which beer to brew?

Question

ok so i have done ALOT of reading about brewing and i think im ready to make my own, cept i want to make my first brew really good (start off with a good bang) so im asking if anyone has any recipes they would recommend, ill tell u what i like.

first off id like to do a partial mash brew because id like to do a whole grain mash BUT i feel i rather begin with something simpler like using extract and grain (as long as its not too complex im sure ill b fine), so now for beers i like

i think my favorite american beer would be Sam Adams Boston Lager off tap, i feel it has a good balance and is very tasty, i also like red stripe (good, but sometimes i feel a little lacking in flavor).. i also like Killans Irish red and Rolling Rock but many of these beers are all very simple and many times id perfer the full flavorof european beers, which are very rich in flavor (like eastern european beers such as Polish Zywiec or Tyskie, although sometimes they can be over bearing with the heavyness)....

Answer 1

Based on what you've said about your preference in beers, I'd say that a belgian tripple might be best. Belgian tripples usually have a high alcohol content (around 8-11%), and depending on the recipe, can have a sweet aftertaste. The only problem with brewing one is that you'll need a yeast starter and a secondary fermenter- which, if you're new to brewing you may or may not have; in other words, it's not the easiest beer to brew.

If you're willing to sacrifice alcohol content for ease, and maintain a somewhat sweet flavor, I'd recommend a German Hefeweizen. They usually finish at about 4.5-6% (depending on the recipe), and are a snap to brew since there is no need for a yeast starter or secondary fermenter and few hops to add. Many German Hefes have a banana aroma to them which might appeal to your liking. Morebeer.com has a good recipe and it's not to hard on your wallet either. Good luck- Cheers!

Answer 2

Yeah, I know that you like lagers but I'm going to suggest you start off with an ale, preferably one you can make with an all-extract recipe. You didn't learn to swim by jumping off a ship in the middle of the ocean, did you? Ales are more forgiving of small mistakes than lagers are and give you your product sooner.



My guess is that you would like a scotch ale. It's malty, rather than bitter (unlike an IPA, which is loaded with bitter hops). If you want a high-alcohol brew, look for a recipe for scotch export (or 80/) ale. It has a finish that is smooth, malty, and not "hot" from too high an alcohol content. Once you have a couple of ales behind you, you can try a lager, such as a European-style bock.

Answer 3

Lagers, like Sam Adams Boston Lager, aren't a good starting point for homebrewing. They take particular care and attention as well as additional equipment in most cases since they require an extended cold storage to turn out very good.



You do have 1 option though, a beer style called a "California Common" or "Steam Beer" which is essentially a lager style who's yeast strain has been adapted to warmer fermentations. I think if you like lagers, and you want to minimize your bitterness, and get a decent caramel malt background then this is the beer for you. Here's a partial mash recipe I just threw together, feel free to adjust it to your tastes (I'm assuming you're familiar with a partial mash and have the equipment to do so)...



1.00 lb Light Dry Extract (8.0 SRM) Dry Extract 8.3 %

7.00 lb Pilsner Liquid Extract (3.5 SRM) Extract 58.3 %

2.00 lb Caramunich I (Weyermann) (51.0 SRM) Grain 16.7 %

2.00 lb Munich II (Weyermann) (8.5 SRM) Grain 16.7 %

1.50 oz Saaz [4.00%] (60 min) Hops 17.1 IBU

1.50 oz Saaz [4.00%] (15 min) Hops 8.5 IBU

1 Pkgs San Francisco Lager (White Labs #WLP810) [Starter 35 ml] Yeast-Lager



Estimated OG: 1.081

Estimated FG: 1.025



If you need a refresher on partial mashing this is a good article I just found pretty quickly... I'd keep your water/grain ratio down since there's a decent amount of grains for the mash here.



http://www.byo.com/feature/986.html



It's pretty important that you use a Steam beer yeast so that you can ferment the beer in the low to mid 60s rather than the low to mid 50s. Wyeast also makes one, it's number is 2112 (California Lager).



This is an untested recipe but I put it together with a focus on malt flavor while scaling back the hops. As it is now should yield about an 8% ABV beer depending on your yield from the partial mash but you can easily scale the extracts up and down for strength. I don't know if it will be everything that you wanted but in theory it should at the very least be a drinkable beer.



Happy brewing.

Answer 4

Beer.. and you hate a bitter aftertaste?



Tough nut to crack. Hops are bitter. Bitter is good. Bitter is your friend. Beer is bitter. If it's not, then it's Bush Light..



Try a good IPA, if you like Sam Adams.



Easy to brew, not offensive to the mass population. Austin Homebrew Supply will give you good recipes and ship ingredients to you for a specific recipe. Stay away from Barley Wine.

Answer 5

IPAs are great bets if you like bitter, hoppy beers like Boston Lager.



Pale Ales and Blondes are easy to make. my friends make a Honey Pale Ale that is fabulous.



they just finished a Chocolate Stout, and are making 10 gals. of Oatmeal Stout for our St Pattys Day party