Whit, wheat, light Ale...so many choices,

[Spartan300man]

Planning my next batch. So far, the wife supports the recent re-kindling of this former hobby. To keep the momentum going and the support growing, I want to brew something she will enjoy, as well as guests that come over for some grilling and chilling in the backyard, as we sweat our way through the hot summer months. Most won't enjoy the hoppy ale I have that I just bottled, so looking for something a little more mainstream but hopefully refreshing and something I can enjoy too.
I first thought a wheat beer would be the ticket, but after having a Hacker-Pschorr recently, I must be going through a "taste-phase" where the clove and banana isn't cutting it for me. I did have a Lost Coast tangerine wheat, and thought that would be a good choice, I didn't get that overwhelming clove taste. Is the clove taste a result of the yeast, or a combination of factors including ferment temperatures?
Should I be aiming towards a lighter Ale instead, skip the wheat, or should I be looking into Belgian style Wits? I'll probably split the batch into two final fermentation carboys and try different techniques of using zest or fruit

 

[BlueHouseBrewhaus]

Try 55% 2-row, 40% wheat malt and 5% whatever (I've used Vienna or C20 or even caraaroma). For a SA Summer Ale effect, add 1 oz of fresh lemon zest and 4g Seeds of Paradise for the last 10 min of boil. For a lemon-lime effect do late hops with Motueka and Sorace Ace. Both of those can be hopped at 25 IBU or under. Go with Wyeast 1010 yeast. Keep it in the low to mid 60's and it ferments very clean with minimal banana and cloves and attenuates very well.

 

[Subdivisions]

Yes, the banana and clove is from the yeast. You can make an american wheat by using the same recipes but using something like US-05 or any other clean fermenting yeast.

You could do a blonde ale also. Very refreshing and will please the BMC crowd. Look up Biermuncher's centennial blonde in the recipe section

 

[Brew_G]

I was also going to suggest an American Wheat-type beer. I feel that the lightness lends itself well to drinking in the warm/hot weather, and they can be either lightly or fairly aggressively hopped, as long as you don't overdo the bitterness.

I recently bottled one that was hopped with Calypso and Hüll Melon - all hops within the last 10 minutes of the boil and lightly dry hopped. I used harvested Bell's yeast.

Having used 2-row and German wheat malt, with a little Munich and Melanoidin in support, it's a really beautiful golden color. The FG sample tasted phenomenal - plenty fruity and really clean - and it's dropped out disturbingly clear! I'm really looking forward to drinking this one on a nice, hot day.

 

[Spartan300man]

Thanks, great suggestions! Much appreciated. I'll research what my two LHBS have available from these ideas and work up a recipe from there.

 

[Cider123]

Having used 2-row and German wheat malt, with a little Munich and Melanoidin in support, it's a really beautiful golden color. The FG sample tasted phenomenal - plenty fruity and really clean - and it's dropped out disturbingly clear! I'm really looking forward to drinking this one on a nice, hot day.

This looks really good. I was just checking out a recipe that was very similar, only using MO in place of the 2-row. Is it a 1:1 ratio of 2 row and wheat?

Also +1 on Biermuncher's Centennial Blonde

 

[Brew_G]

This looks really good. I was just checking out a recipe that was very similar, only using MO in place of the 2-row. Is it a 1:1 ratio of 2 row and wheat?

Also +1 on Biermuncher's Centennial Blonde

Thanks! I decided to go with the Calypso (instead of Rakau) based on feedback I got here on HBT. The initial samples are really promising.

It wasn't exactly a 1:1 ratio, but it was pretty close. You can find the recipe here. It was about 53% 2-row (5.75 lbs) to 39% German Wheat Malt (4.25 lbs), with the balance made up of Munich and Melanoidin. I was actually thinking of using MO instead of the 2-row, but I wanted something a little brighter in terms of color and perhaps easing a bit on the nuttiness.