Help! Quick-Turn-Around Beer Needed

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by utahbeerdude, Jun 18, 2017.

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  1. utahbeerdude

    utahbeerdude Maven (1,374) May 2, 2006 Utah

    Long story short: I royally screwed up a batch of beer that was targeted at my brother-in-law, who is coming to visit in about 3 weeks. I thus need to make a beer that I can get into the keg in about 1 week (so that it can carbonate for about 2 weeks).

    So the question is: what is your best quick-turn-around beer? My brother in law does not like over the top hoppy styles. I'm thinking maybe American wheat, but I open to suggestions. I am looking for specific recipes that are real winners, but suggestions regarding possible styles are welcome. To save time on this unplanned brew day I'll likely go with extract as a base. TIA and Cheers!
     
  2. Buck89

    Buck89 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,782) Feb 7, 2015 Tennessee
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I did a Dark Mild last year that was grain to glass (kegged) in 9 days. Used 1968 and was very happy with it:
    6 gals
    7.5 lbs pale malt
    6 oz C-60
    6 oz C-120
    5 oz Black Patent
    5 oz Crisp Chocolate

    0.75 oz EKG at 60
    OG 1.041; FG 1.012; ABV 3.8%; SRM 25; IBU 19
     
    #2 Buck89, Jun 18, 2017
    Last edited: Jun 19, 2017
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  3. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    I would recommend a mild (@Buck89's recipe looks fine) or a basic hefe... Wheat DME to desired OG, an ounce (for 5 gallons) of noble hops @60 minutes and Wyeast 3068.

    ETA: 3068 is often sulfur-y, but in my experience it's dissipated by the end of a week.
     
    #3 VikeMan, Jun 19, 2017
    Last edited: Jun 19, 2017
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  4. skivtjerry

    skivtjerry Pooh-Bah (1,865) Mar 10, 2006 Vermont
    Pooh-Bah

    Table saison. Mash to glass in about 6 days if kegging and force carbing. Shoot for 3.5-4% ABV. Flavorful and quick. I try to always have this on in the summer.

    A hefeweisen would be good too.
     
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  5. PortLargo

    PortLargo Pooh-Bah (1,831) Oct 19, 2012 Florida
    Pooh-Bah

    Ditch the extract . . . the secret to quick beers is low OG and heavy pitch count. My favorite is Patersbier; basically pilsner malt, a touch of noble hops, and a decent Belgian strain (Westmalle, Ardennes, Abbey). Shoot for an OG no more than 1.040'ish and pitch a lot of healthy yeasties. I did this in 11 days and it won BOS. If the brother is a Monk, I guarantee he'll go wild over this.

    Regarding 1 week primary/2 week carbing. I would shift this to at least 1:1 ratio. If you really want to slow-carb quickly (ha!), fill two kegs to the half mark. It'll be done in 3-4 days by setting serving pressure only. If you really want to carb quickly I suppose you could fill three kegs to the 1/3 mark and it'll be ready in 2-3 days. Are you and Fr Brother gonna drink it all the first day?
     
  6. scottakelly

    scottakelly Maven (1,487) May 9, 2007 Ohio

    My vote goes to a Trappist single (patersbier). Low OG. Pilsner malt and sugar. Noble hops. Belgian yeast strain. Add some gelatin at keging and you're good to go.
     
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  7. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    And my vote is a low gravity English Pale (Bitter) Ale.

    I prefer Maris Otter Pale Malt with a bit of English Crystal Malt. My preferred yeast is Wyeast 1469. Mildly bitter hop but use some East Kent Golding hops for flavor and aroma additions. Make sure to ferment warm to encourage esters from the yeast

    The combination of malt flavors, and stone fruit flavors from the yeast and earthy flavors from the East Kent Golding hops are glorious!!

    Cheers!
     
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  8. corbmoster

    corbmoster Pundit (848) Dec 15, 2014 Texas
    Trader

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  9. Beerswimmer

    Beerswimmer Initiate (0) Mar 4, 2013 Texas

    I say a regular 50/50 wheat pils hefeweiss with 3068. By day 4-5 it should be done fermenting, a week in the keg it'll be prefect. And it's not a small beer. No need for additional time to grow up yeast, a single(healthy) smack pack is all that is needed.
     
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  10. invertalon

    invertalon Pooh-Bah (2,249) Jan 27, 2009 Ohio
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Why two weeks to carb?

    Once kegged, put it at 30-40psi and let sit for 24-36hrs... Then reduce to serving pressure for 2-3 days and it will be all set to go. No shaking or risk of over-carbonation, I do this on nearly every batch and it's ready to go in 2-3 days from kegging.

    This way, you have a bit more time to cleanly ferment and all that fun stuff.
     
  11. csurowiec

    csurowiec Initiate (0) Mar 7, 2010 Maryland

    As said above a low gravity session beer will help with quick turnaround. The other thing that can help speed things up is yeast strain. Every beer I have made with Fermentis T-58 and with WLP013 have finished real quick.
     
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  12. DrMindbender

    DrMindbender Initiate (0) Jul 13, 2014 South Carolina

    I'm all for a session APA in that situation and keg hop it (I usually dry hop an ounce for my not-too-hoppy-APAs) to save time. You can easily bang out a 5% APA that will ferment quick and clean with a Chico yeast, and lightly hopped as not to be offensive.

    I'd do a SMaSH personally to keep it simple, 2 Row and Centennial (Two Hearted is almost this combo but adds a little crystal grain) is usually a favorite of most anyone I've given it to. Throw some crystal grains in there if you want some sweetness and color.
    Expected: 5.25 gallon 75% efficiency 75% attenuation
    OG 1.050 FG 1.013 ABV 4.94% IBU 29.00 SRM 3.35
    9.5 lbs 2 Row
    .5 Oz Centennial @ 30
    1 Oz centennial @ 10
    1 Oz centennial @ Keg Hop
    1056/05
     
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  13. jbakajust1

    jbakajust1 Pooh-Bah (2,552) Aug 25, 2009 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah

    Hefe, wit, Table Beer, mild. All of those sound good to me. And I agree with others, ferment for 1.5-2 weeks, then keg and start at 20-30 psi and drop after a couple days to serving pressure.
     
  14. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    I recognize that it sometimes seems 'popular' on the BA homebrewing forum to make mention of extended fermentation timeframes. Having stated that but for a lower gravity beer there is no reason why fermentation can't be complete (i.e., reached final gravity, no fermentation off-flavors,...) in less than a week.

    I personally do not keg beers but the advantage of carbonating over a longer timeframe (e.g., 2 weeks) is that CO2 hydration will be complete resulting in a finer and more pleasing carbonation of the beer.

    Cheers!
     
  15. corbmoster

    corbmoster Pundit (848) Dec 15, 2014 Texas
    Trader

    2 weeks to condition and carb will do nothing but help the beers. You could serve them in less time than that. But 2 weeks would be great.
     
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  16. EvenMoreJesus

    EvenMoreJesus Initiate (0) Jun 8, 2017 Pennsylvania

    This is a great idea. All base malt or just extract, EKGs or Fuggles, and S04. Couldn't be easier.
     
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  17. Roadkizzle

    Roadkizzle Initiate (0) Nov 6, 2007 Texas

    I've made some great milds based on a recipe found in Ron Pattinson's blog... It was tweaked because I didn't have confidence in stopping the yeast mid fermentation and I wanted a low abv beer.

    The recipe is:
    5.5 lbs Pale Malt
    8 oz Amber Malt
    2 oz Black Malt
    2 lbs flaked corn
    15 oz of Lyle's Golden Syrup with 1 oz of Blackstrap Molasses
    Then .5 oz of Cluster at 60min
    1 oz of EKG at 30min
    Danstar Windsor Yeast

    Instructions: I mashed high at about 156 F.

    In 5 gallons this came out to 3.5% abv but did not really taste light.

    Edit: I suggest this recipe because I brewed a batch on Sunday June 4th. I kegged it on the 11th just 7 days after but that's because I went out of town.

    It went from 1.044 to 1.016, but when I measured the gravity on the 6th because the airlock seemed to have stopped it was at 1.018... It nearly finished fermentation within 48 hours. I would have kegged it before 7 days but as I said I was out of town...
     
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  18. GreenKrusty101

    GreenKrusty101 Initiate (0) Dec 4, 2008 Nevada

  19. utahbeerdude

    utahbeerdude Maven (1,374) May 2, 2006 Utah

    Lot's of awesome ideas here! Thanks to everyone who responded! Now I just have to decide which of the recommended styles to go for. Maybe a mild, as it's the one style I've never done. I've also never carbed at higher than serving pressure, but there's no reason I cannot do that. Cheers!
     
  20. hoptualBrew

    hoptualBrew Initiate (0) May 29, 2011 Florida

    I'd go Hefe or low abv Saison
     
    jbakajust1 likes this.
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