Your TOP 6?

[deprecated]

...Styles/Beers, I mean. Check the Boneyard for other lists. :rockin:

Seriously, I would like to end up with 4 taps in the entertainment room. I'm thinking that I should focus on maybe 6 beers as a "default" and rotate 4 into the taps at any given time.

I guess my goal is to have enough of a selection that there is always something that appeals to the masses (yeah, peer pressure).

I've started collecting recipes for the following 6 ales:

1. Blonde or Cream Ale (meh).
2. Wheat.
3. Amber Ale.
4. American Pale Ale.
5. Smoked Porter.
6. Milk Stout.

Maybe a few seasonals to rotate in as well.

What would you do with 4 taps, a big arse TV and a smokin' hot wife that likes to have friends over (keep it specific to beer availability, please)????

 

[jezter6]

I'd generalize the stouts and porters. Milk stout and smoked porter are not always for "the masses." A stout and/or a porter are always good and rotating in the strange stouts/porters is good...but always having 2 strange dark brews seems a bit much.

for me, I regularly rotate in:
Alt
Porter
Stout
Irish Red
Wheat/Wit
Something funky (Kentucky common/Chai Saison/etc)

 

[deprecated]

I'd generalize the stouts and porters. Milk stout and smoked porter are not always for "the masses."....

Valid point. I think with the smoked porter and milk stout I was just trying to appeal to people that would not normally try something outside of BMC. I suppose with a good porter or stout recipe you shouldn't need resort to that.

Regardless, I really want one of the two because I like both.

 

[dale1038]

Dedicate 2 taps to lagers!

 

[alexdagrate]

1. Blonde Ale (Always on tap as the session beer).
2. IPA (Again, probably a dedicated tap).
3. Red Ale (Hoppy and big. ex: Ninkasi Believer)
4. Imperial IPA
5. Oatmeal Stout
6. Cascadian Dark Ale

 

[deprecated]

No matter the effort I'm not patient enough for lagers.

Getting my temp controller for the fermentation closet in about a week and I could feasibly do lagers (not brewed one yet), but I'm content at the moment sticking with ales.

What would be your lager picks?

 

[jezter6]

Valid point. I think with the smoked porter and milk stout I was just trying to appeal to people that would not normally try something outside of BMC. I suppose with a good porter or stout recipe you shouldn't need resort to that.

Regardless, I really want one of the two because I like both.

Well, I'm not 100% sure BMC drinkers that would try something different would go quite so far as smoked porter and milk stout. Maybe a regular stout if they like guiness and then kinda lean them towards the "other" stouts.

I've had a lot of success with the BMC crowd with Saison. It's dry, yellow, and fizzy and exactly like BMC...but with some flavor.

 

[deprecated]

Already 2 suggestions on a red. Not a big fan, but again this is for guests and possibly introducing them to something new....

Ok, at this point (10 minutes into my original post) I'd consider replacing existing beers in my list with:

• A Red.
• ONE lager.
• An imperial.

Please consider variety and introducing your domestic friends to something "different"!

And thanks for the suggestions!

 

[deprecated]

BTW, curse you Alex for mentioning CDA as an option. I've yet to try one and I'll be damned if I didn't just pick up a Zymurgy issue today that has an article on that style.

We have a limited selection here but I'll be sure to ask around for availability.

 

[Teromous]

Using the term "beer" loosely, for me it would have to be:

1. Wheat Beer (Some variation of either German/American/Belgian): I love wheat beers and I find that most people do as well.

2. Stout: Coffee or chocolate stout usually goes over well, but most people still don't like it. I use this to expand horizons and hopefully find somebody else who enjoys them

3. IPA: Also some variation of this, not super hoppy but strong enough. Even an IIPA or DIPA if duty calls.

4. Cider: I love cider and a lot of others do so it's good to have this one on tap.

5. Root Beer: For the non-beer drinkers or the ones who are pregnant or too young to drink beer. It's good to include people around the bar so they don't feel left out. If you don't have a spare tap it's good to have some bottled. Kids like frosty mugs and "old" root beer bottles.

6. Brown Ale: I'm a fan of browns. They're simple and taste good.

You're lucky to have as many taps as you do. I only have 2 on a keggerator I built from a mini-fridge. For my two taps right now I have a chocolate stout and a raspberry wheat beer. Soon I will be doing some cidering within the next 2 months.

 

[deprecated]

Termonous, my hat is off to you. You win the prize for Consideration. Root Beer really should be one of the taps as I have to kids that often have friends over when we order the WWE events for them.

Re-assessing, I'm leaning towards these:

1. Root Beer (boys can help brew this)
2. Smoked Porter (I *really* like these)
3. Wheat (not a big leap from BMC)
4. APA (Mirror Pond CYBI recipe)
5. Cream/Blonde Ale (the middle ground)
6. ???

 

[Starderup]

I'd settle for a smokin' hot wife.

 

[prosper]

I've also just built a 4-tap unit, and have been giving a lot of consideration as to which styles should be more-or-less permanently featured on tap as 'house beers.'

Right now I'm thinking that I must always have:
- a bitter
- an amber ale
The bitter is mostly just for me, and I brew a tasty amber that seems to have fairly wide appeal.

Of the remaining taps, one will be for a seasonally-appropriate beer - something crisp and clean as a summer lawnmower beer, for example. The last tap is going to be for whatever strikes my fancy at the time, and will probably usually have something excessively hoppy and dry on it.

'Developmental/experimental' beers will continue to be bottled, as will 'big' beers.

 

[KayaBrew]

My six taps would be:

1) My "House" APA 5.5%ABV
2) My American Stout 6.5%ABV
3) Cali Common 5ish%ABV
4) IPA-either my "house" or the Bell's clone I've brewed 6%ABV
5) Something stiff-a Barleywine or Old Ale 8-10%ABV
6) My "Summer Ale"- a honey rye 4.5%ABV

 

[ColonelForbin]

1. iipa
2. barleywine- american style
3. imperial chocolate stout
4. saison (brettanomyces)
5. sour ale(lactobacillus, pedicocus,brettanomyces)
6. hoppy pale ale

 

[BmillaTheBrewzilla]

Termonous, my hat is off to you. You win the prize for Consideration. Root Beer really should be one of the taps as I have to kids that often have friends over when we order the WWE events for them.

Re-assessing, I'm leaning towards these:

1. Root Beer (boys can help brew this)
2. Smoked Porter (I *really* like these)
3. Wheat (not a big leap from BMC)
4. APA (Mirror Pond CYBI recipe)
5. Cream/Blonde Ale (the middle ground)
6. ???

To me, what it looks like you're missing is something amber. This could be an American Amber (like Fat Tire or Bells Amber?). You could also do a Belgian of some kind, again that amber color could be a possibility.

 

[deprecated]

ColonelForbin has a few brews I'd like to eventually try, but I don't know that the wife's friends would be real receptive to the sour, iipa or even the barleywine.

It's very interesting to see what everyone else would pick and has caused me to seriously reconsider what I assumed would be the default!

Bmilla, I did have an amber (Mac and Jack's clone) on the short list, but figured it was too close to the APA...

Obligatory clown 'fro now: :fro:

 

[BmillaTheBrewzilla]

Oh- also an esb would be a great choice. KingBrian's Common Room ESB from the recipe section of this forum is something I've brewed a couple times. It is quite amazing.

 

[Naked_Eskimo]

1. APA
2. IPA
3. Wheat
4. Amber Ale
5. Brown Ale
6. Stout

Something across the range of colors and flavors (lagers excluded).

 

[dale1038]

No matter the effort I'm not patient enough for lagers.

Getting my temp controller for the fermentation closet in about a week and I could feasibly do lagers (not brewed one yet), but I'm content at the moment sticking with ales.

What would be your lager picks?

I like german style lagers. I think it's basically impossible to get fresh, bready, malty lagers like I brew. Helles is fantastic and the one beer people are always amazed I brew. Vienna lager is great as well.

Usually my ales take just as much time to get good as my lagers. Maybe give a hybrid style a go. Kolsch, Cali Common?!!!

 

[dndlyon]

Termonous, my hat is off to you. You win the prize for Consideration. Root Beer really should be one of the taps as I have to kids that often have friends over when we order the WWE events for them.

Re-assessing, I'm leaning towards these:

1. Root Beer (boys can help brew this)
2. Smoked Porter (I *really* like these)
3. Wheat (not a big leap from BMC)
4. APA (Mirror Pond CYBI recipe)
5. Cream/Blonde Ale (the middle ground)
6. ???

Keep that last tap open for your seasonals or beers you want your guests to experiment with. This way they have a "surprise" choice when they come over. Also another good way to introduce them to different types of beers, and they can compare the rotating tap with whatever else they are used to drinking in the other spots.

I also agree with the root beer (or maybe a cream soda) tap. +1

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

It would change with the seasons. I don't want as much Porter/Stout during the dog days of summer and don't want as much mowlawners during Jan/Feb.

Also, since brewing ales for me is way easier during winter I tend to brew more ales then and brew more lagers and Belgians during summer. Right now that's all I have going...lagers and Belgians.

 

[hal2814]

My top 6? Ok. Keep in mind that even if you don't want to lager, some of the traditionally lagered styles are good enough with a dry ale yeast or warm-tolerant lager strain like Steam yeast.

1. Czech Pilsner
2. Munich Dunkel
3. ESB
4. Kolsch
5. Belgian Blonde
6. Dry Stout

 

[l1ranger]

my top 6
or the top 6 I'd try to keep on hand for entertainment purposes?

for me it would be
1 IPA
2 Wheat of some sort
3 imperial stout
4 barleywine
5 engllish pale ale of some sort
6 I'd keep this open for whatever tickles my fancy

if we are aiming entertaining and getting others to try stuff
I'd keep these two on tap
1 cream ale/blonde ale/kolsch
2 wheat of some sort
and then mix in these
3 some sort of porter/stout
4 brown or red ale
5 pale ales and IPAs
6 I'd keep open for whatever you want to throw in there

 

[MrWiggles]

1. Weizen, Hefe or Dunkel
2. Brown ale
3. Cider
4. Root beer (had to jump on that bandwagon)
5. Gruit
6. IPA
Plus, Bottles of Barleywine, Apfelwein, and Kombucha
Hmm..on second thought...maybe the gruit could be bottles to leave a space for seasonals, I dont know if you have any friends allergic to hops.