Table Beer?

So, basically, table beer is the original lite beer.

 

This is the context I first encountered "table beer" in

 

Exactly. The monks would brew the quads and they would enjoy the 2nd runnings. Similar with saisons. Saisons were originally low strength beers brewed for the workers in the field. They would literally bury the containers a few inches into the ground at the side of the field to keep the temps consistent and would drink them throughout the day. The beer was brewed to be table strength so one would be able to consume and keep production steady. They have great flavor and low in ABV, much better than those lite beers that are mass marketed.

 

No, it's lighter. The darkness in the Quad comes during the boil when you would add dark candi syrup (either L-90 or darker). The grain bill for a Quad is all light malts (I use Pilsner, Munich, and Special B).

 

I will be brewing a Quad in a week or so and I will be using some specialty malts that are non-pale in color. For a 5 gallon batch:

• 0.5 lbs. of Caravienne crystal malt (19 - 27 degrees L)
• 0.5 lbs. Special B (140 - 155 degrees L)
• 0.25 lbs. English Chocolate Malt (450 - 500 degrees L)

So that wort will be somewhat dark in color just from those specialty malts.

In addition I will be using 2 lbs. of D-180 Candi Syrup which will further darken the wort.

Cheers!

 

My hopping schedule is:

• 0.5 oz. German Magnum for bittering (60 minute boil)
• Flame out: 1 oz. Styrian Goldings.

For yeast: Wyeast 3787.

Cheers!

 

Kinda begs the question, have you ever 'brewed' the second runnings of your quad (or a barleywine). I did enjoy Anchor Small beer back in the day, but haven't seen that in some time.

 

Short answer is no.

Longer answer is I mash and then fly sparge to collect my wort for my beers (including the Quad).

I have never conducted a second sparge for any of the beers I have brewed. Maybe somerthing to consider for the future? Do you brew with second runnings? If so, you continually monitor the wort pH to ensure it does not get above 6?

Cheers!

 

I'm not a brewer like you (but am envious)
Just wondering if you ever considered that

 

And the answer is heretofore no but I have a concern that collecting second runnings would result in a wort pH too high (i.e., > 6). And since I check by wort pH at cooled temperatures (i.e., 60 degrees F) there is a lag issue here.

Cheers!

 

I think of "table beer" as the continental version of an English mild; a typical post-work day working class beer made in the style of whatever is made locally, sourced locally. So for some it'll come in the shape of a light farmhouse, a grisette, a mild, a saison, etc.
But as someone *COUGH* pointed out above, to me it's all about targeting ABV% and a particular style.
Yet, I always seem to appreciate them, no matter the "style."
Cheers...