What beer would you have at your wedding?

If I had to do it over again, I would pick a beer with the highest ABV I could find and imagine what the toasts and the dance floor would be like!

 

I'm also getting married in September 2016. I'm making the following for the reception: a Belgian dubbel, an IPA, a Heffeweizen (my fiance's parents like these) and a 4% abv blonde ale. The reception venue will also have some macrobrews for people who don't like real beer.

 

Had my wedding back in October. Had a keg of Single Speed from 4 Hands and a keg of Schlafly Oktoberfest. Very good choices even the Bud drinkers liked.

 

I'd go for a keg of something great, and avoid any particular bottles during the ceremony. Maybe one special bottle, but don't wanna end up sharing too much of it with the non-believers!

 

I can tell you what beer we did have at our wedding.

We had a 1/2 barrel keg of DRIPA, a 1/6 barrel keg of Go To IPA, and a 1/6 barrel keg of a homebrewed BA stout my buddy made.

In hindsight, another keg would have been helpful. And we only went with two IPAs because we miscalculated how much beer we'd need. That meant we limited ourselves to getting a 1/6 barrel keg which limited our style options.

 

All-Day IPA would be a great wedding beer choice.

 

Since you're in CA:

Firestone Walker Union Jack
BP Victory at Sea

 

Get some Coffee Bender! You are what you drink

 

Since my wife is Jewish and I am Catholic, we tried to incorporate some aspects from both religions for our ceremony. So instead of putting wine in the kiddush cup, we put beer. We filled it with a 2013 BCBS. Second best choice of that day

 

Just under 120. But maybe a quarter of that was minors.

We also had an open bar with wine and cocktails.

 

I'd go for:

a) Fruet (or any other Bruery anniversary beer)
b) Heady Topper
and
c) 805 for the people who don't want something hoppy or too heavy.

 

For me I would go for a high ABV stout so I could quickly build up enough courage to bust a move on the dance floor.

 

Avery Collaboration Not Litigation
Wasatch Polygamy Porter

 

I wanted something special for the occasion that I would appreciate, as well as other beer lovers. Also recognizing that there were a lot of non-craft beer drinkers there.
The beers were:
Allagash Curieux
Allagash White
Sam Summer
Redhook Longhammer IPA

I think everyone had a good time. My wife and I certainly did.

 

These days most weddings that I attend (or gig at) are tremendously under attended. Lottsa empty seats. I don't know why, but it's just how it is... (Maybe it's a Seattle thing ?) In case you have a ton of left over beer, l I would stock the reception with something decent that I wouldn't mind drinking for the next few months as well as a bunch of coors light for the sheep that inevitably are the majority that attend these functions... Congrats and Best of luck to you !

 

What is your objective?
A. Something nice that most attendees can appreciate?
B. Something special for you and your fiancee that you will really love (screw everybody else, it's your day)?
C. Something to make people loosen up on the dance floor?

If A. I'd go with a solid, proven saison such as Saison Dupont (don't know if it comes in kegs?). Light, effervescent, almost like a champagne... so, appropriate for a wedding and I think very drinkable to most people.
If B. I suppose that depends on what you like, but don't be afraid to splurge if beer is important to both of you.
If C. I am on board with the keg of 120 suggestion. Or just the highest ABV you can find.

If A or C, you really want to stick with kegs unless you have a tiny wedding. If B, and you just have a select group of friends who you know will appreciate and participate, then maybe you could swing a stash of special bottles.

 

Kinda cheesy, but my fiance and I are splitting Jack's Abby's Bride Maker at our table, which, by the time we're married, will have been aging for over 2 years. We're having our wedding at Stoudt's so there will be 14 beers of their's on draft. Not the greatest beers for the most part, but there are a few style's that everyone can enjoy and plenty I have yet to try, which is a big plus. Very excited!