Help with wedding reception beers

First off congratulations! Second, don't over think it and don't try to please everyone because it's YOUR wedding. I homebrewed three recipes that I was familiar with for our wedding -

(1) 7% IPA for my bachelor party - Too strong from what I remember for pounding in the hotel before hitting the city (Not a bad thing though.
(2) It Takes Two - My Hefeweizen recipe I brewed with my wife. 50 bottles went in about as many minutes at the start of the reception.
(3) Lighter more drinkable Pale Ale - 5% for the hop lovers.

The venue did not allow kegs but I wasn't satisfied with their list so I brought 100 bottles and people got a kick out of quality refreshing beer at a wedding in May.

Oh and don't forget about the limo, we went through a case of champagne rather quickly and I was happy to have brought Black Ops to pass around for everyone. Good time to bust out the good stuff! Ching Ching!

 

Congrats. Only you know your guests. As a general guide, I find that the parents of the bride and groom and their friends (the older crowd) will drink wine and mixed drinks. Some of the younger crowd will as well. Among the beer drinkers, I think you need something to appeal to the AAL drinkers. Then you need two more beers you and your craft drinking friends will enjoy. Only you really know what that is. I would avoid imperial anything.

My wedding was back in 2001, and about 2-3 blocks from Harpoon, so Harpoon IPA was one choice. I don't really recall the others, but I think Sam Summer was one. Our options were limited, but at the time, it wouldn't have mattered much. You will not be sitting around savoring any beer. You will be busy. It will be a blur.

 

got married in Long Island and my caterer let me choose any brewery in LI for my drafts. 4 lines: 2 Barrier IPA's and 2 Great South brews. No macros. All craft. It's my wedding and I said "eff it, ima drink what I want." Everyone loved the beers, even the Bud drinkers. Got totally smashed doee.

 

Is the reception open bar?

 

Congratulations man!

I just got married 3 weeks ago, and only served macro beers at the reception. Why? Because it was the cheapest option, and I was drinking Old Fashioneds anyways. The beer started as an important point in the planning, but quickly faded to the back when you realize all the other planning that goes into such an event. We had an open bar, and everyone there seemed to be more than satisfied with the options presented.

I would assume that if it is open bar, most people will be going for the liquor rather than beer, but maybe that's just me. The whole wedding will go so quickly you probably won't even have a chance to fully enjoy more than a pint or two anyways.

 

Exactly. It was the quickest-moving long day I have ever experienced in my life. It was all about the after-party for me as far as the drinking was concerned.

 

The last wedding I went to did an open bar as well. The didn't have any draft though (minus bud light or what have you). They brought all of their own booze and they had maybe 8 cases for the reception of all kinds of different craft and entry level beers available. From Oberon to 2XIPA. It was enjoyable because I (we) had the ability to drink different things and not be stuck with one or two different beers. Just another thought on the matter. And also, for the non beer drinkers, they made 4-5 different premade cocktails that had pourers on them so people could just come up and refill.

 

This is the correct answer.
Get one leg of something you like if you must.

 

generally speaking, a craft Pils/Helles/Dortmunder will please pretty much everyone

Wits, Hefes, Pale Ales if your family/friends are more Blue Moons than Bud Lights.

ultimately people will find something to drink. order and drink what you want.

your wedding is your day.

 

When I got married, the normal bar was Miller Lite, Coors Light, and Yuengling. Having Miller and Coors on is superfluous. So I had them take off the Coors and put on a half of Head Hunter which is my go-to and what I am drinking as I type this. Still keep at least one line for a macro (Miller is the least contentious of the bunch in my experience). After that, pick what you want. Fat Tire is a great call. Sunshine Pils or Prima Pils are also nice tweener beers that will please craft and non-craft drinkers alike (although Prima may be a bit too hoppy for some). Pikeland Pils is another one as is Oberon. Victory V Lager, Sly Fox Helles, or even Weihenstephaner Original will also keep everyone happy (Weihenstephaner being the gold fucking standard for helles lagers imo...beer is perfect for the style but likely steep in the price tag).

I went back and forth on this a lot. At the end of the day, remember this...2% of the people there will actually remember and/or care what they drank at your wedding. It's your day. Put on whatever the hell you want and drink whatever the hell you want. It's your wedding. Have fun and congrats to you and Kady.

 

When I had my wedding I did a tap for Yuengling, ML, and I grabbed a sixtel of something my craft buddies could appreciate. Unless your wedding if consisting of all craft beer enthusiasts I think this is a great option.

 

Halves will limit things a bit. I suggest you contact a local liquor store that is known for kegs and get a list of what is available in halves, and narrow down from that.

 

Since you are from PA, I would go with local stuff, that people may recognize.
1. Yuengling (keg)
2.Something Troegs (bottles)
3.Something Victory (bottles)
4. What ever your favorite beer is at the time and your soon to be wife.

Good luck and congratulations.

 

One would think so, at least I would. Yet I've found a good number of light beer drinkers find even those three to be overly bitter.

The OP asked for suggestions that might please craft and non craft drinkers alike and that's the rub. It's really about the occasion anyway so I'd choose from what's freshest at the venue.

 

If I was going to a wedding in PA, I'd expect Yuengling. And I don't even like it all that much!

I'd keep it simple and only have 2 or 3 different kinds. I would think the Yuengling would be okay for the BMC crowd, but they might not. Maybe an amber and then an IPA?

I brewed my wedding beer (<100 people) and did a Pale and an Amber. They both went over very well.

 

I think you need a light domestic or certain people may be PISSED! Other than that, anything 7% or lower so people don't get smashed. I've found some people don't pay attention to ABV or know how to cut themselves off. Although, I guess you could have that problem no matter what.
Also, +1 on Prima Pils; should be a crowd pleaser.
Congratulations and best of luck to ya.

 

I went to a wedding in PA just a few weeks ago. The only thing they had was Yuengling, for beer.

I learned my lesson, I'll forever bring my own stash, just in case.

 

Get a keg of highlife and put a craft tap handle on it…see you think your getting one great thing but then it turns out to be something else much less appealing and not at all what you bargained for…marriage, explained through interpretive beer drinking.