Quickest brews to get the pipeline re-started?

[Nickme23]

I was planning on a Hefe but what else can I do that would be a quick turnaround beer style?

I just got a keggerator and I might be able to get everything set up within a month to be serving 4 kegs outta the thing at one time. I just have to check finances to be sure I can afford another regulator and the 4 perlick faucets.
But I'll definitely be buying 2 perlicks and 2 cornies to get started within the next 2 weeks.

So far from what I remember I should be able to go from brew day to glass in about a week with a Hefeweizen. Not sure about a Wit, and I think something like a brown ale should be at least 2 weeks in primary to help clean up the beer.

So.... suggestions on beer styles?

Oh and please let me know how long you expect your suggestions to stay in primary. Thanks!!

 

[GregR]

cream ale, IPA, bitter.

 

[Sacdan]

Try a Blonde Ale or Pale Ale.

 

[Nickme23]

How quick can I expect to have those beers in a glass if I'm leaving em on the yeast long enough to get clean?

 

[GregR]

three weeks in primary, a week on the gas....

 

[GregR]

might not be optimal but it can be done.

 

[Nickme23]

well crap those aren't quick! I might just have to break down and buy a commercial keg for the interim until I can get some decent homebrew stockpiled and ready to serve... hmmm

 

[Kirbster]

Look into brewing a mild. If you ferment quick enough and with the proper amount of yeast to assure a healthy fermentation, you could be pouring it in a couple weeks. There is a thread somewhere here that details how to do it. And you have to have a kegging system for sure.

 

[oparea]

American wheat with cal ale yeast 10 days primary a week on the gas

 

[Nickme23]

thanks guys, yeah I had thought of a mild especially since it's one of my favorites... Hefe first, then a Mild the next week, then maybe an IPA in another carboy the next week... and see how things go from there... That should get me going and able to catch up to consumption levels

 

[bigolbigbelly]

I just made an American Wheat in about ten days too. Even if you already have a Hefe, the taste is very different.

 

[ArcaneXor]

You can produce a decent drinkable beer within a week if you keg. The owner of my LHBS does this all the time with decent results. He basically massively overpitches the yeast to do this.

If you want to go a more traditional route, an English Mild and low-gravity bitter can be ready to drink within two weeks easily. Most other non-lagered ales of normal gravity (13 plato or less) don't take much longer.

Before the old guard jumps in and blasts me for making these statements, let me emphasize that you need to be a good brewer to pull this off, or the beers will still taste very green when drunk this young. Leaving the beer in primary for 2-3 weeks, crashing/fining and then kegging with the "set it and forget it method" will usually result in the best beers, but when you're in a hurry, it is possible to compress the process, but your mileage may vary.

 

[elkdog]

Yeah, go low-gravity (say, 1.040 or lower), and any bitter, mild, blonde ale, or even a stout could be ready to keg in 10 days. I mean, those beers will be well-fermented and you wouldn't really be rushing them. Given that you only need to do this for a batch or two, may as well stick to styles you can make well in a short time.

 

[Nickme23]

thanks so much everyone! Yeah I'm not really being impatient and trying to rush things, I want to drink good beer (That's why I'm making it not buying it) but I would like to focus on some of the styles that are inherently quicker finishing and meant to be consumed young. That way with healthy starters and correct pitching rates, good ferm temp control, letting the temp slowly raise after high krausen and letting it sit on the yeast cake for a couple days then I can expect a decent beer (better than a lot of commercial versions available to me) and not be waiting for a month before I can drink another homebrew. You guys are great and thanks so much for all the help!