Is it even a possibility?

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Tactical-Brewer

Tactical-Brewer

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Ok, so like pretty much everyone on here, I enjoy a "Good" brew. Something that actually taste like a "beer" and not water in a can.

However, if I were to keep pace with my "Good Beer" desires, I'd be broke in no time as I'm just getting started in Homebrewing and don't have that awesome pipeline many of you fellow brewers have achieved.

So, until that day comes, I'm left to either fork out the money from my very limited selections of "Good Beer" that I have available to me where I live, which I do quite frequently. But as my girlfriend finally is learning the awesomeness of beer, I can still only get her to drink.... Natural light... (Hangs head in shame...) Long story short, if she wants some beer, it's usually natural light.

Definitely not saying I am above drinking natty light, as I've personally decimated many a cases of Natty in my day, but a few things.

A, I have got to find a decent in between or something similar my girlfriend enjoys that I can brew at home to keep her interest piqued as she continues her venture into the beer realm.

And B, I have got to find a recipe for something of that sort that's cheap to make, and simple enough that I can just brew gallons upon gallons of the stuff. Mainly because if you're like me and ever drink natty light (or some other water in a can), I can literally drink a 12 pack over the course of an evening and more if I'm actually hanging out, playing cards or whatever.

Point of post, is it possibly to find a beer recipe that would be similar to a light light beer (I know I know), but cheap enough to even justify it. A 12 pack of natty light is like 8 bucks. Even if I had to spend 10 bucks a 12 pack on something I've brewed that she enjoys and I can drink along with her if I have no other beer it'd be worth it.

So to all my fellow brewing friends who's been in the game much, much longer than I, any suggestions?
 
If you brew something lower in gravity, that is not hoppy. It is possible to make something very cheap. Harvest your yeast and buy grain in bulk and many brews can be made for just a few bucks.
 
Awesome info guys! Neither of us enjoy hoppy beers so no worries on that aspect.

I'll definitely give those two a shot CJ-3!

These sound like just the ticket to keep momma happy and let me have a reason to brew
 
It's #1 on the top 100 beers of HBT for a reason:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=42841

Centennial Blonde!

The grain/extract bill (you choose) is relatively light. Making it with extract is reasonably affordable; going BIAB or traditional all-grain is DIRT CHEAP. At about 4% ABV, it's going to be easy-drinking like Natty Light and it's hoppy-but-not-too-hoppy character will be an awesome stepping-stone to help the GF make the move from NL to hoppier brews.

Finally, it's a fast brewer/bottler, figure two weeks in primary and a week (two, tops) in the bottle to condition. End result: a full pipeline of awesome-tasting, checkbook-saving brew in NO TIME.

:mug:
 
Thank you! Made that up a little bit ago. Going to be my YouTube channels logo and what not. Idea for the channel is to show everyone the learning process and how you an jump into brewing beer and learn along the way
 
How much of the desire for "natural light" is in the name?

What if you brewed something you called "natural" and some euphemism for "light"?

Something like "natural glow" or "meteor eau natural" or "organic sunshine" or something like that? Lighten the beer up a bit, but give her another reason to like what you're producing.
 
Haha I'll have to come up with something in sure. Maybe I'll just let her name it.

I'll even let her put a little bit of salt in hers and let her drink it ice cold
 
Not trying dissuade you from brewing yellow fizzy or cream of 3 crops as I've brewed them both a couple times for the exact same reasons as you mentioning.....these are wonderful recipes and many many folks have enjoyed many many gallons.

Lighter beers can't hide off favors like hoppy or stout beers so I would encourage you to pay close attention to yeast health, pitch rate, sanitation, and fermentation temperature ....
 
10-4 Moose! Great info to know before hand. I'll be trying one in a month or so. Good to get my set up ready to do bigger batches
 
I haven't made the Centennial Blonde, so can't comment on that (though from everything I've read, it sounds like a fantastic recipe). But I think Cream of Three Crops is a perfect fit for what you're looking for. It's super light and super cheap, and not very hoppy. Good luck, I hope you find something she loves!
 
Tactical-Brewer said:
Awesome info guys! Neither of us enjoy hoppy beers so no worries on that aspect.

I'll definitely give those two a shot CJ-3!

These sound like just the ticket to keep momma happy and let me have a reason to brew
Click to expand...

Neither of you like hoppy beers....Yet. Give it time, brew lots of beer with low hops and sooner or later you'll be craving the taste of hops.
 
Shellsbells, man I'm actually really really stoked to make all of them. We spend a lot of time on the river during the summer time and just outside/family functions and a lot of beer drinking going on. If I can win some of my family and friends over, I can have them pitch on on some bulk grains muwahahaha!

RM-MN, I don't know bud lol. I've drank a lot of brews and just am not a huge fan. I enjoy pale ales and what not but there's a threshold that I just don't enjoy. But it's a money saver too though since Hops are so damn expensive!
 
@ Tactical-Brewer

Nothing wrong with not being a huge fan of hops.

There are plenty of us who prefer malty beers to hoppy ones.

Just make sure to try something hoppy from time to time, you would be surprised how much your tastes are going to change.
 
I've brewed Centennial Blonde more than any other recipe and it have been well received by craft fans and macro lager fans alike.
 
Thanks CJ-3. I may eventually but I'm definitely a darker/maltier fan at this point and have been so for many many years. I like the idea of ipa's and what not, and I've got a pretty wide spectrum, but never know.

I can't wait to just make a bunch of this light stuff that my GF enjoys and I can show off to friends and family. It's funny and kind of a shame living in a small town right outside of stl. Everyone drinks bud light or something similar. Not many people around here really like "dark" "thick" "heavy" "etc" beer.

I actually remember the first time I had a beer that I literally remember thinking "holy cow, that's a beer!" And make fun of me all you want, but it was at a renaissance festival in Tennessee and it was a draft redhook ESB. It just fit the atmosphere or something to me haha. I've gotta make that one of these days strictly for me lol
 
I have a good esb recipe ...

That being said I'd recommend trying a saison for her. Belgian farmhouse ales are hands down the most widely appealing style I make. Wine drinkers beer drinkers, bourbon drinkers, and even people that "aren't the drinking type" (my grandma and swmbos ) all love them. Plus there's no fermentation temperature control required. Low maintenance
 
M00ps, that's the saison that requires no ferm temp control?

And you'll have to hook me up with the ESB if you could or point me in the right direction on here. My brew list is adding up. But I want a bunch of what I like lol. Better to always keep what I like on hand.
 
Tactical-Brewer said:
M00ps, that's the saison that requires no ferm temp control?

And you'll have to hook me up with the ESB if you could or point me in the right direction on here. My brew list is adding up. But I want a bunch of what I like lol. Better to always keep what I like on hand.
Click to expand...

IME, all saison/farmhouse strains (and most other Belgians) dont really need ferm temp control as long as you pitch at a reasonable temp. The higher temps actually will typically give your more desirable yeast character. The recipes for most saisons are also as simple as they get. Its really a cool style
 
I've had the best luck in "bringing people onboard" with my homebrew by giving them porters and wheat beers, with the Centennial Blonde being a distant third. It doesn't seem very intuitive, because you'd think non-beer drinkers or people who only drink AAL would be put off by beers with fuller flavor and body, but this is what I've been seeing.
 
Dang, I wish I could get people to dry a beer like that. Heck, even a brown Ale but they're dead set against it. "I don't like those dark beers" is all I hear. But if I can make a light, cheap, tastey beer, then I can get them to pitch in on 50lb grains lol
 

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