Ever thought about brewing a BMC clone?

Just to test your chops? I mean...they say it's brewed "the hard way". Have you ever wanted to brew something the hard way just because you can?

I used to only drink Miller Lite. I thought about trying to brewing some just because I can.

 

I haven't thought about it for a couple reasons - first of all, I'm not set up very well to brew lagers except a couple months out of the year during the winter (no fridge, just a cold basement and colder root celler - only made 1 last winter, and it turned out awesome). Second though and most importantly, I really just don't have the interest in doing it. However that said, I will admit right up front that I'll bet it's hard - with how neutral the flavors are, the slightest flaw will stick out like a sore thumb.

Seems to me that a lot of the time that I happen to read results of brewing competitions, the Best of Show beer ends up being something from the American Lager categories. I guess maybe brewers who can pull it off are rewarded?

 

I can see myself attempting a Budweiser clone... and then obliterating it with a pound of Simcoe, pitching ale yeast and fermenting it at ~65ºF. I'm not a fan of how "The hard way" tastes so I couldn't see myself putting in the effort to make an entire keg of it, but I know what you mean.

 

I have an international pale lager fermenting right now.
1.050 OG and 27 IBU - a little on the big side and lightly hopped with an ounce of Ahtanum at flametout + 1.5 ounce dry hop (6 gallon batch), but at least I won't hate myself for making flavorless beer.

 

I thought about it. More to appease BMCers who visit. All the BMCers I know will happily have a Centennial Blonde, which I also enjoy. It's simple enough, I always happen to have the grist kicking around, and has proven to be a tried and true "If they don't like this, it's hopeless for them" brew.

Even my coworkers who swear by brand B but can't touch M or C (and vice versa) all said it was great at a company Xmas party when I brought a case. So I never did try and brew the ultimate light beer. Perhaps I will with some second runnings one day just for the hell of it.

 

Yeah, I've thought about it. But here's why I don't:

1) it's pretty cheap, so if I was to have some around the house for quaffing with the bros, I would sooner buy it.

2) I honestly would prefer to work to make the most flavorful wort possible and complement it with proper yeast temps (ala blonde ale), not use corn and rice to imitate a "clean" taste.

However I respect homebrewers highly that can clone a bmc because:
1) your sanitation and fermentation temps must be spot on. There is no way to hide an off flavor in a bmc.
2) you have likely found a way to brew more beer than I.

 

Closest I've come is a helles, done both by decoction and step mash. One of my favorite beers plus all my BMC friends love it. Know a guy who nothing but Coors light (and a LOT), he tried it and said damn son that's good! I love helles because of the sweeter maltier flavor vs a German or Czech pils that's pretty bitter.

 

I brew a light lager for my Father in Law all the time. Makes him happy and it's great to have an easy drinking beer for hot days. For grins I entered it into the Blue Bonnet Brewoff and it made it into the second round. First round scores were 40's and the judges said it was a great beer. Second round scores were 30's and said they could detect Acetaldehyde. So it seems even among judges it is hard to taste acetaldehyde.

The best thing about brewing this beer is that I then take the yeast cake and make a bigger beer. Last time I split the yeast cake and made a 2 gallon 8.5% Russian Imperial Stout and a 5 gallon batch of Vienna Lager.

 

BMC, IMHO, is like having sex in a boat. It's F-ing close to water. So...No, I've not even thought of brewing it. I prefer better beer.

 

Come to think of it though, do any craft brewers make a light/ pale lager?

Lots of blondes, some Kolschs, few helles, but next to 0 lite lager.

Can we deduce anything from that?

 

The thought about doing a malt liquor, something like Mickey's but with more hop presence. But it's near the bottom of my list of things to do.