Drinkablity + High ABV = Dangerous

[Grossy]

Drinkablity + High ABV = Dangerous

I have made some incredibly easy to drink beers before. My last Wheat ale, my wife and I finished off a corny it in 8 days. But this latest beer is defying conventional wisdom.

After drinking for a couple of decades, taste becomes the primary reason for consuming alcohol (I’m a slow learner). I have always found that beer is a self-limiting drink, the higher the alcohol content the slower you drink it. (I have never heard of anyone playing quarters with a Russian Imperial Stout.)

But this last IPA I just made is saying something different: 6.6 ABV, and just too easy to drink. The end result: happiness/hangover.

Now I know 6.6% is not exceptionally high, but I consider 4.5% – 5.5% about the average for most beers.

So I think we need a number for drinkablity.

We have IBU’s, ABV, OG, FG, BG, Efficiency, Lovibond, etc… In fact we seem to have a measurement for everything, but I have yet to see a measurement for “Drinkablity”.

Yes, I understand that it would be like trying to say what is the best song in the world, but we are home brewers, we can measure anything.

So let’s hear it, what are your experiences with beers that are just plain dangerous.
.

 

[lumpher]

saisons are dangerous. dry, easy to drink, and high abv

 

[wailingguitar]

Made a Doppel Maibock last spring, OG was about 22Plato (1.088), was 50/50 pils/Munich7. I don't have my notes handy to say the exact IBU, but being a Maibock it had a little more bitterness than a regular doppelbock and a little less malt finish to boot, basically more balanced it was REALLY easy to drink far too much of that one... ouch

 

[knuckleheadbrewing]

I'll have to agree with the Saisons.....deceptively ass kicking if done right!

Belgian Triples I find very drinkable myself at 8-10%..

 

[CBMbrewer]

Perhaps a ratio of SRM or IBU to ABV? So, for example, a saison with an SRM of 6 and and ABV of 7 would be 6:7 scary drinkable/GETS you drunk. And a DIPA with an IBU of 100 and ABV of 9 would be 100:9 a sipper/WILL get you drunk.
Wait... maybe I'm over thinking this.

 

[nukebrewer]

My IIPAs always come out insanely drinkable. Light-ish and quite refreshing with the high ABV generally well hidden behind the intoxicating hoppiness.

 

[sammy33]

For many years the ABV limit here in GA was 6%. That has always been an upper limit for me in terms of octane. This of course was changed several years ago and the limit now is 14%. The highest I have seen commercially available is 11%.

Drinkability: Something less than 6% and balanced malt/hops crisp with a dry finish. Sounds like a lager to me.

Do lagers produce less "headache" alcohols than an ale? With ales fermented at higher temps, perhaps there are more fusels present. Lagers have always been cleaner for me in terms of the hangover.

I think drinkability may be subjective as well. I like lagers. A patience tax to brew (well ferment/condition at least) but worth it for me since that is my preference. Others may find ales infinitely more drinkable.

 

[stvo]

But this last IPA I just made is saying something different: 6.6 ABV, and just too easy to drink.
.

Could you share your recipe, I've been looking to do an IPA with a bit lower ABV for the summer. Went thru too many recipes that were 7+% not to mention the imperial IPA's at 9+!
Thanks...

 

[JeepDiver]

Perhaps a ratio of SRM or IBU to ABV? So, for example, a saison with an SRM of 6 and and ABV of 7 would be 6:7 scary drinkable/GETS you drunk. And a DIPA with an IBU of 100 and ABV of 9 would be 100:9 a sipper/WILL get you drunk.
Wait... maybe I'm over thinking this.

Color has nothing to do with ABV or taste. They can seem related, but I can make a really dark 3% beer that taste like water

 

[Calichusetts]

Me and my buddy invented a drinking term for this...its called "smoozy"

Its a smooth booziness that you can't really pick up on in terms of abv

 

[ktblunden]

Kern River Brewing makes an imperial stout (actually an imperial oatmeal milk stout) that clocks in at 8.5% and goes down way too smooth. My wife and I killed the growler very quickly.

 

[dstranger99]

It seems 6.6 is getting more normal. I see alot of craft brews in the store at that range now. I try to keep my nightly beers at 5% and buy a sixer of the good stuff on a Friday or Saturday.

 

[Rhumbline]

saisons are dangerous. dry, easy to drink, and high abv

Man, my first brew was a Saison. I drank one 750 ml bottle and thought it was great, had a second with some snacks and almost had to crawl up the stairs. I think I took a divot out of the drywall with my head along the way.

Didn't have any alcohol taste. Dangerous stuff!

 

[McBrewskie]

One of the first beers I put on my kegerator when I finally went to kegging was a Belgian Triple that was 9%. So 9% beer plus the new exciting awesomeness of taps in the house plus imperial pint glasses equaled a couple of wretched hangovers.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

I think the thing for me is residual sweetness. If a beer is sweet, I tend to give it low drinkability. If a beer is dry, I tend to give it high drinkability.

So I think the "smoozyness" of a beer (great word BTW calichusetts) might be a simple calculation of (OG-1) / (FG-1), or essentially OG/FG when measured in "points".

I pulled some beers from this list to test: http://hbd.org/ensmingr/beer-data-1999.pdf
Alaskan Smoked Porter - 1.065 / 1.019 = 3.42
Sam Adams Boston Lager - 1.052 / 1.016 = 3.25
Genesee Cream Ale - 1.050 / 1.011 = 4.54
New Belgium Trippel - 1.074 / 1.014 = 5.29

Those are all a bit older... So here's a few others:
Pliny the Elder: 1.070 / 1.010 = 7
Boulevard Tank 7: 1.072 / 1.010 = 7.2

Clearly a dry double IPA or a dry saison climbs the list...

What say you, folks? Anyone care to add beers to the list and see if this stands up to scrutiny?

 

[ICWiener]

Firestone Walkers Union Jack IPA. It's 7.2% I think. Anyways, the stuff goes down like nothing. It's deliciously dangerous.

I made a cider that finished at 1.000, added 5 lbs of apricots and backsweetened before bottling. I had a friend pound one and ask, "That was great! What was it, about 3...3.5% ABV?"

It's 6.7%. It's fun watching people drink them like they're hard lemonade or something, only to get completely loopy.

 

[TheZymurgist]

Drinkablity + High ABV = Dangerous

I have made some incredibly easy to drink beers before. My last Wheat ale, my wife and I finished off a corny it in 8 days. But this latest beer is defying conventional wisdom.

After drinking for a couple of decades, taste becomes the primary reason for consuming alcohol (I’m a slow learner). I have always found that beer is a self-limiting drink, the higher the alcohol content the slower you drink it. (I have never heard of anyone playing quarters with a Russian Imperial Stout.)

But this last IPA I just made is saying something different: 6.6 ABV, and just too easy to drink. The end result: happiness/hangover.

Now I know 6.6% is not exceptionally high, but I consider 4.5% – 5.5% about the average for most beers.

So I think we need a number for drinkablity.

We have IBU’s, ABV, OG, FG, BG, Efficiency, Lovibond, etc… In fact we seem to have a measurement for everything, but I have yet to see a measurement for “Drinkablity”.

Yes, I understand that it would be like trying to say what is the best song in the world, but we are home brewers, we can measure anything.

So let’s hear it, what are your experiences with beers that are just plain dangerous.
.

Can I just say I absolutely love the extent of your Tolkien References?

 

[Hawaiibboy]

I think the thing for me is residual sweetness. If a beer is sweet, I tend to give it low drinkability. If a beer is dry, I tend to give it high drinkability.

So I think the "smoozyness" of a beer (great word BTW calichusetts) might be a simple calculation of (OG-1) / (FG-1), or essentially OG/FG when measured in "points".

I pulled some beers from this list to test: http://hbd.org/ensmingr/beer-data-1999.pdf
Alaskan Smoked Porter - 1.065 / 1.019 = 3.42
Sam Adams Boston Lager - 1.052 / 1.016 = 3.25
Genesee Cream Ale - 1.050 / 1.011 = 4.54
New Belgium Trippel - 1.074 / 1.014 = 5.29

Those are all a bit older... So here's a few others:
Pliny the Elder: 1.070 / 1.010 = 7
Boulevard Tank 7: 1.072 / 1.010 = 7.2

Clearly a dry double IPA or a dry saison climbs the list...

What say you, folks? Anyone care to add beers to the list and see if this stands up to scrutiny?

Some of my own homebrews, in easiest to drink to least (to me) order and their drinkability rating.

Basement Wheat: 1.057/1.011= 5.18
Big Boys and Girls Need Loving Too: 1.097/1.013= 7.46
Saison De La Maison Wong: 1.055/1.007= 7.86
Belma Motueka: 1.048/1.007= 6.86

 

[Grossy]

Can I just say I absolutely love the extent of your Tolkien References?

Thank you, I tried to stay in character. No hobbit would ever name his beer "Mordor Black Stout".

 

[biochemedic]

I'd also have to agree that the Belgian trippel is a very dangerous brew...my first experience with that style was a sixer of Golden Monkey...I sucked down a few of them without realizing. Tried to get up to pee and nearly fell over!

Some meads can be similarly deceiving...my average mead is around 12% and they don't go down that way...