My dad likes Grain Belt Premium; I like brewing ales

[TasunkaWitko]

Last week, I took a trip back to my ancestral town of Killdeer, North Dakota for the 4th of July. Any of you who might be from the area will know that it's a great place to be for that holiday.

Anyway, after the 4th, we took a jaunt over to Jamestown, where my wife and I (both from Montana) met in college. While there, I picked up a case of what is probably my dad's favourite beer: Grain Belt Premium.

Don't judge us!

LOL

I brought it home and chilled it down, then gave it a try with him. It wasn't bad at all...a great beer for sipping on the porch on a summer day. In spite of the clear bottles, I didn't detect a hint of skunkiness, and I did enjoy the fresh, clean, slightly-sweet taste and aroma.

So, naturally, I'd like to try brewing something similar; however, I'd just as soon keep it an ale, rather than a lager. I'm flying blind, so everything that follows is just a guess - but off the top of my head, I am guessing that a 6-Row and flaked corn would be in the grain bill, but am not sure if anything else would be. As for hops, the only thing I know is that it is a low-IBU beer (12 IBUs, to be exact), and am guessing that one of the German Noble Hops would work well.

Does anyone who knows this beer have any suggestions? I am completely open to feedback and ideas.

Thanks in advance -

Ron

 

[doug293cz]

Wow! I didn't think Grain Belt Premium still existed. My dad used to drink it 60 odd years ago. It was the first beer I ever tasted. Can't remember if that was in Aberdeen SD or Minneapolis MN (it's been a while.) Wonder if it still tastes the same?

Brew on

 

[TallDan]

You're talking about a cream ale.

Literally from BJCP guidelines, Grain Belt is a listed example of 1B American Lager. The history of 1C Cream Ale says "An ale version of the American lager style".

 

[TasunkaWitko]

I hadn't thought of it when I was writing the post - but that makes perfect sense!

 

[Miraculix]

I hadn't thought of it when I was writing the post - but that makes perfect sense!

Just use MJ California Lager at room temperature and make it a real lager! It is really that easy. Did it with so many beers...

 

[couchsending]

I absolutely love grain belt. It’s such an awesome AAL. Headed to MN in a couple days and plan on drinking piles of it. It’s now brewed by August Schell in New Alm, MN, one of the oldest breweries in the US and still family owned. They make awesome traditional German styles as well. There’s a Brewing Network Session episode with the brewmaster. It’s a great show, I’d highly recommend it. I believe they go into detail about Grain Belt but I could be wrong, been a year since I listened to it. To brew this as an Ale would be sac religious in my book but to each their own.

 

[madscientist451]

Never heard of it, but there are clone recipes out there and even an extract kit.
Clone recipe:

https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/363938/harry-s-grain-belt-clone

So basically 6- row, 2 row, flaked corn and dextrose. Pretty simple.

Search on google, there are a few threads already on HBT.

You could try an ale yeast, but I'm thinking to make it come out tasting like the original you need to use a lager yeast.

 

[bucketnative]

I absolutely love grain belt. It’s such an awesome AAL. Headed to MN in a couple days and plan on drinking piles of it.

By the way, the Grain Belt Premium is their American Lager... the Grain Belt Nordeast is the American Amber Lager, I think it has caramel melt or Vienna malt in there to add that maltier flavor. I definitely prefer the Nordeast over the Premium. Especially Nordeast in the can, I think that keeps it from skunking on a bright sunny day.

 

[couchsending]

AAL generally stands for American Adjuunct Lager = Grainbelt. I guess I’ve never seen American Amber Lager abbreviated as AAL but it makes sense. Actually didn’t really even know the style existed.

 

[bucketnative]

That makes sense. So may acronyms, so much beer. Grain Belt actually describes their Nordeast as an "amber American Lager".

I looked at BJCP 2015, and they just have "American Lager" and "American Light Lager". I guess there is no category for "American Amber Lager".

 

[TasunkaWitko]

The Nordeast Amber Lager was the one I brought back last year. It was very good, and I enjoyed it. I'd have a hard time picking a favourite between the two; but the Premium would probably get the nod for the "nostalgia" factor...my dad evidently drank a lot of it back in his younger years.

 

[cooper]

I hadn't thought of it when I was writing the post - but that makes perfect sense!

You can't go wrong as a starting point with Curt Stock's Cream Ale:

OG: 1.050-1.052
Shoot for FG of around 1.008 or below.

80% German Pilsner
20% Flaked Corn

Hallertauer hops - Shoot for around 13-15 IBU bittering addition, and then 1/4 oz at flameout.

Mash at 148 for 75 minutes
Boil 60 minutes

Wyeast 1056, Ferment at 65F.

 

[TasunkaWitko]

That sounds pretty good -

Thanks for all of the advice, thoughts and suggestions, guys - I'll see what I can put together. Right now, with our very high summer temperatures in north-central Montana, saisons might be my only choice, for a while....

 

[friarsmith]

My buddy brings me a case of GB every year after his Thanksgiving trip to see family in MN. I really like it.

The key with this type of beer, whether you pitch an ale or lager yeast, is to mash for an ultra-fermentable wort. Shoot for a FG of 1.002 to 1.006. I've found that adjunct-laden lagers, especially when made with maize, taste too sweet anywhere north of 1.008. For my AAL's, I do a 60-75 minute mash at 140-142* then a slow ramp to mashout over the course of 15-20 minutes. You could skip the mash-out too.

 

[bierhaus15]

If you're looking to make something a bit more authentic, try to get your hands on WY2035 Am. Lager. It is the Schell strain and has a unique flavor profile that fits the AAL style beautifully. Not terribly temperature tolerant though.

 

[friarsmith]

WY2035 is either not made any more or is only a seasonal yeast (BOO). I forget which. The WY Rocky Mtn Lager and White Labs 840 would work pretty well instead. If you’re sticking with ale yeasts, WY2112 is a safe bet. Safale 34/70 makes a good lager at slightly warmer temps