What beers are you inspired to brew?

[Ceejay]

It dawned on me today, whilst planning Friday's brewday, a Premium Bitter, that I've only ever brewed one batch of this style. I kinda feel like I should brew one, so I've got some "in stock", but at the same time, the thought of it really isn't inspiring me...

I think part of this, is somewhere in my head I feel like I'm wasting my time brewing "boring" stuff I can buy fairly decent examples of in the supermarket. One of my favourites is Betty Stogs from Skinners brewery. It's got a soft, honey/caramel malt character which for some reason I'm convinced I'm not going to be able to replicate in my brewing, even though I brew all-grain and have a lot of freedom in what I can do.

I've half a mind to only brew the things that I know I can brew how I like it and are a bit more "special". Really hoppy APA,American Amber, AIPA, Dark Mild, Oatmeal Stout, Blonde Ale etc etc. Or if I drink something I really, really like I might try and brew something like it.

Or maybe I'm just overthinking it and I need to practise brewing my Best Bitters so I get one that I'm really pleased with.

Does anyone else get this? :wha:

 

[PD]

still looking for my standard " house ale "

You need a standard beer you can churn out when ever you need it.

 

[Ceejay]

Wow, and you've brewed gallons more beer than I have!

You're right though, a "house beer" that I can be really proud of is what I'm after. And it should be an English Pale Ale, since that's the beer me and my friends/family drink most, even if it's not actually my favourite style. Perhaps, it doesn't need to be strictly "English" in style. It could be an English/American Pale Ale hybrid, with a kind of more pronounced English malt style, but low esters, and firm bitterness but more hop character than you usually find in a typical English Pale.

 

[jonewer]

still looking for my standard " house ale "

You need a standard beer you can churn out when ever you need it.

Absolutely. Brewing something slightly insane is one of the really brilliant things about AG craft-brewing but sometimes you need to get your feet back on the ground and produce something normal. I set about finding something like this late last year and came up with two "Bog Standard Bitters" which are here

viewtopic.php?f=21&t=31375

and

viewtopic.php?f=21&t=33065

The latter I found very pleasing indeed. Nothing bonkers. No extra-dark crystal quinoa malt. No triple digit IBU's. Just a really pleasant pint!

 

[Springer]

Yes quite agree, you do need a "house ale" signiture tune sort of thing Nice flavours, not to strong, I tend to go to far up the Abv range, sometimes :)

But with AG is it not easy to churn out "anything" you desire. :)

S

 

[carl_saint]

still looking for my standard " house ale "

You need a standard beer you can churn out when ever you need it.

This is definitely what I'm after. My own recipe that everyone loves and I can brew again and again!

 

[Sean_Mc]

My taste buds seem to have changed or been educated since I started brewing.

I like to have a good bitter and stout, but APA's are what I now want to brew more of. Really like the look of Kev's Punk and would also like to do a sierra nevada torpedo clone.

Never drank ginger beer before Xmas so want to try brew of that and will do a cider soon for the summer

 

[Ceejay]

Torpedo; now you're talking! :thumb:

Well, I think I'm going to go for the Pale Ale on Friday. I already have a recipe, which is basically Maris Otter, with a bit of Munich and a small amount of C120. Hopped with Northdown bittering and Styrian Goldings for flavour and aroma. I'll kick up the late hops a bit.

I'm using WLP002, so I'm going to have to mash low (65 degrees methinks) to dry it out a bit and ferment around 18 degrees to keep the esters and diacetyl low. :

 

[Sean_Mc]

You'll have to post back how it turns out C, lots of recipes for Torpedo out there and I've not settle on one yet :thumb:

 

[johnnyh]

Me and my mates enjoy an evening supping 6x, so if I can get to a point where I can turn out a good 6x clone I will be a very happy bunny :)

 

[carl_saint]

My taste buds seem to have changed or been educated since I started brewing.

I like to have a good bitter and stout, but APA's are what I now want to brew more of. Really like the look of Kev's Punk and would also like to do a sierra nevada torpedo clone.

Have you tried Anchor Steam? I've just done what I think is a good clone this weekend! Should turn out to be excellent!

 

[Sean_Mc]

Only done snpa clones carl, but I did look at your hop bill the other day and thought it looked up my street :thumb:

 

[carl_saint]

Yeah I'll keep it updated, but I'm quietly confident that this is gonna be a cracker!

 

[pittsy]

I have my " house ale " well a hefeweizen but i'm still adjusting it slightly , but most folk ain't really into it . So i've been doing a lot of reading and i'm gonna try and make either a "Dreher Vienna" or Traditional "marzen" probably the dreher . My mrs loves the lowenbrau oktoberfest beer and many like a lager so why not try and brew a great lager (hopefully). i don't mine ales but i can't say i love em so i don't really get the urge to brew any .

 

[Aleman]

English bitters do it for me Although I am rather partial to any lager style.

What really rings my bell are stouts, Love them.

I've got my house bitter, house lager, I'm not really into hop forward beers like US Pales, and Belgians just make me shudder

 

[Dr Mike]

On the one hand, I want to take the challenge of trying to produce clones of commercial beers that I like, but on the other hand I like the idea of being able to create something I couldn't buy in the shops.

I've just finished reading 'Amber, Gold & Black' so feel inspired to try one or two of the Durden Park recipes. In afew months though, I'll have probably built up enough half-used packets of different hops and malts that I'll feels inspired to do afew use-up brews!

 

[zgoda]

After 60 or so "standard" brews like bitters, stouts, Belgian ales, weizens and so on I wanted to experiment. I started throwing some unusual things into the mash or boil, like buckwheat, rye, various syrups and sugars, spices and so on. But I needed THE objective for my experiments. Now I'm looking to brew 2 kinds of beers, one to create what could be "domestic farmhouse ale" (which didn't exist actually due to brewing laws in XIXc), and another series to complement traditional Polish dishes like pierogis, roasted meats and traditional sweets. All ales, because now we have a range of pretty decent lagers of various kinds readily available in stores, which was not the case when I started brewing.

I want to brew beers that are unusual, different and unique. Not counting my 2 house ales, 1.044 blonde and 1.050 PA, though.

 

[graysalchemy]

I have a house bitter, stout and Pale ale. Then I brew elderberry stout if I get enough elderberries, barley wine and a scottish heavy once a year or every few years. I then will also try the odd new style as well i want to do a mild.

And of course I always have TC maturing red and white wine.

 

[Kinleycat]

Once ive played with my remaining kits i plan to go either BIAB or all grain.
So id love some suggestions please for:
A nice refreshing lager (Bottled)
A stout (Kegged)
A malty beer/mild (Kegged)
Nothing too mind-bendingly difficult though!!!
Cheers :
KC :thumb:

 

[graysalchemy]

For the stout you can't go wrong with alemans Effin Oatmeal Stout. :thumb: