or smack packs, no starter needed. And if you forget about prepping it in your haste of getting everything ready to brew, it's not that big of a deal. They also seem to ferment quickly and cleanly.


Good luck with getting something ready for the inlaws.
Oh, and this would benifit from lower carbonation levels, think real ale. This would be a great recipe to serve on a beer engine within a week of brewing.

 

[sconnie]

I'd agree to avoid the honey if you want a quick brew, as my experience with honey in beer and mead tells me that it often take a LONG time to ferment out. An APA or a wheat would probably work great; i did a simple american wheat a while back that I was drinking in 4 weeks.
This might be of interest as well:
http://***********/feature/1476.html

 

[BierMuncher]

As a half-Irish (half-Sicilian, gaspacho) dude, I'm simply offended that you heard that SWMBO's Irish family was coming over and you feel that if you dont have beer they will stomp you to death with old, wooden clogs.

FS - Not only beer, but I'd best have my Jamison stocked as well. These brother in-laws have taught this German a thing or two about being prepared for an evening. I'm conditioning a stout for St. Patricks day...just for these guys.

 

[ScoutMan]

I second the Hefe recomendation. I just did my first. One week in the primary and into the bottles. The left over beer from bottling had a great lemony flavor with some bannana and clove undertones. In three weeks, it should be good to go. It's gonna be a great summer brew I think...