A Tasteless, Watery, Lowly-hopped 'mates Brew'

[James Squire]

Greetings brewfriends,

I woke up this morning thinking about beer (actually its nothing unusual... im sure you all agree! :super: ) in particular I was thinking about my mates' preferences in beer. (anything "draught" and the less taste the better!)

It got me thinking... I'd like to brew something as ***** as that just to see if my mates enjoy it. They do tend to enjoy a few of my pale ale's but anything more adventurous is beyond them and regardless of their liking for some pale's their preference still lies with the 'draught' styles....

I know from reading posts here that this predicament strikes a lot of brewers and I was wondering what kind of brews everyone puts down as their 'mates brew'?

Any recipes?

JS

 

[peas_and_corn]

I don't make watery beers for my mates (they hate that stuff) but if I were to make one... probably a coopers cervoise can and some malt would do the trick

 

[bugwan]

I'd just grab a Coopers kit and some dextrose from the supermarket. Do what it says on the tin (ie. no hops, no malt, no boil) and voila! You'll get a pretty standard little lager that should pass your mates' taste test.

Of course, I love the fact that some of my mates don't enjoy my brews...all the more for me! At the end of the day, brewing is about making something you enjoy.
If your mates want something changed, pass them the fermenter and introduce them to this fine art!

 

[James Squire]

I hope to definately pass them the fermenter actually! That's my cunning plan, I'd like it if more of my mates were brewing their own beers. Im afraid in order to get them on board I'll have to show to them that they can actually make the kinds of crap beer they appreciate as well as making all the highly hopped, malty, flavoursome ales that they drink on tap at my place!

JS

 

[bugwan]

I think your plan will work... There's no point handing a heavily hopped IPA to a VB drinker - they'll just screw up their face and hand it back.

Start by showing them they can brew (cheaply) what they normally drink (as you are doing already) and they should natually progress from cidery, watery out-of-the-tin lagers to beautiful, rich IPAs, porters, stouts, and fine ales... Ahh, it's only 9:30am and I'm ready for my first...!

Cheers and good luck with the conversion process!

 

[Samwise Gamgee]

Hi JS,

I'd have to agree with the others, just do a Basic "Lager" Kit with a kilo of dextrose.

Prob want to keep an eye on ferment temps tho so it doesn't taste too fruity/cidery from highish temps. Otherwise they might think the fruity taste is a bit adventurous

 

[colinw]

Yeah, you need to get them addicted to the beginners stuff before hooking them on the hard stuff.

You know you've won when the start turning up at your place carrying six packs of Little Creatures.

 

[devo]

I make an AG Aussie style lager which does have a nice flavour but plain none the less. My wife insist's I keep making it cause she's not keen on the hoppy european style lagers and pilsners. <_<

 

[bugwan]

I make an AG Aussie style lager which does have a nice flavour but plain none the less. My wife insist's I keep making it cause she's not keen on the hoppy european style lagers and pilsners. <_<

You should get your wife into brewing. She can make the local 'Aussie' brews and you can get on with the experimentation!

 

[James Squire]

Hey Devo,

What kind of grain bill do you use for your Aussie style AG? Any other fermentables used (any Dex?). What hops are you using and how low are you bittering it?

ColinW, man... I have to start by just getting them to bring ANY beer around first! I wont be holding my breath on seeing them on the door step with Little Creatures under their arms, I'd have a better chance of winning tatslotto! Mmmmmm... Little Creatures!!!

Cheers,

JS

 

[devo]

Hey Devo,

What kind of grain bill do you use for your Aussie style AG? Any other fermentables used (any Dex?). What hops are you using and how low are you bittering it?

ColinW, man... I have to start by just getting them to bring ANY beer around first! I wont be holding my breath on seeing them on the door step with Little Creatures under their arms, I'd have a better chance of winning tatslotto! Mmmmmm... Little Creatures!!!

Cheers,

JS

I brew 40-45ltr batches with this basic recipe. Pretty much halve it for a standard 23ltr version.

9kg Pilsner malt
150g Light crystal malt

30 IBU Aussie, pride of ringwood for bittering.
15-20g Hallertauer dry hopped.(per fermenter)

Wyeast 2124 Bohemian Lager, ferment b/w 10 - 13 degree C

Very simple and it turns out better than any of the other commercial OZ lagers. I find plenty of NON brewing type folk tend to really enjoy this beer.

 

[Voosher]

Can I ever relate to this.
One of my best mates just can't handle anything with big flavour. I learnt early that malt driven beers are "too sweet" so I tried adding some interest with hops.
"Too fruity", "too flowery", "Yuk"... translation... not like (insert bland Aussie lager brand here).
The only hop with which I've had any success is Cascade. Pale malt bittered to around 25IBU with POR lightly hopped with 0.5g/l Cascade @ 10m and 0.5g/l at flame out.
The widest approved brew is Coopers Pale kit, Brew Enhancer II, recultured Coopers yeast. I've learnt you've got to put some dextrose in there for them. Malt don't work.
Where's the "pulling my hair out" emoticon?

 

[Stuster]

Where's the "pulling my hair out" emoticon?

:lol:

Can we have one of these Dane, pleeeeeeeeease?

Nice easy recipe, Voosher. I agree that Cascade seems an easy hop for beginner 'real beer' drinkers to like.

 

[Trough Lolly]

This one's a gimme!
1 x Coopers Australian Draught kit,
1 x kg of Dextrose.
no hops or other adjuncts.

Add the kit and dextrose to the fermenter and top up to achieve a starting gravity of no more than 1.030. Ferment with kit yeast and bottle with more dextrose.

Beeeautiful!

 

[colinw]

I no longer have to try. All my friends are now either brewers or home/craft brew compliant.

 

[James Squire]

Devo and Voosher,

Thanks for the top notch recipes! I'll have to throw down a couple and see if the mates approve!

Anyone else have recipes, sounds like this issue confronts a few of us... I generally brew for myself and my own tastes but I would like to get a few mates on board the brewing band-wagon!

JS