Wedding beer?!?!

[inhousebrew]

Howdy guys, I'm getting married this summer at a campsite on a river! It's going to be awesome. One of the kickers for this site is that they allow us to serve beer without a license so long as we're not selling it or asking for "donations".

That said I'm looking for ideas. The wedding is in late July so it will probably be hot and it's mostly outside. One batch is a cider, the other will probably be something hoppy and something more sessionable. I was leaning towards a light bodied IPA that isn't too aggressive and either a british bitter or a kolsch.

Any recommendations?

 

[MDExile]

You say you want hoppy, but have you considered a Belgian Wit, instead?

This has become my go to brew for parties. Find a Hoegaarden clone recipe. It does not need to sit and age, it is light.

Just my two cents.

 

[lumpher]

Kolsch usually goes over well at affairs (maybe not the best word to use when relating to weddings) like that. I don't think I'd have an IPA AND a bitter, as that's 2 hoppy beers, and many people don't like a lot of hops. Cider, Kolsch, and Session IPA might be decent choices for what you're looking at doing.

 

[BigMack]

If you're doing two beers I would definitely make one a Wit. Every time I have company over that is the tap that gets the most work. Pair that with a hoppy pale ale and you're good to go.

 

[QuadConPana]

You say you want hoppy, but have you considered a Belgian Wit, instead?

I work in a grocery store that has beer on tap while you shop. The closest thing we have to a macro is Yuengling. When we have a Wit on tap, it's pretty much the only beer that craft drinkers and light beer drinkers will both enjoy.

 

[m00ps]

if you're doing two beers i would definitely make one a saison. Every time i have company over that is the tap that gets the most work. Pair that with a hoppy pale ale and you're good to go.

ftfy

 

[Dixon9717]

A Belgium wheat like Blue Moon would be a good choice.

 

[m00ps]

*groan*

 

[Newsman]

Maybe a "light American lager" for the masses and then something really flavorful, but session strength.

 

[eadavis80]

Yeah, I would try something "Blue Moonesque" - you're providing beer for the masses here and a lot of them will be thrown off if you give them something more "crafty" than that. Plus, it could serve as a great 'gateway' brew to many who are still all about Bud Light and Coors.

 

[oceanic_brew]

Just curious. How much do you think you'll need to brew?

 

[NickTheGreat]

I was thinking a non-hoppy pale ale and maybe an IPA?

But I like the idea of a wit and a hoppy pale or IPA.

Think about quantity though. I did 15 gallons for my wedding of 100 guests, not heavy drinkers at all. At a winery, so wine was had too. Had maybe a gallon left over.

 

[MVKTR2]

I would not do the IPA just because of the alcohol content. Go with an APA for the hoppy beer and focus on late hops/dry hops, keeping the alcohol around 4.5% and the bitterness at 30 with middle of the road water.

I second the wit-bier suggestion.

Other options make a pale lager, I'm thinking Helles or small Bock bier, or even some type of hybrid with lager yeast that you can cold-store till serving time this summer.
Hefeweizen
Blonde
ESB

Most of all brew what you know so you're sure it's done well and you'll be proud of it!

 

[Rhaop]

For my late July state park wedding, I went with a witbier, cream ale and hoppy pale, had about 60 guests and all fifteen gallons were gone in about 2-1/2 hours, the witbier was heavy on the orange peel and i also gave out bottles as wedding favors they were a big hit

 

[MrFancyPlants]

6% ESB is what I brewed up for a friend's wedding, and I think it went over just right.

 

[fatherdan]

go heavy on the abv (think 'wedding chasers')

pale ale/kolsch/something fruity(for the chicks)


cngrats

 

[carloscede2]

I would suggest something like shock top, some fuity wheat beer that everyone will love

 

[Furore]

I think Cider, Wheat/Wit, and a Session IPA would be good choices.

Some good suggestions here too:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=577586

 

[chri5]

I like your original options. Kolsch, IPA and a cider.

Belgian Wits are one of my least favorite beers.

 

[GHBWNY]

If you're doing two beers I would definitely make one a Wit. Every time I have company over that is the tap that gets the most work. Pair that with a hoppy pale ale and you're good to go.

This ^. Chances are, if someone doesn't like one end of the spectrum, they'll like the other. Thinking since the average person isn't a hophead, maybe for a crowd unaccustomed to homebrew, go a little lighter on the IBUs, maybe 40-ish tops. I did an AG Apricot Wit recently that people have been enjoying even though it's not summer yet. Smooth, refreshing, apricot-y if you like that kind of thing. The last comment I got about it was, "That doesn't even taste like beer!" I presume that was a good thing?