"Woman's beer" recipe ideas

[NymPymplee]

I've been asked by a woman to make a batch of beer for her, whilst simultaneously trying to get my wife turned on to beer. The problem both have with beer is that it's too bitter for their tastes. Run of the mill pale lagers being all they've really considered beer. I'll occasionally coax the wife into trying one of my IPAs or stouts but shes pretty quick to hand the glass back to me.

So here's the challenge as per their requests: Make something sweeter with a lot of citrus/grapefruit/tropical fruit coming through without the bitterness.

Here's what I'm thinking:
Vienna (because its my personal favorite) maybe a little crystal.
Only late addition hops with Cascade, Amarillo, motueka, and/or mosaic (only citrusy/fruity I have available)
Maybe throw in some lactose.

Would i need the full hour boil? Any ideas?

 

[Boomer]

I’d definitely go the NEIPA route. Those, coupled with porters, are what got my wife from not really drinking beer into enjoying full blown triple IPA’s now. It was a slow process, for sure ~45 days.

Another suggestion is to use commercial beers to have them sample until you find something they both like and then make a similar style.

 

[mirthfuldragon]

I would avoid Cascade; the floral spice can get confused with bitterness for non-beer-drinker palettes. My personal preference for "crowd pleasers" are wheat or wheat-ish beers - they seem softer and less harsh sometimes.

 

[schematix]

In my experience I've noted there is a very strong trend among women, and girly men, to prefer wheat beers.

Maybe something like 50% 2-row, 45% wheat and 5% C10 or C20. Aim for an OG of ~1.045.

Your hop choices aren't bad. If you're gonna add them all late you'll probably need about 4-6 ounces in total to get a hint of bitterness and a lot of the flavor.

I'd also skip on the lactose, but ultimately your choice. That will add a cloying sweetness. With summer time coming up, usually light and refreshing is also preferred.

 

[bucketnative]

I would suggest a wit.

 

[day_trippr]

fwiw my daughters-in-law and Spousal Unit all run toward Belgian White if beer is the only option...

Cheers!

 

[NymPymplee]

Only problem I've got with the wits/wheats is yeast. I'm limited to s04, us05, s23, w34/70, and wb06. And my results have been mixed with wb06

 

[lump42]

You could also look at an english mild. The Drew Beechum's Oat Malt Mild or Dana Cordes' Proper 1420 might be a good start with low bitterness. https://www.experimentalbrew.com/session-beer-day-recipe-bonanza-14-recipes-you-brew

Another suggestion is to use commercial beers to have them sample until you find something they both like and then make a similar style.

Also, they start having them point out what exactly about some of the commercial styles they don't like.

 

[gunhaus]

The mild is probably a good idea - I was going to suggest a Brown Like Newcastle. I have had a lot of non-beer drinkers take to that style really well. It is sweet, and not too bitter at any point That said, why does it have to be beer? If ya don;t like beer ya don't like it. I have brother that can't stand it - He likes hard cider - SO we make some hard cider. Maybe that sort of thing> Hard Cider, Hard Lemonade, etc. Or not - just a thought.

 

[brew703]

I'm getting ready to brew a Mosaic Honey wheat in an attempt to get my wife to move off of the crappy Ultra she drinks.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/mosaic-honey-wheat.470698/

I just brewed an Australian Sparkling Ale, first pour was last night. She likes it. For me, it's lacking IBU and flavor but I'm happy she likes it. Now she has 5 gal to drink.

 

[brew703]

You could also brew a blonde.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

NY women must be tough... They can often be seen ordering IPAs there are several styles mentioned that are low on IBUs. I get the impression that OP's target drinkers don't have a style that they like at the moment. I'd get them to sample some smooth Belgians (like Kwak) perhaps Marzan and kolsch and hefe.

 

[Yooper]

I just put a cream ale on tap, and it's more like a light lager than anything else. However, I used crystal hops and wanted it to be a lawnmower beer. If you did something like that, and used some late additions of fruity hops, it could be what you want.

The only thing I'd say is that "women's beer" is sort of a weird way to express it. Most women I know drink IPAs, and it's even a favorite style of my friend (also a woman) who is a BJCP Grand Master IV judge!

I currently have two IPAs on tap, one cream ale, blackberry kombucha, and club soda- something for everyone. Just as many guys drink the cream ale as women, by the way!

 

[jjw5015]

Have you tried flowers, emotions, and lifetime movies?

 

[Yooper]

Only problem I've got with the wits/wheats is yeast. I'm limited to s04, us05, s23, w34/70, and wb06. And my results have been mixed with wb06

If you want to do a wheat beer, using S04 at 62 degrees works very well for a neutral flavor profile (ie American wheat beer). S05 is ok for 65-68 degrees, but not my favorite.

 

[NymPymplee]

The only thing I'd say is that "women's beer" is sort of a weird way to express it. Most women I know drink IPAs, and it's even a favorite style of my friend (also a woman) who is a BJCP Grand Master IV judge!

I figured it'd ruffle some feathers. Was a deliberate misnomer based on personal situation.

 

[NymPymplee]

Have you tried flowers, emotions, and lifetime movies?

Instead of gun powder, punching, and death metal? I'll giver a try..

 

[Desertbrewer]

Low ABV, low IBU blonde ale with Mosaic and Amarillo aroma hops and add some frozen fruit like mangoes or pineapple to the primary. Who wouldn’t like that?

 

[flars]

Try a version of NBs Witbeir. Blue Moon clone but better. Orange and coriander with no bitter.

 

[z-bob]

I made blonde ale recently; just pilsner malt and a light touch of Sterling hops; a high-alpha variety that resembles Saaz except it's a lot more bitter. It turned out really nice. It's pretty strong (attenuated much more than I expected) but you can't taste the alcohol.

I gave a 750ml bottle to a coworker and he said his girlfriend (who doesn't like really bitter beers) drank most of it. Mt Hood is a good hop for light ales too.

Cream ales are also a good choice.

 

[thekraken]

The only beer I could ever get my wife to drink, and she couldn't get enough of it: Framboise https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/187/599/

 

[lump42]

The only beer I could ever get my wife to drink, and she couldn't get enough of it: Framboise https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/187/599/

If they like fresh lemonade, you can make a kettle soured berliner weisse. I made a berry syrup to go with mine last summer that made it taste like a fancy fizzy lemonade.

 

[schematix]

The only beer I could ever get my wife to drink, and she couldn't get enough of it: Framboise https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/187/599/

My wife loves that stuff too. Shockingly good blended 50/50 with pear cider too.

Only problem is it's so low in ABV you might as well just drink diet soda.

 

[Tarpon87]

A nice low abv Berliner, maybe fruited, keep the ph in the mid to upper 3's so its not face melting sour. Nice and light and just enough sour to be refreshing. My wife doesn't like any beer generally, she can tolerate BMC stuff at a party. She had a sour the other week and shes hooked.

 

[TimmyWit]

I once took a trip to Beersel, Belgium. After visiting the castle, we went to a local restaurant and I tried to order a Gueze. The waiter insisted "no my friend, this is for the ladies" and then he brought me a Tripel.

I'm not saying I agree with him but I thought it was hilarious.

You'd be waiting a while on a Gueze though. I agree with either a wheat beer or NEIPA. Maybe a hoppy wheat like Gumballhead would be well received

 

[NickTheGreat]

You could also look at an english mild. The Drew Beechum's Oat Malt Mild or Dana Cordes' Proper 1420 might be a good start with low bitterness. https://www.experimentalbrew.com/session-beer-day-recipe-bonanza-14-recipes-you-brew




Also, they start having them point out what exactly about some of the commercial styles they don't like.

My wife "doesn't really like beer" but she does like Milds. She likes beers that "taste like bread." I take that to mean more malt than hop.

She kinda likes some of the wheats and even some Belgians, but it's hit or miss.

 

[plazola86]

Fruited wheat beer with US-05 or a fruited kettle sour with US-05. Ill take a bottle too!

 

[fourfarthing]

With S-23, I think you could try a kolsch.

 

[GrogNerd]

Biermuncher's SWMBO Slayer

either with the WLP400 BM suggests, comparable Wyeast strain, Safbrew T-58

OR, try it with a Chico strain (WLP001, 1056 or US05), which makes it more of a Blue Moon clone

 

[stieg000]

Kettle soured fruit gose. Go get a sampler pack. Some Anderson valley ones or modern times fruitlands, if your east coast Victory kiersch gose.

 

[jturman35]

I just walked down the stairs to see my wife struggling to open a bottle of Mark West wine. Myself just poured a NEIPA and handed to her as I opened the bottle of wine. She walked off with my beer and I now have a bottle of wine. My wife is not a big beer drinker, but I would say NEIPA is the way to go!

 

[CanAm]

Have they tried Dragon’s Milk or KBS? Those were a surprise hit “Wow, it tastes like chocolate coffee dessert” Have some bulk aging now.

 

[LexusChris]

I was asked by my daughter for a birthday beer, like one of those 'Summer Shandy' beers you see in the store. So I improvised something that was not a combo beer/lemonade, but something I could brew & bottle, and drop off at her apartment. It hit the mark very well.

10 gallon batch
#9.75 - US 2 Row Pale Malt
#7.75 - German Wheat Malt
#1.15 - Crystal 15L
#1.00 - Rice Hulls
1 oz. - Strisslespalt hops - First Wort Hops
1.25 oz. - Citra Hops - 15 mins of boil
1.00 oz. - Ahtanum Hops - 2 mins of boil
1.00 oz. - Lemon Balm Leaf - Flame out
2# - Orange Blossum Honey - Add @<130-F
2 pkg S-04 Safale English Ale Yeast

Mash 60 mins at 150-F
Ferment @ 68-F for a few days, then let raise. Cold crash before bottling.. fine if you like.

Produced a dry, easy drinking wheat beer with a lemony, sweet character. Just another option for a low IBU, clear, light beer, with lots of citrus & sweet notes in it.
--LexusChris

 

[Wreck99]

I was asked by my daughter for a birthday beer, like one of those 'Summer Shandy' beers you see in the store. So I improvised something that was not a combo beer/lemonade, but something I could brew & bottle, and drop off at her apartment. It hit the mark very well.

10 gallon batch
#9.75 - US 2 Row Pale Malt
#7.75 - German Wheat Malt
#1.15 - Crystal 15L
#1.00 - Rice Hulls
1 oz. - Strisslespalt hops - First Wort Hops
1.25 oz. - Citra Hops - 15 mins of boil
1.00 oz. - Ahtanum Hops - 2 mins of boil
1.00 oz. - Lemon Balm Leaf - Flame out
2# - Orange Blossum Honey - Add @<130-F
2 pkg S-04 Safale English Ale Yeast

Mash 60 mins at 150-F
Ferment @ 68-F for a few days, then let raise. Cold crash before bottling.. fine if you like.

Produced a dry, easy drinking wheat beer with a lemony, sweet character. Just another option for a low IBU, clear, light beer, with lots of citrus & sweet notes in it.
--LexusChris

Funny you mention that. I was approached by a couple friends to try to make a lemon shandy too. Guess I'll give it a go lol.

 

[Miraculix]

You could also look at an english mild. The Drew Beechum's Oat Malt Mild or Dana Cordes' Proper 1420 might be a good start with low bitterness. https://www.experimentalbrew.com/session-beer-day-recipe-bonanza-14-recipes-you-brew




Also, they start having them point out what exactly about some of the commercial styles they don't like.

Woooow what a great source of session recipes! Thanks for posting!

 

[NitrogenWidget]

I have biermunchers orange kolsch on tap. The women really like it . They normally only drink mic ultra.

 

[eetu]

My zesty american wheat ale was a hit amongst people who don't usually care for beer that much.

It's roughly 60% pale malt, 30% wheat malt and 10% flaked wheat. Mash 60min @~65c. OG 1.050 is a good target here.

I used Mosaic only and it worked really nice. Did a short 30min boil with 20min and whirlpool additions. I calculated 30 IBU but you can go for less. Wouldn't go under 20, though. 2oz of whirlpool hops is probably the most you need for such a light beer.

I also added bunch of citrus zests at 10min boil. A combination of grapefruit and oranges worked really nice. Add at least 1 fruits zest/gal.

Ferment with something neutral, I used US-05.

It's a very summery and refreshing, not-so-beer-like beer!

 

[Kaze]

I recently brewed BM's Cream of Three Crops using WLP029, and dry hopped the keg for a few days with some Mosaic. My wife (who isn't a beer drinker), enjoyed it served nice and cold. I agree with Yooper it isn't really fair to label something a "woman's beer" though.

 

[greywolf]

My wife basically hates everything that I brew. I don't make hop bombs.She can't get enough of some of the commercial raspberry and peach wheats. Examples like schalfy raspberry and the peach wheat at dunneden in florida. I've always been afraid that I'll get stuck with 5 gallons of the stuff if I brew one.

 

[Transamguy77]

I make a dry rice beer with a low alpha acid hop and is a good base for adding flavorings or a big dry hop.
10 gallon batch
12 lbs 2 row
5 lbs cereal mash rice
Amalyse powder
Mash low between 148 - 150 for 90 mins.
2 oz of hops @ 60
2 oz of hops @ 15
Lager yeast, I use whatever I have on hand.

Since your going for a different aroma and flavor profile I would probably skip the 15 and add whatever at flame out or whirlpool.

I've added fruit like berries and citrus like lime juice, it's a pretty neutral beer so the skies are the limit.