Sunday, January 11, 2009

JC+E: Wedding Beer


We plan to brew 10 gallons each (or 80 pints each) of the belgian honey wheat (Esther's favorite, to date) and an american pale ale. The third style is your hands, and will be a 5 gallon batch. Vote now, and write in your comments below, telling us why you've voted the way you have.

so...yeah...25 gallons. 200 pints. equivalent to 11+ cases. I know. But, given our expected gathering of ~125 guests, this falls in line with the various recommendations of how much beer to have on hand, given the other provided options of wine and spirits.

I was looking in to getting a kegging set up, but I really don't want to have to fine tune the CO2 connections, change out kegs, etc. for the bartenders during the reception. It also meant getting a kegerator with large enough storage for 5-5 gallon cornelius kegs. The only place left in our condo for something like that is...right under the pillow I sleep on every night, so, I'm going to go with 750ml champagne bottles, 22oz. 'bombers', and perhaps some large format bottles.

I plan to employ my pop's large stainless tub, which is on legs and casters. We'll fill it with ice to keep things nicely chilled (albeit, perhaps a bit too chilled). Compared to the sometimes finicky homebrewing kegging setups, the bottles should be easy for any bartender with a nearby opener, though they all need to be decanted off of the natural yeast sediment in to a glass.

Unfortunately, I won't be using my 2nd year homegrown hops in the APA (Sterling, Fuggles), as I don't have brewing experience with them yet, and figure this isn't the ideal time to go experimental.

Send me your email if you'd like to receive updates on brewing progress.

3 comments:

  1. I know these arent on your list but....

    If the wedding is spring Id do something malty, a dunkel or a bohemian pils

    If its in late spring/summer do a wit, with indian coriander, cardamom and orange - call it Wit Wedding

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for your input, Ryan...our wedding is actually late summer, so I think we have the majority of the night covered with the crisper, easier drinking honey wheat and APA. The remaining 'dark' options are really for those who prefer that style, as well as to pair with the more aggressive food options we have planned for the night.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I think it is a toss up between the Dubbel and Oatmeal Stout. Simply because they are more celebratory (in my personal opinion) than an American Porter or Dry Stout.

    I voted for the Dubbel as it seems to fit the occasion better and, depending on the "aggressive" cuisine you have lined up, may pair better.

    However, since you already have a Belgian style along with something pale, it would equally make sense to provide the Oatmeal Stout to offer a wider range of options for the guests.

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts with Thumbnails