Any Suggestions?

[loopmd]

Hello Everybody,

My problem (if you can call it that) is that my Wife's tastes in beer are not that varied. She's strictly a watered-down-over-the-counter kind of beer drinker. To top it all off, my buddies are about the same way. In the past I have brewed a few batches of Continental Light. She and my friends will share that brew. I did make a couple of batches of a nice German Honey Wheat last Summer and I was the only one who appreciated that. As wierd as this sounds, I would rather make something that I can share with my friends. Go figure, what a problem to have! I have another batch of Continental light going in my primary and was thinking about my next batch. Any suggestions on anything comparable to the Continental Light? Or do I need to remarry and find new friends?

thanks for your help, dave

 

[Janx]

Remarry and find new friends.

Just kidding.

Try to gently expand their horizons. I have seen many a Bud-Mill-oors drinker come to like good beer, if only because it's stronger and they dig the buzz. Try making an amber beer. The color will throw them off, but as long as it isn't very hoppy, the taste will not.

In other words, try making a basically light beer with the addition of a little crystal malt. Maltiness is the first thing to play with for schwilly beer drinkers. Hops will scare them off at first.

Good luck!

 

[loopmd]

So for a malt extract kit kinda guy, what are you suggesting?

 

[Janx]

Well, get yourself the lightest kit you can find...something like a Pale Ale with minimal hops. Or whatever light kits you have made in the past. Then start experimenting with adding some specialty grains for flavor. The first one I would try is 20-40L Crystal malt. It'll add a nice malty sweetness that most people find very accessible.

Another *great* adjunct grain to try is flaked barley. It lends this awesome creamy quality that a good English Bitter should have. In fact, a good English Bitter would be a great beer to try and expand people's horizons with. It isn't very bitter at all (don't tell them the name). Just a very nice light, creamy beer.

Try something like this:
4 lbs light dry malt extract
1 pound flaked barley
.5 pound 40L crystal (optional...if you want a bit more color and maltiness)
2 oz Fuggles hops (assuming 3% alpha acids) for a 60 minute boil.
British ale yeast - I'd recommend White Labs British, or if you want a really clean ferment with little yeast character, the White Labs California Ale.

Steep the adjunct grains in your boil water for a half hour or so as it heats up. Remove them before the temp gets above 170. Then boil, add extract, add hops, chill, ferment, and enjoy. That should make a really accessible beer. The flaked barley is a lot of fun.

 

[homebrewer_99]

I vote for the remarry and find new friends or you could just brew for yourself and buy them a case of Buttwiper.....

 

[loopmd]

Well, 99

As much as that would make since to us in lieu of our tastes in brew, I have had a few days to think about it and think that the best route would be to not get a divorce and find new friends. Janx, thanks for the recipe. I'm still torn to try to satisfy their tastes or just be greedy and think of myself. Since I have a light recipe in the primary now, the next one might be for me. Crystal malt sounds like it might be fun to mess around with and will consider it. Anyone else have any "mild" recipes they might share?

later....dave

 

[homebrewer_99]

You chose wisely....

 

[rightwingnut]

Hey, don't feel so bad. You're lucky your wife likes beer at all. My girlfriend doesn't drink beer, period. And my buddies are like yours...Bud and Coors. But I like the idea of brewing a batch or two for them...to share my craft. Nothing wrong with that. I think I could enjoy a "good" light tasting beer; one that I made....and perhaps it'll bring them around to better beer.

 

[homebrewer_99]

Hey, don't feel so bad. You're lucky your wife likes beer at all. My girlfriend doesn't drink beer, period. And my buddies are like yours...Bud and Coors. But I like the idea of brewing a batch or two for them...to share my craft. Nothing wrong with that. I think I could enjoy a "good" light tasting beer; one that I made....and perhaps it'll bring them around to better beer.

I've tried that already. It didn't work. My wife doesn't like beer either.