Top 10 Beers for Beginners

[stuartm]

There are a lot of smart people on this forum and many fantastic brewers (I don't know personally but would love to). Since there's quite a few "What should I brew next?" threads, I think it would be great if they could compile a sticky of the Top 10 Beers for Beginners.

I'd be willing to compile the results and post them if that sounds like a good idea.

TIA

 

[Professor Frink]

1. Hefeweizen

Easy, quick, tasty.

 

[avaserfi]

I second this great idea . I am about to be buying a kit within the month and am trying to find a good starter IPA. I really want to make the Dogfish Head 60 minute clone I found on this site, but it seems a little intimidating for a first brew!

 

[stuartm]

1. Hefeweizen

Easy, quick, tasty.

Any specific recipe or just a kit Hefeweizen?

 

[Gosassin]

I second this great idea . I am about to be buying a kit within the month and am trying to find a good starter IPA. I really want to make the Dogfish Head 60 minute clone I found on this site, but it seems a little intimidating for a first brew!

Not to highjack the thread, but if you're talking about YooperBrew's recipe, I did that one for my first (solo) batch and it is great so far. I'm bottling it tomorrow, but the wort from my hydro samples tastes delicious, and is exactly what I was shooting for. If you use something like BeerSmith and print out or write down all the steps you need to take, and take your time, it makes it a lot simpler; I was nervous before I started, but it's very doable.

 

[thakoolaidkid]

It seems like the most generic first beer usually is a Brown ale/Nut Brown ale, of which there are tons of kits.

 

[Brewin_Bob]

I think any single malt - single hop creation would be great for just-started-brewing-last-week beginners (I'm still a beginner myself). I tend to frequent Spec's Liquor store to find styles that I like. If I like it, I plan to try to make it. Even better, take a trip to a brewpub or one of those bars with 100+ beers on tap.

Pale Ale
Hefe
Blonde Ale

 

[HBRunner]

DOn't forget BM's Centennial Blonde......That is a good simple beer to brew that most people will like......

 

[mrfocus]

And something like an English Mild should be ready quite quickly. Actually, anything with a density lower than 1.045 would normally be ready pretty quick.

 

[brewt00l]

Rather than brew specific styles, I think it's more important to brew beers that you really want to drink and deepen that obsession! IMHO in most general senses, repeating the process focusing on techniques & sanitization is more important that brewing specific types of beers or recipes.

 

[uncleozzy]

And something like an English Mild should be ready quite quickly. Actually, anything with a density lower than 1.045 would normally be ready pretty quick.

Yep, NB's mild kit was drinkable in--don't hurt me--17 days from brew day. In bottles. It's gotten a little better since, but honestly, not much. And it's really good.

 

[HuggerOrange]

Rather than brew specific styles, I think it's more important to brew beers that you really want to drink and deepen that obsession! IMHO in most general senses, repeating the process focusing on techniques & sanitization is more important that brewing specific types of beers or recipes.

I agree - brew something that you are going to like and down quickly so it motivates you to keep brewing. If anything, there should be a post for the top 10 beers new brewers should stay away from so they don't get discouraged - eg. any lager.

 

[Professor Frink]

I agree - brew something that you are going to like and down quickly so it motivates you to keep brewing. If anything, there should be a post for the top 10 beers new brewers should stay away from so they don't get discouraged - eg. any lager.

This is true. Don't do a sour beer for your first brew, you don't want to have to wait 6 months to try it. That's why I suggested the Hefeweizen - quick, easy, cheap and tasty. But I would start with any small to mid-size ale that doesn't involve specialty additions. Pale ales, IPAs, stouts, they're all pretty easy and run the gamut as far as the palette goes.

 

[ohiobrewtus]

IMO, the top 10 HBT recipes for beginners in no particular order. If you need a PM/Extract version of one of these recipes, contact the recipe owner.

Centennial Blonde
Bee Cave Brewery Haus Pale Ale
Lake Walk Pale Ale
Dogfish Head 60 minute IPA clone
Hobgoblin clone
Bee Cave Brewery Bavarian Hefeweizen
Edmund Fitzgerald clone
Aberdeen Brown Ale (Newcastle clone)
Cream of Three Crops
Blue Balls Belgian Wit (Blue Moon clone)

 

[HuggerOrange]

This is true. Don't do a sour beer for your first brew, you don't want to have to wait 6 months to try it. That's why I suggested the Hefeweizen - quick, easy, cheap and tasty. But I would start with any small to mid-size ale that doesn't involve specialty additions. Pale ales, IPAs, stouts, they're all pretty easy and run the gamut as far as the palette goes.

Right, if you can't find something you like in one of those easy styles you should consider a different hobby. That's the thing, too, you could spend all your brewing time making simple, easy drinking beers (particularly ales) and never run out of things to make. What about a Scottish 60 /-? Malty, simple ingredients, one hop addition and a great session beer.

 

[Saccharomyces]

OhioBrewtus' list is good. Instead of two American pale ales maybe something else Belgian. Perhaps a Belgian blonde? A lot of folks have had success with the BM's SWMBO Slayer. Or maybe an English bitter or ESB (I don't make those so no suggestions).

 

[DubbelDach]

Bee Cave Brewery Haus Pale Ale

Was definitely thinking that, plus this: Lil'Sparky's Nut Brown Ale

 

[stuartm]

IMO, the top 10 HBT recipes for beginners in no particular order. If you need a PM/Extract version of one of these recipes, contact the recipe owner.

Centennial Blonde
Bee Cave Brewery Haus Pale Ale
Lake Walk Pale Ale
Dogfish Head 60 minute IPA clone
Hobgoblin clone
Bee Cave Brewery Bavarian Hefeweizen
Edmund Fitzgerald clone
Aberdeen Brown Ale (Newcastle clone)
Cream of Three Crops
Blue Balls Belgian Wit (Blue Moon clone)

Thanks, brewtus! This is exactly what I was thinking of. I do agree that people need to brew what they like but so many new brewers aren't sure which styles are easy to execute and most likely to turn out well. I know that I've been through dozens of recipes looking for ones that I thought would fit my level of expertise (almost none) and it can get a little discouraging. At least with a good, well thought-out list people can have a jumping off point.

Great suggestion about brews to avoid too.

 

[Damonic]

These are some good suggestions... well done!

 

[malkore]

I think Irish Red Ale and a good English Brown Ale are good beginner recipes. Both can be made with extract and some steeping grains.

Both are pretty 'middle of the road'...not too hoppy, not too malty...so they'll be 'crowd pleasers' when you invite BMC drinkers to try them out.

 

[Throckmorton]

I agree with brewt00l, but I also think you should try to expand you palate. I think the following should definately be in the top 10:
-- Pale Ale
-- Stout (I prefer dry Irish)
-- Hefe
-- Brown
-- Bitter

I would reserve a 3 or more for lagers... but I haven't brewed those, and don't know if I will get the equiptment in the near future. Not sure if I'd have the patience either.

 

[RCCOLA]

+1 on the Hefe or belgian wit.Quick to enjoy,easy on the hops bill and very tasty.Also forgiving on the appearance(don't have to worry about chill haze.)

 

[stuartm]

OK. So here's what those of you who responded were good enough to provide:

Bee Cave Brewery Bavarian Hefeweizen
Centennial Blonde
Bee Cave Brewery Haus Pale Ale
Lake Walk Pale Ale
Dogfish Head 60 minute IPA clone
Hobgoblin clone
Edmund Fitzgerald clone
Aberdeen Brown Ale (Newcastle clone) or Lil'Sparky's Nut Brown Ale
Cream of Three Crops
Blue Balls Belgian Wit (Blue Moon clone)
SWMBO Slayer - Belgian Blonde

There are 10 plus a bonus. The recipes all seem to be AG so there will need to be a conversion done for extract brewers - I imagine most beginners aren't doing AG. You can probably have this done at your LHBS unless someone here wants to do it.

Thanks again to everyone who contributed, especially ohiobrewtus.

 

[BeerNewbie]

Rather than brew specific styles, I think it's more important to brew beers that you really want to drink and deepen that obsession! ...

I agree with this. I brewed an IPA for my first (and only so far!), and when it turned out a little "watered down" tasting, I still like it because I like IPA's so much... I could maybe see where someone may think they had a bad batch if they made a beer they didn't care about much as their first or 2nd and it didn't turn out 'perfect'.

(I'm not sure that was the point he was implying, but I expanded on it...)

 

[brewt00l]

I agree with this. I brewed an IPA for my first (and only so far!), and when it turned out a little "watered down" tasting, I still like it because I like IPA's so much... I could maybe see where someone may think they had a bad batch if they made a beer they didn't care about much as their first or 2nd and it didn't turn out 'perfect'.

(I'm not sure that was the point he was implying, but I expanded on it...)

simply that if you brew styles that you enjoy drinking versus brewing a style just to brew the style or because people think you should, it's easier to brew, drink & repeat....moving along the learning curve.

 

[billtzk]

It would be good to add an English pale or perhaps an ESB, to that lineup.

Orfy's Old Speckled Hen clone is a good one that I've brewed a couple of tiems, and it has all-grain, partial mash, and extract versions.

I haven't tried the Extra Special Bitters recipe that Spyk'd supplied, but it looks good and would be easy to brew.

 

[Penguin]

my first brews in order and i had no problem with them.
1. German Ale
2. Scottish Ale
3. Williams summer ale
4. Ginger Ale
5. Barley Wine
6. Scottish Extra Heavy
7. German Ale (fail too hot ferment)
8. Apfelwien

and that is the entire extent of my brewing career.