[gmac]

In my fridge right now, I have a nice Saison, a hoppy APA, a pumpkin ale, a stout, a porter and an ESB.  Basically nothing my friends will drink.  Well, nothing my tasteless BMC drinking friends will drink.  My preferences are more towards English styles although I'm starting to like APAs a lot.  But, I don't really drink many lagers, especially the mass market types.

So, I'm looking for a clean, light lager style that would appeal to my friends who aren't craft beer drinkers.  I'm wondering about a CAP.  I haven't made one before so I'm looking for a good recipe that I can try.  Although it will obviously have some corn in it, I want to keep the quality as high as I can. 

Do you think that this would fit the bill for something that would appeal to the masses?  If so, can you please give me some guidance on a good recipe (I haven't checked the Wiki yet.  I think this is the style I need but I wanted to hear from you first)?
Thanks

[richardt]

I would suggest a beer that one might describe as a "dry" APA (i.e., not excessively sweet) or as a "light" IPA (low OG, around 1.050-0.055, clean and restrained bittering levels using Summit or Magnum hops, and plenty of fruity/estery/pine hop flavor and aroma from late kettle hop additions of Amarillo, Cascade, Citra, and Simcoe, but no dry hopping).  I prefer American Ale II (WY1272) over American Ale/Chico (WY1056).  If you're using BeerSmith, target everything on the low end of the IPA range (OG, SRM, IBU's, etc.)

[corkybstewart]

I brew a psuedo Kolsch for my wife and BMC drinkers, it's called Happy Wife ale and has been a house beer for 10 years at least.
10 pounds 2 row, 1 pound toasted at 350F for 20 minutes
1/2 pound Carapils
mash at 152
1.5 oz's Hallertau(around 4.5 AA) for 60 minutes
1 oz Hallertau at 20
1/2 oz hallertau at flameout
Nottingham yeast

[bluesman]

A clean and smooth Cream Ale is always a winner and easy to brew. 

[Slowbrew]

A clean and smooth Cream Ale is always a winner and easy to brew. 

+1

A very popular choice.

Paul

[snowtiger87]

I say CAP. I love a good CAP. However, before I post my recipe I have a few questions for you?

1. Do you mind doing a cereal mash?

2. Can you step mash?

3. What size batch do you want to make?

4. Can you ferment a lager adequately? ( i.e 2 weeks at 50F and then lager at 32 or so)

[dak0415]

A clean and smooth Cream Ale is always a winner and easy to brew. 

+1

A very popular choice.

Paul

++1 The Cream Ale keg is always the first kick at beer festivals.

[roguenationpatriot]

I say force feed them imperial stouts until they come around. 

[gmac]

I say CAP. I love a good CAP. However, before I post my recipe I have a few questions for you?

1. Do you mind doing a cereal mash?
No - would prefer to use corn meal (polenta) to corn grits just because it's much easier to get corn meal.

2. Can you step mash?
Yes - step mash in the kettle but have to transfer to a cooler to vorlauf. 

3. What size batch do you want to make?
5 or 10 (usually 5 for a new recipe, 10 if I like it and do it again)

4. Can you ferment a lager adequately? ( i.e 2 weeks at 50F and then lager at 32 or so)
Depends on the weather.  For the next 2 months - Yes. 

[gmac]

A clean and smooth Cream Ale is always a winner and easy to brew. 

Got a good recipe?  I need to order yeast.  What yeast do you recommend? 

[bluesman]

A clean and smooth Cream Ale is always a winner and easy to brew.  

Got a good recipe?  I need to order yeast.  What yeast do you recommend?  

Try this for size!  

It's called Genessee My Butt!

This Homebrew Recipe was added by
Skotrat on April 16, 1999 at 11:03:52:
(Please contact them if you have questions about the Recipe)

Brewing Method: All Grain
Yeast: WYEAST 2035
Yeast Starter: 1/2 gallon
Batch Size: 15.5 US Gallons
Original Gravity: 1.049
Final Gravity: 1.010
Alcohol Content: 4.5-5.0 %
Total Grains: 30
Color: 4.4
Extract Efficiency: 75 %
Hop IBU's: 22.9
Boiling Time: 70 minutes
Primary Fermentation: 7 days at 62f
Secondary Fermentation: 7 days at 58f
Additional Fermentation: lagered in corny keg

Grain Bill:


Grain %  Amount     Name                      Origin        Gravity Color
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 56.7    17.00 lbs. Lager Malt(6-row)         Canada         1.031     1
 20.0     6.00 lbs. Flaked Corn (Maize)       America        1.040     1
 10.0     3.00 lbs. Vienna Malt               America        1.035     4
  6.7     2.00 lbs. Munich Malt(light)        America        1.033    10
  6.7     2.00 lbs. Crystal 10L               America        1.035    10

Hop Bill:


Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.00 oz. Liberty Whole 3.40 19.6 60 min.
4.00 oz. Liberty Whole 3.40 3.3 5 min.

Mash Schedule:

Mash Type: Single Step
Saccharification Rest Temp : 152 Time: 90
Mash-out Rest Temp : 166 Time: 10
Sparge Temp : 170 Time: 70

Brewers Notes:

Side by side test was a dead ringer... Very nice brew

[gmac]

I'll give it a try.  I'll just cut it all by 1/3 but I have to ask, how important is the C10?  That's the only thing I don't have right now (assuming I can use 2 lbs of corn meal instead of flaked corn).
Still open to a CAP recipe or even a good pilsner.  I'm more than happy to brew a few different trial batches.

Edit:  Just read it again and I don't have 6 row.  Can 2 row be used or do you need the graininess of 6 row?

[gmac]

I should add that I've done a couple batches of Kolsch that I really liked and so did my wife but I think it's still a bit different for the people I'm thinking of.  I find it a bit fruity (which I think it should be) so it's still a bit different than what they are used to.  I can see how it would be a good gateway beer.
One of my friends did ask if I could do a Sleeman type (by which he meant Sleeman Cream Ale) so this may well fit the bill.  Others seem to like Steam Whistle which is an all-grain pilsner.  I haven't done many lagers but I'm looking to try some.  I do have a fridge that I saved to put a temp controller on to get accurate 10C temperatures for brewing lagers. 

Biggest problem I have with lagers or lagered ales is a lack of kegs that I can tie up for 2 or 3 months.  I guess I'll have to get a few more if I want to get a lager into rotation.

[Slowbrew]

I made this Cream Ale for the non-realbeer beer drinkers for Oktoberfest this year.  Very easy, light body and very tasty.

Cream Ale

Brewed: 7/2/11
Secondary:
Bottled: 7/16/2011 -  1 keg

IBU 18, SRM 3, ABV 5.4%

4.41lbs. 2 row pale (MO)
4.41lbs Pilsner Malt
1.76 lbs. Flaked Rice
3.36 AAU Liberty pellet hops (1.12oz/32g at 3%) – 60 Min.
1.68 AAU Liberty pellet hops (.56oz/16g at 3%) - 1 Min

Irish Moss – 15 min.

Single infusion 90 Min. 149 deg.,  1.5qt/lb. grist
Batch sparge.     SG: 1.040
      OG: 1.061
      FG:  1.006


Wyeast 1056 - American Ale yeast (2 liter starter)

1/3 Cup priming sugar


Paul

[dzlater]

I brewed the "Genesse My Butt" recipe it's a winner.