wetchicken6
Active Member
What does a regular beer have in it versus a light beer
how do you make a light beer
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boo boo
Well-Known Member
Light beer has more water added to dilute it.
JNye
Well-Known Member
less fermentables
Flavor, body. Usually more ABV.
CDGoin
Well-Known Member
Why would one even want too.. ?
I mean that in, that since light beers have no flavor, body, finish, etc.. and pretty much taste like water there is nothing to improve upon. So why go to the effort to brew your own.
I mean that in, that since light beers have no flavor, body, finish, etc.. and pretty much taste like water there is nothing to improve upon. So why go to the effort to brew your own.
Varmintman
Well-Known Member
I brew light beers and honestly they are dang hard to do and make taste good. I like the low alcohol since I like to drink but hate ending up on my lips drunk.
F250
Well-Known Member
CDGoin
Well-Known Member
If you can make a light beer taste good, then that in of itself is an amazing talent
Might want to get with Miller, InBev, etc.. and teach them how to do it.
I'm assuming that the OP is talking about a light lager, such as Coors Light or Miller Lite. This is only one type of lower alcohol beer. Though not appealing to everyone, the 'big boys' have perfected this one type of beer.
There are a number of very flavourful, lower alcohol beer styles that dispel the myth of 'light beer' being flavourless, watery and thin. Styles like ordinary bitters, Scottish ales and milds are a few examples. High quality ingredients, proper hopping and specific parts of the brewing/fermenting process can make delicious beers with less that 4% ABV. One of the best beers that I ever had was a 3.6% ale in Glasgow, Scotland. It was hoppy, packed with flavour and had great mouthfeel. It was fantastic all around.
Lower alcohol beers can be difficult to get right, as the flaws can show through more than beers with higher ABV. It's totally doable with care and attention. There are plenty of threads on brewing low alcohol beers all over HBT and some great podcasts on the subject.
There are a number of very flavourful, lower alcohol beer styles that dispel the myth of 'light beer' being flavourless, watery and thin. Styles like ordinary bitters, Scottish ales and milds are a few examples. High quality ingredients, proper hopping and specific parts of the brewing/fermenting process can make delicious beers with less that 4% ABV. One of the best beers that I ever had was a 3.6% ale in Glasgow, Scotland. It was hoppy, packed with flavour and had great mouthfeel. It was fantastic all around.
Lower alcohol beers can be difficult to get right, as the flaws can show through more than beers with higher ABV. It's totally doable with care and attention. There are plenty of threads on brewing low alcohol beers all over HBT and some great podcasts on the subject.
gcdowd
Well-Known Member
Light beer is all relative. I would consider a 5% pale ale to be light. But most people would tell me it's too rich (heavy). It all depends on your view point.
CDGoin
Well-Known Member
I assume this is probably because even bad beer after the 2nd or 3rd starts to taste better.. the higher the ABV the sooner it tastes better
Yep - so many different beers appeal to so many different generations and tastes.
My favorite this year is a light nut brown ale. Only 3.5% ABV, but it is just right the right combo for me.
CDGoin
Well-Known Member
Yep - so many different beers appeal to so many different generations and tastes.
My favorite this year is a light nut brown ale. Only 3.5% ABV, but it is just right the right combo for me.
See to me that is a good beer..
When I think "Light" beer.. I think Bud Light, Miller Lite, Coors Light, MIchelob 64, etc.. etc.. light in calories, body and taste.
Golddiggie
Well-Known Member
IMO/IME, having a beer that doesn't finish heavy, is moderate in ABV (4.5-5.5%) lighter in color (hence 'light beer' ) isn't too difficult to do. Trying to get all of that into something 3.5% or less, not so much. You also need to mash at a temp that will give you enough malt in the finish, so it's not too dry.
I would say try in baby steps. Read up the various lower ABV recipes and see what the brewers did to get there (especially ones that are good/great in glass).
My MO SMaSH is what I would consider a 'light' beer. Easy to drink and damned tasty. I'm going to work on making it a bit lower in ABV for better summer drinking soon. My target will be in the 4-4.5% range. I can't see trying to go below 4% for a brew.
) isn't too difficult to do. Trying to get all of that into something 3.5% or less, not so much. You also need to mash at a temp that will give you enough malt in the finish, so it's not too dry. I would say try in baby steps. Read up the various lower ABV recipes and see what the brewers did to get there (especially ones that are good/great in glass).
My MO SMaSH is what I would consider a 'light' beer. Easy to drink and damned tasty. I'm going to work on making it a bit lower in ABV for better summer drinking soon. My target will be in the 4-4.5% range. I can't see trying to go below 4% for a brew.
That is the hardest part to brewing a <4%ABV session beer. I personally think its better to be too dry than have a high FG - A 1.035 OG beer will still be drinkable if it finishes at 1.007 but if it finishes at 1.014 nobody will touch it. A dry session beer probably won't do well in competition due to the 2oz pour judging but if the goal is to brew a poundable beer, its ok to be a little on the dry side.
Here is a fantastic "light beer" recipe from the past http://barclayperkins.blogspot.ca/2011/08/lets-brew-wednesday-1930-whitbread-ak.html
A crazy hoppy <3% beer like this could be a craft beer alternative to coors light.
