[In The Sand]

Thoughts on malts & hops for my BMC friends to ease them into craft beer?  I'd like to do an ale, since I only do ales and don't have a lager fridge.  Not sure what hops would be well suited for this style.  Any ideas would be appreciated.  Thanks!

[denny]

Look into a cream ale.  Here are a few....

http://wiki.homebrewersassociation.org/6ACreamAle

[kylekohlmorgen]

Its tough to brew a similar beer as they're used to drinking. Cream, Blond, American Wheat, Kolsch, etc. are, IMO, the toughest styles of ale to brew well enough to pass of as commercial.

You may try coming at them from a different angle. A good amount of my wife's BMC-drinking family really enjoyed a light, chocolaty brown ale that I made for our wedding. Others have really enjoyed a fruit beer made with a LOT of raspberries.

The flavors can't be too intense, and bitterness should be at an absolute minimum.

Witbier is a nice place to start. Its not too difficult to make a good version if you brew all-grain and can get unmalted wheat.

My wife's first craft love was with a local brewery's mild, so maybe that or ordinary bitter?

You may ask if they like Blue Moon, Amber Bock, Guinness, etc. to get a good feel for their palate. Also, if they drink wine, you can find a beer style that parallels the flavor profile of their favorite varietal. Maybe even a light-colored, simple ale with grape must and honey? If they like the bubbly (or light spirits), you might try a Duvel clone.

Familiar flavors can attract the uninitiated. Chocolate, coffee, cherry pie, mole, creme brulee, lemonade. These flavors allow the newcomer to think of familiar foods rather than their expected 'flavors' in beer.

[Slowbrew]

A Red can work too.  Not too many hops, not too much color and a smooth finish.  I've made a couple that BMC drinkers liked, after twisting their arms to try something they could see in their glass.

Paul

[edvinjonsson]

I've brewed american wheat beers with tropical hops, like citra, summit or something from NZ, and my BMC friends, or PMC in this case (Pacifico, Modelo, Corona), really liked them. Also wit biers and Hefe Weizens are pretty popular. Some of them actually liked my brown porters and APA's but most of them said they were too bitter.

[Slowbrew]

I've brewed american wheat beers with tropical hops, like citra, summit or something from NZ, and my BMC friends, or PMC in this case (Pacifico, Modelo, Corona), really liked them. Also wit biers and Hefe Weizens are pretty popular. Some of them actually liked my brown porters and APA's but most of them said they were too bitter.

Here in the Mid-West (USA) the BMC drinkers often consider Pacifico, Modelo and Corona to be too exotic.  Your friends are a few steps closer to real beer than your average Bud-light drinker.   

Paul

[HoosierBrew]

If you want to be sure they'll like it, use lots of rice syrup and keep hops below the threshold of knowing they're there  .

[Jimmy K]

German ales are probably good choices too. The noble hop varieties are nice and easy going.  It depends how hung up they are on color. Some people are convinced that any darker beer will get them wrecked. If it must be a light colored beer, I'd go with cream ale or wheat beer.

- Sent by my R2 unit

[fmader]

My girlfriend hated trying my beers because she thinks that the hoppy APAs and IPAs taste like dish soap. She was always reluctant in trying new beers and stuck with wine. All until she tried Sierra Nevada Tumbler. That beer opened more doors. She now lovers porters, stouts, and reds. The hoppy beers still are out the window. She doesn't touch wine and now considers herself a beer snob lol. She was intimidated by the color of stouts but realized they are her favorite. So maybe go that route.

In saying that, I think people have to want to like craft beers before they start to begin enjoying them.

[Upstate Dan]

Look into a cream ale.  Here are a few....

http://wiki.homebrewersassociation.org/6ACreamAle

+1. A quality homebrewed cream ale will make your friends who aren't as familiar with craft beer think that you're a wizard. It's also a great beer for experimenting with SMaSH recipes.

[HoosierBrew]

German ales are probably good choices too. The noble hop varieties are nice and easy going.  It depends how hung up they are on color. Some people are convinced that any darker beer will get them wrecked. If it must be a light colored beer, I'd go with cream ale or wheat beer.

- Sent by my R2 unit

Funny how many people are still hung up on the dark color = high abv thing.  Wheats and cream ales have always worked for me with that crowd. Except for the smaller subset of hardcore BMC guys who think that the cloudiness in the wheat beer meant that I probably screwed something up. Luckily I have more beer savvy friends now as the years have gone by.

[weithman5]

i find the red seal ale to be very good and not overly hoppy. one of my favorites. the lakefront brewery has one that is pretty similar think it is called top gear

[HoosierBrew]

i find the red seal ale to be very good and not overly hoppy. one of my favorites. the lakefront brewery has one that is pretty similar think it is called top gear

+1.  Love Red Seal.  Good hop forward beer without being in-your-face for hop newbs.

[euge]

A Cristal-weisse would work for sure. My gateway was a Paulaner Hefe-weizen though. I think if you could get a strict bmc drinker to try one you'd be off to the races!

[edvinjonsson]

I've brewed american wheat beers with tropical hops, like citra, summit or something from NZ, and my BMC friends, or PMC in this case (Pacifico, Modelo, Corona), really liked them. Also wit biers and Hefe Weizens are pretty popular. Some of them actually liked my brown porters and APA's but most of them said they were too bitter.

Here in the Mid-West (USA) the BMC drinkers often consider Pacifico, Modelo and Corona to be too exotic.  Your friends are a few steps closer to real beer than your average Bud-light drinker.   

Paul

Hahaha I don't think there's much difference, maybe only in Corona, I think its terrible, I would rather have any BMC than Corona.