Fast Beers

[elbajista]

I was reading on the Brewboard.com and came across a thread for "fast beers," that is, beers that require just 10 +/- days in primary and just enough time in bottle or keg to carbonate. I love the thought of aging beer, but to start I'd like to have almost-immediate results.

I've tried looking around without much luck here on the HBT forums. How about posting some recipes for brews that require just a few weeks of waiting for us impatient beginners?

 

[BlindLemonLars]

My "goto" styles for speed would be a hefe or a mild. Check the recipe section for examples of both.

 

[Zen_Brew]

The key is to brew a beer that is basic. Keep the fancy malts and additives large hop additions, and high starting gravities for beers you can age longer.

Basic ales with with basic hop schedules and a gravity below 1.050 ish will fermet out quickly. Something like EdWorts Haus Pale Ale
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f66/bee-cave-brewery-haus-pale-ale-31793/

Also wheat beers ferment out and can be served pretty quickly as well. Belgian wits are a popular summer beer that you can have complete in bottles in 3-4 weeks if you push it.

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

I have brewed a blonde ale that finished QUICK! Just to see what would happen, I pitched 2 packs of US-05. There was a lot of blow off, and the fermentation was mostly complete in three days. It went into the keg at 10 and I was drinking it at 12 days (I was out of anything light at the time).

 

[Yooper]

Generally, a lower OG beer with lower complexity makes a quicker beer. Having more specialty grains, more bittering, etc, means that the beer needs a little time to "meld" the flavors. Higher abv beers may need a bit of time to smooth out as well.

A mild is a great "fast" beer. Last fall, we did the "10der and mild" beer swap. That was a beer that went from grain to being mailed out in 10 days. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f38/project-10der-mild-10-milds-10-days-month-10-a-77758/

I'm NOT a hefeweizen fan, or a wheat beer fan in general, but they tend to be quick.

A blonde ale or a cream ale can be quick, too.

 

[elbajista]

The key is to brew a beer that is basic. Keep the fancy malts and additives large hop additions, and high starting gravities for beers you can age longer.

Basic ales with with basic hop schedules and a gravity below 1.050 ish will fermet out quickly. Something like EdWorts Haus Pale Ale
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f66/bee-cave-brewery-haus-pale-ale-31793/

Also wheat beers ferment out and can be served pretty quickly as well. Belgian wits are a popular summer beer that you can have complete in bottles in 3-4 weeks if you push it.

I definitely like the look of that Pale Ale. That will be one of the first ones I will brew, methinks!

I have brewed a blonde ale that finished QUICK! Just to see what would happen, I pitched 2 packs of US-05. There was a lot of blow off, and the fermentation was mostly complete in three days. It went into the keg at 10 and I was drinking it at 12 days (I was out of anything light at the time).

Have the recipe?

 

[KYB]

Kentucky Common's were often kegged shortly before fermentation was over and consumed within 1-3 weeks after. My first shot at one is mashing/souring right now. No idea how it's going to turn out, but here is my recipe anyway. They are supposed to be slightly sour at least. I am mashing mine and leaving it sit for 1 day and see how it turns out. They have a 1.04x OG and an average IBU of 27 or so. 20-30% corn. About 2% black and crystal malt. I'm hoping I can make a pretty good session beer out of it.

Again, I am brewing this for the first time now. Recipe for reference.

Recipe: O'Daniel's Kentucky Common
Brewer: O'Daniel
Asst Brewer: 
Style: Specialty Beer
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (35.0) 

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.00 gal      
Boil Size: 6.41 gal
Estimated OG: 1.045 SG
Estimated Color: 14.1 SRM
Estimated IBU: 26.7 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount        Item                                      Type         % or IBU      
6.00 lb       Pale Malt (6 Row) US (2.0 SRM)            Grain        70.59 %       
2.00 lb       Corn, Flaked (1.3 SRM)                    Grain        23.53 %       
0.25 lb       Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM)    Grain        2.94 %        
0.25 lb       Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM)                Grain        2.94 %        
1.00 oz       Cluster [7.00 %]  (60 min)                Hops         26.7 IBU      
1 Pkgs        California Ale (White Labs #WLP001) [StartYeast-Ale                  


Mash Schedule: My Mash
Total Grain Weight: 8.50 lb
----------------------------
My Mash
Step Time     Name               Description                         Step Temp     
60 min        Step               Add 12.75 qt of water at 163.3 F    150.0 F       


Notes:
------
After the Mash, let it cool and sit for 1 days to sour.

I'll post how it turns out and how it progresses.

 

[sharpstick]

I was reading on the Brewboard.com and came across a thread for "fast beers," that is, beers that require just 10 +/- days in primary and just enough time in bottle or keg to carbonate. I love the thought of aging beer, but to start I'd like to have almost-immediate results.

most of the "brewer's best" partial kits can be ready in two weeks or so. i've done a few of their "continental pilsner" kits.
the instructions
recipe PDF
say to ferment in primary 3 to 7 days, bottle and it should be ready in 1 to 2 weeks. i've cracked them open at one week and it was done. they do suggest aging an additional 3 weeks.

 

[craigbrew]

You can try this recipe. I made it and it was good. You can go from grain to glass in 12-14 days if you keg.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f66/ce...l-grain-5-10-gall-42841/?highlight=centennial

 

[Octang]

In Charlie Papazian book 'Joy of Home Brewing' he mentions a recipe that is drinkable in 14 days.

Righteous American Real Ale
4.5 lbs Dried Amber Malt Extract
1 1/2 oz Cascade pellet hopes (7-8 HBU)
1/2 oz Yakima Goldings or Willamette hop pellets (finishing)
2 tsp Gypsum
English style Yeast
1/2 - 3/4 cup corn sugar for bottling.

O.G: 1.040
F.G. 1.007-1.010

He suggests fermenting for ~10 days, and claims you can drink it after aging in the bottle for only 4 days.

Is this too good to be true? Or perfectly feasible?

 

[z987k]

beers under 1.040 will be rather quick. Make something along the 1.030 lines and you probably have a 10-14 day beer.

 

[BargainFittings]

My house English mild finishes in less than 7 days and is drinkable in about 10. Very similar to Jamil's in Brewing Classic Styles.

My house blond/cream finishes in the same time and drops brilliant in 14 days.
I vary the hops each time I brew it. I keep the malt and hop balance the same.

10 gallon batch

16 pounds of your choice of light malt - 2 row or pilsner
.250 pound of honey or aromatic malt

60 minute - bittering hop 12-17 IBUS Magnum, liberty, hallertau work well.
0 Minute - Finish with a nice "noble" hop . I prefer german hops for the finish.

Mash low. I generally shoot for 148 or 149. Makes for a nice dry finish.
90 minute boil (pilsner malt)

Dry Nottingham ale yeast.

I'm going to try coopers ale yeast in this recipe next shot. I've used it in the past and it make a very good fruity ale. It also does well up to 75 degrees without throwing off flavors.

 

[ckloecker]

I needed a fast beer for Memorial Day weekend this year, on the advice of my LHBS I made this Wheat Beer. Brewed on May 11, was ready to drink and very good by May 23. although I have to admint an extra week in the bottle made it a better, but for a 12 day beer it was fantastic.

Whitewater Wheat
American Wheat or Rye Beer
Recipe Kit from Things Beer, Michigan Brewing Company
Williamston, MI

Type: Extract
Date: 5/11/2009
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Brewer: Christopher Kloecker
Boil Size: 4.0 gal Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 60 min Equipment: Brew Pot (5 Gallon)
Taste Notes: nice and crisp, could us a bit more hops,

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
3.00 lb Wheat Dry Extract (8.0 SRM) Dry Extract 60.00 %
2.00 lb Light Dry Extract (8.0 SRM) Dry Extract 40.00 %
1.00 oz Hallertauer [4.80 %] (60 min) Hops 15.6 IBU
1.00 oz Williamette [5.50 %] (15 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops -
1 Pkgs American Wheat Ale (Wyeast Labs #1010) Yeast-Ale