Introducing the 'Barter System' to LE's home brewing

[luckyeddie]

OK, here's the thing.

I am a typical nerd, having worked in computing for more than 30 years. I can put together databases and can write programs to do just about anything, but I'd be hard pressed to tie my own shoelaces blindfold (probably why I always wear slip-ons). Anyway, my brother in law is a plumber (a proper one, not one of these 'yee-haw' cowboy merchants) - so I've just made him a proposition:

"You finish off my mash tun to my specification, and I'll put together a brew for you."

Being a typical plumber, I suppose he'll be waiting for parts for 6 weeks and will then up the cost by about 4 more litres, but we basically have a deal.

The bottom line is this - he's a typical, English lager drinker (Carling etc, occasionally having a pint of Stella Artois, Bud or Fosters if he's feeling 'adventurous') and probably turn his nose up at the types of beer I would typically brew.

So has anyone got a recipe for an 'entry level' lager (say a nice Bohemian Pilsner) which will impress the hell out of the guy? I can't really decide from looking at recipes because I'm not a lager expert. I don't particularly want to frighten him to death with something alien to his taste, but I do want to impress him with my 'skill'

:drink:

 

[Eradite]

Hi,

I've got a similar issue with my Dad I think the best bet is to go for blonde /cream / kolch ales

I having a go at brewing this today.

2 kg MO pale Malt
1 kg Pilsner Malt
285g Torrified Wheat
230g Demerara sugar

35g Challenger 60 min
10g Target 30 min
10g Target 5 min
14g Saaz 5 min

Wyeast- Belgium Strong Ale.

19L brew length, Mash 63 C

Its a contemporary Summer ale recipe from a book I've been reading.

 

[dennisking]

Why not a summer lightning clone, or Exmore gold. Both light in colour and I`ve known lager boys to approve.

 

[crisparmour]

My choice would be Batham's Bitter... as much as I like hoppiness this is the subtlest, palest bitter you'll ever meet. Very low hop rate... it's more like a strong light mild but very very nice. Apparently there's a recipe in Wheeler's last book and if you Google you'll find a recipe.

If he doesn't like it, you could finish it yourself...

 

[tankard]

You could try him with a wheat beer? Seem to suit most lager drinkers and the run up to summer could help with the higher fermentation temps...

50% wheat malt
50% maris otter
Hallertauer hersbrucker to about 15 to 20 IBU.

Use a decent wheat beer yeast though...

 

[evanvine]

but I do want to impress him with my 'skill

I should finish the plumbing yourself. :whistle:

 

[metal micky]

ask him to abstain from drinking "lager" for a week to ten days, this will get the taste buds active then, introduce him to one of the above suggestions

 

[dennisking]

I once got a lager boy work pal to drink GK Abbot one lunchtime, it was the Abbot of yesteryear, a decent pint. A man that could knock back 8 pints of Carling or Fosters in a lunch time session was on his back after 4 pints so go careful, he may not be used to good beers.