When does "light" become too light ?

[Bru]

This may be a vague question but I'd appreciate your opinion...
When I started brewing all my regular quaffer beers were just over 5% abv (+-1.052ish).
Belgian Wit, California Common, Bohemian pils, APA, Brown ale etc - all 5%
Lately Ive reduced that to +-4% abv/ 1.040 so that I can glug a few with getting too hammered.
Ive considered going down to about 3.5% for a light lager (for those 35*C summer days).
I assume at some stage quality will be sacrificed if the beer is too light.
How do you choose your OG / abv ? What is too light for a light lager ?

 

[Bopper]

I brew a 1.035 bitter. It's one of my favorites and clocks in around 3.4%. There's a time for both high ABV and low ABV. This bitter is great for weeknights because I can have a few without feeling it in morning. It's also great on a hot day.

 

[Neonsilver]

There's a time for both high ABV and low ABV.

Definitely this.

I should be brewing up a mild tomorrow night that will end up at 3.2%, no real limits except for what the brewer wants.

 

[pjj2ba]

When scaling down a recipe, keep any specialty malts the same, and just decrease the base malt. Or if you aren't using any, consider adding a small amount of some. A quarter pound of a specialty malt (including wheat) can have a big affect in a low OG beer

 

[Scooby_Brew]

I brewed a 10 gal batch of Northern Brown with 1.055 OG and ~21 IBUs and then deleted it with water down to 15 gallons Mild with 1.035 OG and 14 IBUs ;D

 

[carnevoodoo]

The berliner I made came in at a whopping 3.2%. It is sort of like lemonade, but I love it.

 

[Homercidal]

Light in alcohol doesn't have to mean light in taste or calories.

 

[david_42]

I've found that 5% rye can give a real flavor boost to a small beer. I've had decent beers that were only 2.5% ABV.

 

[BrewBrain]

I got a taste of this mild and it was most excellent. I think it was somewhere in the 3.5% range if I remember.

http://wiki.homebrewersassociation.org/SSMinnowMildAle-AllGrain

 

[Bru]

Interesting replies - thanks. I think I'll make a 3% Vienna SMaSH next.

 

[brewagentjay]

Simple when it looses flavor........

 

[Cliff897]

This may be a vague question but I'd appreciate your opinion...
When I started brewing all my regular quaffer beers were just over 5% abv (+-1.052ish).
Belgian Wit, California Common, Bohemian pils, APA, Brown ale etc - all 5%
Lately Ive reduced that to +-4% abv/ 1.040 so that I can glug a few with getting too hammered.
Ive considered going down to about 3.5% for a light lager (for those 35*C summer days).
I assume at some stage quality will be sacrificed if the beer is too light.
How do you choose your OG / abv ? What is too light for a light lager ?

Extraordinary question and one that raises a great point.
Long ago and far away I judged beer by alcohol strength and black patent malt usage. That was the 1980's. I think of those years as my beer making adolescence when my tastes were sufficiently immature and unsophisticated that I was simply unable to discern the finer things. So I defaulted to the gross things. Now, years later, I'm more about the trivial things. I find that too much alcohol and strong flavors step all over the finer characteristics of a beer.

So how light? Well if your beer is crisp, refreshing, possessed of gorgeous aroma and flavors, then you have no reason to question your beer. Have more instead.

 

[Bru]

Low alcohol commercial beers have scared me a bit but I guess even regular abv commercial beers are scary.
My next brew is going to be a 3% lager - Im going to need a 1L beerfest mug !