New brew for Turkey Day? Can I do it? Help!

[drums09]

I just found out that we are now hosting Thanksgiving. I plan on brewing this Saturday 11/9, so I've got exactly 19 days. Is it possible to brew something palatable? Or should I subject everyone to my 3 Floyds Dreadnaught Imperial IPA clone?

Here are my wishes:

1). Go from kettle to glass by 11/28.
2). Not too many IBUs or a high ABV (4-5% is fine)
3). Conducive to fore carbing; new fridge upstairs=new kegerator downstairs
4). Can be all grain or extract.

I'm sure there are certain styles of beer and particular yeast strains that are more suitable to a quick fermentation time.

Gobble Gobble!

 

[jhalloran]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f66/centennial-blonde-simple-4-all-grain-5-10-gall-42841/?

 

[RM-MN]

Keep the alcohol content low and the color light. Pitch plenty of yeast, control the fermentation temperature carefully and keg it and you probably will have some pretty tasty beer. As you darken the beer, the time to maturity increased and if you raise the alcohol level it does too. Do both and you wouldn't have a chance of getting really good beer.

A wheat beer might fit the bill really well but if your guests don't like wheat beers........

 

[rklinck]

Wheat beers are best young and you don't have to worry about haze.

 

[Nomad]

My two cents is to use a highly flocculent yeast, maybe an English strain like 1968, so it can drop and clear quickly. +1 on the low alcohol for a fast ferment.

 

[billl]

I think Wit's are one of the easiest beers to turn around on a tight schedule and they fit your bill.

Half and half Pilsner and Wheat and a pound of oats. An ounce of any noble type hop to bitter and another ounce to finish. A bit of orange and corriander near the end of the boil. Cool to the mid 60's, pitch and let free rise.

The rising temps will make for a quick fermentation and you don't need to wait for it to clear since it's supposed to be cloudy.

 

[Schol-R-LEA]

A cream ale would also go well, especially if the guests are BMC drinkers. Aside from Cream of Three Crops, I know that my own recipe (which I need a new name for) works well on a short time frame.

 

[NathPowe]

Should be no problem, especially if you keep your gravity at or a bit below 1.050 (you mentioned 4-5% ABV). If you're doing a pale ale/blonde/american type thing you might try using WLP090 Super San Diego. It ferments quickly, flocs out well and gives a nice clean flavor. If you brew saturday, you could keg around the 19th or so, giving you 9 days to get it carbonated. Easy peezy.

Good luck and enjoy the brew.

 

[jrgtr42]

If you're bottling, no chance.
If you keg, then you should be fine with the suggestions above.
Low-ish grav, either darker in color, or a style that a big of haze isn't a big deal.
pitch slightly more than recommended, and maybe ferment a couple degrees higher than usual - with a clean strain you won't get any extra esters and off flavors.
I actually like the suggestion for a hefeweizen - those are quick, don't have to worry about flocking and they go well with a nice traditional turkey and trimmings meal.
You could either keg around 14 days, or let it st a few extra, and crash carb a day or 2 before T-day.