Any suggestions for a refreshing summer beer?

I am planning on brewing a beer to be ready in july when I'm hanging by the pool. I was wondering if anyone had any styles or recipes they recommend for a the summer by the pool beer.

I beer from extract... Im plan on moving to AG in the next few months (once I get the money and time)

 

centenniel blond... I have made it several times...even cut the hops exactly in half to make it even lighter...good stuff.

 

I have plans to make an English Bitter with a touch of lemon flavor. I think this will make a fantastic session beer for spending lazy summer days at a friend's new cottage.

 

I highly recommend cooper lauger but dont fill to 23 liter line(tastes a bit watery) use only
20 liters and its a great smooth clear beer..ferment @ 65-72f tops. for 2 weeks and bottle for 3 weeks.

I was very happy with it... Im actually making a second batch right now.

 

Here's a crowd pleaser for the summer. The ladies love it too as I came up with it from toying with BierMuncher's classic SWMBO Slayer. I call it "Evil Charlie's Dog Drool." Long story behind the name which I won't get into.


(^My awesome photoshop skills at work for the label)

5.5 gallon boil
O.G. - 1.058

Fermentables
* 2.00 lbs Flaked Wheat steeped in for 60 minutes before boil @ 150F
* 3.00 lbs Light Pilsen DME @ 60 minutes of boil
* 3.00 lbs Bavarian Wheat LME @ for 60 minutes boil

Hops
* 1.2 oz Willamette (4.7% Alpha Acid) for 60 minutes of boil

Yeast
* Wyeast 3944 - Belgian Wit yeast

Misc
* 0.50 lbs Dark Belgian beet rock candi @ the start of the boil
* 0.50 lbs White Belgian rock candi (Yeah, I mix em. It's just what I do.)
* 1.00 oz Sweet orange peel added @ 30 minutes of boil
* 4.00 lbs of frozen strawberries added to secondary fermentor before racking

Notes:

*Honestly I don't really worry about the gravity readings at this point anymore. I just brew it and it comes out pretty dang good every time. IIRC it's about a 6% ABV beer. Just make sure to do the primary fermentation with a blow-off tube or you will have a potential yeasty/grainy mess the next morning after brew day. Fair warning.

*Blanche the strawberries after thawing them properly. Blanching involves putting the strawberries into boiling water for 2 minutes or so. This has the desired effect of both pasteurizing them and softening them up to get them to release their sweet, sweet nectar.

*I typically do the primary fermentation for 2-3 weeks before racking to secondary on top of the strawberries. Then I let them sit with the strawberries in the secondary fermentor for a single week. This is a quick beer and honestly it is best enjoyed sooner rather than later. This is a beer for the impatient brewer. I have seen this beer be fully carbed after a mere 4-5 days after bottling.

:fro::cross:

 

Umm

 

Given your situation, i would do a blonde ale or a kolsch. I really like kolsch for the summer, and you can use saaz hops for a nice lemony flavor.

 

Looking for a good summer beer myself. Thinking about a light belgian style or blonde. That centennial blonde sounds promising. I'd have to go with the full amount of hops tho.

 

My goto anytime especially hot days fav:

CudaBrew Dirty Blonde

Type: Extract
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Brewer: Gldnst8warrior
Boil Time: 60 min

Ingredients

7.00 lb Pilsner Liquid Extract (3.5 SRM) Extract 87.50 %
1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 15L (15.0 SRM) Grain 12.50 % Steep grains (30-45 minutes)

1.00 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00 %] (Dry Hop 7-14 days) Hops -
1.00 oz Saaz [4.00 %] (30 min) Hops 9.2 IBU
0.50 oz Saaz [4.00 %] (10 min) Hops 2.2 IBU
0.50 oz Saaz [4.00 %] (2 min) Hops 0.5 IBU
1.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs Kolsch Yeast (Wyeast Labs #2565) Yeast-Ale

Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.051 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.012 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.07 %
Bitterness: 11.8 IBU Calories: 194 cal/pint
Est Color: 6.2 SRM Color: Color

 

Here's what I'm planning for this weekend (adapted from BYO Brooklyn Summer clone). I'll know this summer if it is a good summer beer

3.00 kg Pale Malt, Maris Otter (5.9 EBC)
1.20 kg German Pilsner (2 Row) (3.9 EBC)

15.00 gm Cascade [6.80 %] (60 min)
15.00 gm Cascade [6.80 %] (30 min)
15.00 gm Cascade [6.80 %] (0 min)

Nottingham Ale Yeast

25.00 gm Amarillo [8.50 %] (Dry hop)

 

"Umm" indeed. Reading comprehension is your ally.

 

The Evil Charlie's Dog Drool sounds like a crowd pleaser. I have always wanted to make a strawberry beer, so its on deck now. Thanks PhelanKA7 for the recipes. And, at around 6% it will be fun watching girls get a good buzz by the pool. hey you girls all wanna try the "light" beer I brewed.

Gldnst8warrior, That sounds like a good session beer Im gonna add to my recipe list, thanks

 

I'm in the process of brewing 4 beers for this summer: a Kolsch (turned out yummy), NB's Patersbier (it's ready to be bottled) a Hefeweizen (brewing it tomorrow), and a Saison. After that, I'll turn my attention to my fall seasonals.

 

Me too. I'll probably brew 2-3 more this summer before the fall. I'm leaning towards a cucumber ale and a Three Floyds Gumballhead clone.

What do you like brewing for the fall?

 

I have never added anything to my secondary before. I plan on dry hopping for the first time this weekend. Is there any special precautions to take when adding strawberries to a secondary? I think strawberries would be a nice touch to a summer brPhelanKA7ew and recipes called for it.

 

As I said in the notes: Be sure to properly thaw your frozen strawberries and then blanche them by tossing them into a pot of boiling water for a couple minutes. This will pasteurize them and also soften them up to get them "juicier." I hope that answers your question. (Edit: Don't throw your berries into the water UNTIL it is boiling!)

*Also, you add the strawberries into your secondary fermentation vessel first and rack your beer on top of them. When you go to bottle your beer don't be afraid to see those berries looking pretty dang gross. They kinda look like a big pile of brains... It should be tasty though. :rockin:

 

Alright will do, thanks. ill let you know when this recipe is ready and how it turned out.

 

I haven't decided what all I'm going to brew. I'm leaning toward a "mocktoberfest", and I've been wanting to brew a Belgian dubbel, so those two are on the table. Maybe a Scottish 80/ or a Tripel? I'm open to suggestions.