I need a summer brew that IMPRESSES!!!

I have 2 brews under my belt...a Brewers Best IPA and a LHBS Belgian Wit. I'm going to a week vacation at the beach with my wife's family and I need a great summer brew that will impress!! My father in law is a Busch light drinker(piss water I know)....oddly enough he'd be the hardest to impress. So given me your best, favorite or most impressive brew that you think I perfect for summer days at the beach. I am new at this and don't have the equipment for AG recipes. Thanks homebrewers

You could do a lot worse than BM's Centennial Blonde.

A German hefeweizen or an American wheat would've good choices and can be turned around pretty quick

I just tasted the first bottle of the "cream of 3 crops" recipe from Biermuncher that I brewed a few weeks ago and while its still very young and not even fully carbed yet..I gotta say.. if your aiming for a beer to impress the commercial drinking masses, this is the beer for you..crystal clear,crisp and refreshing.

wyoast said:

I just tasted the first bottle of the "cream of 3 crops" recipe from Biermuncher that I brewed a few weeks ago and while its still very young and not even fully carbed yet..I gotta say.. if your aiming for a beer to impress the commercial drinking masses, this is the beer for you..crystal clear,crisp and refreshing.

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Do you have the link or recipe for this? Sounds worth trying

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f62/cream-three-crops-cream-ale-66503/. I would also say take a look at Biermuncher's Centennial Blonde Ale.

Forgot the second link: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f66/centennial-blonde-simple-4-all-grain-5-10-gall-42841.

Just type cream of 3 crops in the search window..you'll find it. The brewers name is Biermuncher.

+10 for Centennial Blonde!
I brewed this unknowing, and gave it to some of my beer snob friends; they were blown away that I made that!

Make it. You will not be sorry.

Roggenbier. Like a hefe, but use rye instead of wheat. Don't forget rice hulls or you'll end up with a stuck mash.

birdley123 said:

+10 for Centennial Blonde!
I brewed this unknowing, and gave it to some of my beer snob friends; they were blown away that I made that!

Make it. You will not be sorry.

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+ another

Here's another vote for BierMunchers Centennial Blonde. It goes so quick that I need to look into doing 10 gallon batches.

Thank You, BierMuncher.

Inkleg said:

Here's another vote for BierMunchers Centennial Blonde. It goes so quick that I need to look into doing 10 gallon batches.

Thank You, BierMuncher.

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This.

If you're into AG, i have a recipe for a raspberry wheat that's supposed to be very good.

Walking_Target said:

If you're into AG, i have a recipe for a raspberry wheat that's supposed to be very good.

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If you do not mind?
i would like your raspberry wheat recipe
Thank you

OP didn't you say you can't do AG right now? All these recipes are all grain.

BansheeRider said:

OP didn't you say you can't do AG right now? All these recipes are all grain.

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Pretty sure there is an extract version of Centennial Blonde in the link. (Check Post #10 in the link).

BansheeRider said:

OP didn't you say you can't do AG right now? All these recipes are all grain.

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woknblues said:

You could do a lot worse than BM's Centennial Blonde.

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My initial post goes right to the extract version provided by BM.

DirtyOldDuck said:

Pretty sure there is an extract version of Centennial Blonde in the link. (Check Post #10 in the link).

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woknblues said:

My initial post goes right to the extract version provided by BM.

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In see them now, my bad. I was looking for an extract version too as I have not moved to AG yet. The blondes sound good, but what about a cream ale for a summer beverage?

Kolsch baby. Here is 1 I made.
Christopher’s Kölsch (Partial Mash)

Ingredients:
• 16.00 oz – Wheat
• 8.00 oz – Carafoam
• 6 lbs - Pilsen Extra-Light DME
• 1.00 oz – Hallertau @ 60 min
• 1.00 oz – Tettnang @ 15 min
• 1 packet Wyeast Kolsch yeast # 2565
Mashing: Place crushed grains in a muslin bag and steep for 30 min in 160˚F water. Rinse grain bag with hot water and dissolve DME. Fill kettle with as much water as it can hold, up to 5 gal. Bring to a boil, then start timer for a 60 min boil and add hops.
Fermentation: Ferment in primary fermentor for 5-7 days and transfer into secondary for 1-2 weeks to 1 month.
Bottling: Boil 2 cups water with ¾ cup corn sugar for 1 min and add to bottling bucket before racking beer from secondary carbonation on top of it. Stir gently after siphoning all of the beer on top of the priming sugar and start capping.

BansheeRider said:

In see them now, my bad. I was looking for an extract version too as I have not moved to AG yet. The blondes sound good, but what about a cream ale for a summer beverage?

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Given the hugely favorable feedback on the cream ale, I would brew it without hesitation for homebrew un-savvy people. It sounds like it finishes very dry and clean. There will be an extract version of that somewhere in the massive thread.

Another good looking option that I personally have not brewed is the triple hopped Miller light clone recipe.. Using enzyme will absolutely ferment out your beer, giving it a clean dry finish.

Best of luck. It is hard to please some people, don't be discouraged if they still don't take to your beer. Brew for yourself first!

**********I should say that I would brew the cream ale regardless of whether or not they are homebrew-savvy, just for the record*****************

woknblues said:

Given the hugely favorable feedback on the cream ale, I would brew it without hesitation for homebrew un-savvy people. It sounds like it finishes very dry and clean. There will be an extract version of that somewhere in the massive thread.

Another good looking option that I personally have not brewed is the triple hopped Miller light clone recipe.. Using enzyme will absolutely ferment out your beer, giving it a clean dry finish.

Best of luck. It is hard to please some people, don't be discouraged if they still don't take to your beer. Brew for yourself first!

**********I should say that I would brew the cream ale regardless of whether or not they are homebrew-savvy, just for the record*****************

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Well I just received an email from northern brewer....free shipping when you order 4 beer extract kits. I am contemplating whether to spend over $100 and brew some summer brew. Their cream ale is only $30 :rockin:

The Innkeeper and Patersbeir from Northern Brewer are both kits I've made for non-craft beer drinkers that went over very well.

Another vote for Centennial Blonde

mark_a said:

If you do not mind?
i would like your raspberry wheat recipe
Thank you

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This is on my "to Brew" list this year, but is an extrapolation of the KLB Raspberry Wheat from Amsterdam Brewery.

6lbs Pale 2-row
3lbs Pale Wheat
8oz-12oz Crystal 60L (Color more closely matched by 12oz)

1oz Perle 60m
.5oz Perle 10m

Based upon a 8.5% AA content.

Add your raspberry flavor extract at kegging to taste. Some people like it pretty heavy, some pretty light. Color is definitely effected when using the real-deal extract.

It's a pretty decent clone, but I'm gonna throw a couple extras in when I do it to more closely resemble a summer beer.

real-deal extract

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Oxymoran of the day! nestar:nestar:nestar:nestar::hs:

Walking_Target said:

This is on my "to Brew" list this year, but is an extrapolation of the KLB Raspberry Wheat from Amsterdam Brewery.

6lbs Pale 2-row
3lbs Pale Wheat
8oz-12oz Crystal 60L (Color more closely matched by 12oz)

1oz Perle 60m
.5oz Perle 10m

Based upon a 8.5% AA content.

Add your raspberry flavor extract at kegging to taste. Some people like it pretty heavy, some pretty light. Color is definitely effected when using the real-deal extract.

It's a pretty decent clone, but I'm gonna throw a couple extras in when I do it to more closely resemble a summer beer.

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thanks
how much fresh raspberries would you use, not wild about extract taste
thanks

I made a simple blonde then racked it onto 3 pounds of apricot. People who hate fruit beers love it, as its almost dry, tart and highly carbonated.

SD-SLIM posted a pretty simple recipe that a lot of people seem to be raving about. It's a Lemon-Lime Hefe Weizen that can be substituted with grapefruit if you prefer. It says that it's all grain, but he provides an extract version in his first post as well. I'm planning on brewing this one at some point this summer. Here's a link:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f70/lemon-lime-hefe-weizen-255659/

I would do a Kolsch. It's light and refreshing like a Pilsener.

My vote is for the Blonde! I made and A.G. batch last summer and my father in law (coors light drinker) said it was the best beer I ever made! Beg to differ.... Lots of pilsner malt low hops. Cheers

If you want a couple simple and tasty extract recipes for summer consumption here you go. Both of these require no steeping grains and were always a hit with beer snobs and novices alike......... I still do a tweaked all grain version of the first recipe a couple times a year.

1 can coopers light LME 3.3lb
1 can coopers wheat LME 3.3lb
1oz hallertau @ 60 min
1oz hallertau @15
1oz sweet dried orange peel (brewers best works well) @ 15 min
.25 oz whole coriander seed @ 15 min

Ferment with either US-05 or S-33. S-33 works very well with this recipe.



Another tasty but simple extract recipe.........

2 cans Wheat LME
1 oz cascade @60 min
1oz cascade @10 min
zest from 2 lemons @ 10 min (be careful to avoid the pith when zesing....it is the white stuff)
Ferment with US-05 or WLP320

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f75/watermelon-wheat-139086/

This.

I like blondes in the summer. If you get a bag, you can steep some grain for flavor or mini mash it.
Here is what I do through the summer (they finish pretty quick):

Steep first for 15-90 minutes at 150 degrees;
1 lb aromatic or light munich malt
.5 lb. crystal 10 degree Lovibond malt
Boil with steep juices;
6 lbs. extra light dry malt extract
1.5(more or less) lbs. dextrose (corn sugar)
.75 oz. Cascade hop pellets (45 minutes)
1.25 oz. Cascade hop pellets (2 minutes)

I usually use Danstar Nottingham dry yeast (rehydrated).

These blondes turn out real good and everyone likes them. They are quick and easy, also. These are 6 gallon batches, and they usually turn out around 6+% ABV.
Good luck with the father in law.
Cheers!

Try Irish Blonde from Northern Brewer

A citrusy imperial IPA would impress me on a hot summer day

I've got Centenial blonde fermenting and will bottle this weekend. I certainly like all the suppor it is getting here.

Well since I had overwhelming suggestions for BM's Bicentennial Blonde…that's what I brewed last night…tonight I will tackle the extract version of Bisons honey basil…

You won't regret it. I lightly dry hopped mine and it was great.

Johnnyhamer said:

You won't regret it. I lightly dry hopped mine and it was great.

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I did .5oz of cascade instead of .25oz the last 5mins

Crock_it_out said:

I did .5oz of cascade instead of .25oz the last 5mins

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Should be great. I'm a big cascade fan. Dropped about 6 pellets in mine 5 days before I bottled.