brainstorming, and limited on brain...can I borrow yours?

[williamnave]

So I need to make a beer, style not all that important. I need it to go from grain to glass in about 18 days. I keg and force carb.

Only thing I can come up with is a Hefe. Any other ideas?

Thanks all.
-Bill

 

[jfrank85]

Mild, pale ale, or blonde ale? I'd say anything low abv should work, thats just my opinion tho.

 

[williamnave]

I was thinking an APA too. That might work. Has anyone ever done that successfully? I usually like to take a month or so but I'm on a time crunch for an event

 

[TopherM]

I did a SMASH APA with 10 lbs of Vienna and 2 oz of Northern Brewer. It was very drinkable in 10 days, and is only getting better. Leave it in primary for 10 days then do a high PSI force carb, and you'll be drinking it on day 12.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/smash-apa-87816/

 

[weirdboy]

I'd make a Mild or Hefeweizen.

 

[corkybstewart]

Something small-
8 pounds 2 row pale or maris Otter
1/2 pound Crystal 60
mash at 154
1 oz goldings at 60,20 and flameout
ferment cool with nottingham
It should be done fermenting in a week, cold crash a few days and rack to keg for carbonating.

 

[asterix404]

A session beer, brown ale, an IPA even with dry hopping, a wit, a pilsner, 10 penny scotch ale... basically anything will ferment out in 14 days, you want to force carb high (which a previous posted said to do) and choose a beer which will be nice fresh. IPAs are a prime example of this, heffs are too. Also you can try a low ABV session beer and some with something really entertaining like a 3.5% bitter or something like that. A bitter would also not need much carbonation at all.

 

[RichBenn]

Although you can make a Pale Ale in that time frame, it's never as good, IMHO, as it will be a couple of weeks later. That's true for a lot of beers.

There is a sticky about grain to glass in under 3 weeks (or something like that), and I'd read it if I were you.

As far as IPAs, I'd say no. You really want to be fully fermented and dry hopping those heavily for best flavor, which adds a couple weeks AFTER ferment is done to do it right. Dry hopping in the keg slows things (at cold temperature), and dry hopping before fermentation is complete doesn't treat the hops right. If you had a couple more weeks, it's a different story.

If it is for an event, a wheat beer or mild or brown might be the ticket, depending upon your audience. I'm always reminded that what I like (IIPAs) is not what most people (many homebrewers excepted) like. Wheat beers, milds, blondes, browns seem more acceptable to a wider audience and will ferment fast and serve well young.