My brother doesnt believe that homebrew can taste as good as store bought beer. He tends to drink king cobra malt liquor the most and I want to show him that it can be better. I want a recipe that can match or be better than king cobra in smooth and taste. Idc about cost this is a competiti0n to me at this point.
Does anyone have a good malt liquor recipe?
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Isn’t “good malt liquor” an oxymoron? 
I made up this recipe, mostly tongue in cheek, in response to a question about making corn beer in another thread. I haven’t brewed it, though I might brew a small batch, just to see how it tastes. On paper it appears to check most of the boxes to be a malt liquor, though it has enough hops that it might have some actual flavor.
I made up this recipe, mostly tongue in cheek, in response to a question about making corn beer in another thread. I haven’t brewed it, though I might brew a small batch, just to see how it tastes. On paper it appears to check most of the boxes to be a malt liquor, though it has enough hops that it might have some actual flavor.
RPh_Guy
Bringing Sour Back
Here's my stab at it. (I haven't brewed this) For 5 gallons:
8 lbs American 2-row
4.4 lbs Corn grits
1 oz Cluster hops @ 60 minutes
.5 oz Willamette @ 5 minutes
K-97 German ale yeast
Cereal mash (cook) the grits with a handful of malt so it doesn't thicken, stick to the pot, and burn. Then single-infusion mash at 149. OG: 1.069, FG: 1.011, ABV: 7.5%
8 lbs American 2-row
4.4 lbs Corn grits
1 oz Cluster hops @ 60 minutes
.5 oz Willamette @ 5 minutes
K-97 German ale yeast
Cereal mash (cook) the grits with a handful of malt so it doesn't thicken, stick to the pot, and burn. Then single-infusion mash at 149. OG: 1.069, FG: 1.011, ABV: 7.5%
BTW, are specifically looking for a high-alcohol light beer? Or just a light-colored beer that's not too hoppy and over 5%? Take a look at the "Cream of Three Crops" thread; the original recipe and the variations people have posted. Or Yooper's "Fizzy Yellow Beer". Both are cream ales, and are popular with folks who like Bud, Coors, etc.
You could probably add half a pound of sugar to the kettle to boost the alcohol without really messing them up. (just plain old white sugar, or dextrose, it doesn't really matter) Or split a batch between 2 fermenters and add sugar to just one to see what it does.
You could probably add half a pound of sugar to the kettle to boost the alcohol without really messing them up. (just plain old white sugar, or dextrose, it doesn't really matter) Or split a batch between 2 fermenters and add sugar to just one to see what it does.
quote from "Tasting Beer, 2nd Edition: An Insider's Guide to the World's Greatest Drink" by Randy Mosher, Ray Daniels, Sam Calagione - "ORIGIN: Corn and rice adjunct beers date back to 1540 in America. This style as we know it developed in the late nineteenth century and then became ever more delicate as the twentieth century rolled on. This style of beer is the world’s best-selling lager. The two main adjuncts used are corn and rice, usually not together. In mainstream brands, about 25 percent of the recipe is adjunct; the quantity rises as the price goes down, and sugar is sometimes used as a really cheap adjunct in bargain brands. In the United States, the upper limit by law for a “malt beverage,” ironically a more restrictive category than “beer,” is 75 percent adjunct, although most bargain brands of beer top out at about 50 percent adjunct." Start reading this book for free: http://a.co/9DY8TgS
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lowtones84
Well-Known Member
I don't have much to add, but it really shouldn't be hard to make something better than King Cobra. I would probably age it cold/cool for a couple weeks before packaging and try to make it as clear as possible.
RPh_Guy
Bringing Sour Back
The authors are misunderstanding the legislation.
https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-i...ode=27:1.0.1.1.5;idno=27;cc=ecfr#se27.1.7_111
27 CFR 7.11 says more than half the alcohol in the beverage can't come from "nonbeverage ingredients containing alcohol".
"For example, a finished malt beverage that contains 5.0% alcohol by volume must derive a minimum of 2.55% alcohol by volume from the fermentation of barley malt and other materials and may derive not more than 2.45% alcohol by volume from the addition of flavors and other nonbeverage ingredients containing alcohol." (Emphasis added)
It specifically includes adjuncts in the portion of alcohol that is NOT limited.
RPh_Guy
Bringing Sour Back
Are you asking how the law is enforced? I assume inspectors review their production process.
With regard to the OP, none of the alcohol would come from "nonbeverage ingredients". It all comes from fermentation.
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Wow cool, I always learn something from u Rphguy...I wouldn't be surprised if tax man required separate FFT with enzymes or some lab process of known attenuation for each grist component. There's a reason tax man isn't everybody's favorite person and it's a shame when compliance costs almost as much as breaking the law...
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I figure whenever I brew a CAP or pre prohibition lager and it comes out over 7 ABV, it's getting pretty close to "malt liquor" but tastes better than most of the ones I remember.
Typically that would be about 23# grist for a 10 gallon batch. Usually something like 50% pilsner, 25 % two row and 25% rye malt and or flaked corn, occasionally some rice, recipe varies, depending on what bags are open, stock rotation etc. Sometimes I go a little higher on the adjuncts, but have never got to 50%.
Typically that would be about 23# grist for a 10 gallon batch. Usually something like 50% pilsner, 25 % two row and 25% rye malt and or flaked corn, occasionally some rice, recipe varies, depending on what bags are open, stock rotation etc. Sometimes I go a little higher on the adjuncts, but have never got to 50%.
Steveruch
Well-Known Member
king cobra? He's a lost cause. Don't waste any time or effort trying to convert him.
back on topic:
OP your buddy may enjoy this
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/cream-of-three-crops-cream-ale.66503/
OP your buddy may enjoy this
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/cream-of-three-crops-cream-ale.66503/
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