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beer in general


ozdevil

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this may seem strange and i often think about it alot

why do we brewers want to make high end alcahol beers whether extract or all grain

yes we need to have flavour aroma etc i get that and certain styles  require  certain methods


but why do we  need to up the abv  if we are just wanting an easy drink that ya can come home from work or where ever and enjoy a few

my west coast ipa was along way of its abv level,   but its  full of flavour and aroma and bitterness its enjoyable  and only 4 or so percent in abv

i am glad it wasnt the 5.3%  to be honest   ( i have the ingrediants to do this again)


dont get me wrong nothing wrong in trying to  get a decent abv   or a great o.g   of 1.060 and finishing around 1.013

but is the abv  important to you at the end of the day

 

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45 minutes ago, ozdevil said:

but is the abv  important to you at the end of the day

I agree 100%.  I still like a strong beer.  However, as home brewers we can make 4% ABV beers taste brilliant.  Unless the beer style I am brewing calls for a bigger beer, I often aim for 4-4.5% ABV.

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I deliberately make all my beers around the 4% to 5% range because I tend to drink them all in the same manner. Meaning if they're high in alcohol I'll be sh1tf@ced. I guess it's a lack of self control on my part, so the thinking is if I can't control me at least I can control the beer's ABV level.

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Whilst I don't mind the occasional higher ABV beer, mainly dark ales of some description, I am not one to drive the ABV levels up. Most of them are in the 4% range, my mid strength pacific ale comes in at around 2.4% and actually tastes better with more body than certain commercial full strength beers. But I too see the trend to higher ABV beers. IPAs and NEIPAs regularly have 6.5-7.5% alcohol levels and I really don't like it. I want to taste beer, not alcohol. 

 

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1 hour ago, Aussiekraut said:

Whilst I don't mind the occasional higher ABV beer, mainly dark ales of some description, I am not one to drive the ABV levels up. Most of them are in the 4% range, my mid strength pacific ale comes in at around 2.4% and actually tastes better with more body than certain commercial full strength beers. But I too see the trend to higher ABV beers. IPAs and NEIPAs regularly have 6.5-7.5% alcohol levels and I really don't like it. I want to taste beer, not alcohol. 

 

I agree. One of my earliest kit & kilos I made before I had a proper understanding of basic brewing I had some extra dextrose lying about and added it thinking it would improve the flavour. Of course it didn't, it actually made it taste wine-like in my opinion. 

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16 hours ago, ozdevil said:

why do we brewers want to make high end alcahol beers whether extract or all grain

I like strong beers - it's weight control. 😄 3 pints for a nice buzz adds less weight than maybe 5 of a lesser ABV.

There's skill in making a higher ABV that doesn't taste like it's a strong beer - I'm learning it as I go. I recall years back having an 8% DasUnterSeeBoot and it tasted like it had a kick. I've made above 9% ones that taste smooth and you wouldn't know the strength until you stand up.

To each their own - I like the flavours and aromas but I also want the buzz. And my weight is out-of-control enough that the extra beers would be a worry.

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i get the entire process most of us want to do  like brew to style 

i suppose for myself i am not in it for the prize or looking at brewing for the masses  and i still even like those big beers myself.

my thoughts is basicly around trying to keep the supply going on 1 beer  being changed over while having a good decent ipa  and a stout  on the go
as sometimes i just want to sit down  enjoy a 4-5 schooners or 2      rather then  2 or 3 8%ers

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34 minutes ago, ozdevil said:


i get the entire process most of us want to do  like brew to style 

i suppose for myself i am not in it for the prize or looking at brewing for the masses  and i still even like those big beers myself.

my thoughts is basicly around trying to keep the supply going on 1 beer  being changed over while having a good decent ipa  and a stout  on the go
as sometimes i just want to sit down  enjoy a 4-5 schooners or 2      rather then  2 or 3 8%ers

I have 5 taps... 

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I am not a brew to style guy I am a brew the style to the ABV that I want.  I like beers around the 4% range. My target is always 4% however, for one reason or another I have generally missed it over the last 6 months.  More often or not they end up around ~4.5% . It has been a bit of a bummer really. Just could get my efficiency % right in the software and was over shooting the OG. When I finally got it right I started using fresh healthy yeast and nutrient and my attenuation jumped into the mid 80%.    Last Pils was pretty close to the mark. It came in 4.1% which I can live with. 

 

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I generally brew to style. Have made a few experiments that went out of style. Some winners and some losers. I made a light saison a few months ago though which was awesome. Very light and very tasty. Absolutely awesome on a hot day. 

Style is a good guide as its tried and true but doesn't mean you can't create something new which works for your taste buds.

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I can't drink any beer under 4.5%. To me flavour comes from the malts, the more malt obviously the more alcohol content. So lighter beers are just thin coloured water to me. I really love any beer that the hop is secondary and malt profile shines through. Such as a tasty Pilsner of around 5 - 5%. Or a Hefe Weizen 5.5%. Then there's Belgian Dubbles and Tripples. Yum. 

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9 hours ago, Hefe Man said:

I can't drink any beer under 4.5%. To me flavour comes from the malts, the more malt obviously the more alcohol content. So lighter beers are just thin coloured water to me. I really love any beer that the hop is secondary and malt profile shines through. Such as a tasty Pilsner of around 5 - 5%. Or a Hefe Weizen 5.5%. Then there's Belgian Dubbles and Tripples. Yum. 

You can play around with fermentability. I have made English Milds where I used a fair bit of specialty malt, mashed high and used a lower attenuating yeast. It had the body of a full strength beer.

I usually brew to style. If I want to make a Double IPA then you can't make it at 4% ABV.

Most of my beers are 5% beers. I find that the sweet spot for me; not too strong but still enough so you know you are drinking a full strength beer.

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15 hours ago, Hairy said:

You can play around with fermentability. I have made English Milds where I used a fair bit of specialty malt, mashed high and used a lower attenuating yeast. It had the body of a full strength beer.

I usually brew to style. If I want to make a Double IPA then you can't make it at 4% ABV.

Most of my beers are 5% beers. I find that the sweet spot for me; not too strong but still enough so you know you are drinking a full strength beer.

No worries Hairy. Its just my preference. I've no doubt my beer drinking habits are not good for my health. My big but is.......i dont smoke, i dont gamble and i dont do drugs at all.

I don't drink spirits, i might have a glass of wine once in a blue moon. My passion is a nice tasty, big beer. My heritage has led me to my tastes so i'm not going to fight it. 

Getting back to my point, i enjoy a big tasty beer with no excuses, because i love beer. If i see a field of Barley on a road trip i have multiple orgasms and think what can i do with that fresh Barley.

Ive shared this before. My Nana who is German. Told me, her Mum on her death bed asked for one last glass of beautiful beer. 

Beer is to be enjoyed. Enjoy it in its glory, don't question your motives.

Edited by Hefe Man
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On 2/28/2021 at 11:05 PM, MUZZY said:

I deliberately make all my beers around the 4% to 5% range because I tend to drink them all in the same manner. Meaning if they're high in alcohol I'll be sh1tf@ced. I guess it's a lack of self control on my part, so the thinking is if I can't control me at least I can control the beer's ABV level.

@MUZZY  I agree I like my beer at 4.5%, some even higher although some are OK a little lower, but I reckon life is to short to drink light beer. 🤩

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Both my 'Lawnmower Lager' and Dark Ale are around the 4.2% which is okay for me. In the tropics I like to have a cuppla tallies after work before dinner in summer, and in not-so-summer months a slightly higher ABV range would be okay as maybe only one or two drinks may be had. Cheers.

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  • 5 weeks later...
7 minutes ago, Barramullafella said:

Peoples taste varies and I was wondering what members, and guests, think of the taste of Castlemaine XXXX Gold ? This was my regular drink until I got back into DIY brewing.

I can handle a few out of the tap at the pub, one of my mates buy it in cartons but after a couple I end up with a soapy taste in my mouth & need to wash it out with a Coopers Pale Ale or something. But at the end of the day it's not a bad beer for a mid strength. Wouldn't buy any though.

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Most my beers are around 5%, i have done the occasional 4%er and still enjoyed it but as @PaleMan has said, i love the big malty beers. My Stouts are always between 6.5 -8%, i like a big malty stout.

Edited by Hoppy81
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  • 2 months later...

I have only just found this thread.

My beer drinking is seasonal. I live in Victoria and the seasons are very marked.   I drink three times as much beer in Summer as I do in Winter.  I drink pales in Summer and darks in Winter.  

In Summer a degree of my drinking is for hydration.  I have a sweaty job and I get thirsty when its warm.  At Beer O'Clock the first bottle barely touches the sides and I am into second before I know it.  I don't want a heavy beer else I will be asleep before dinner, so a lighter beer is the ticket and the colder the better.   

In Winter I tend to want 'slower' beer - heavier, darker beer that I can savour and take my time with - and the temperature is not such an issue.  I tend to migrate to red wine with dinner in Winter.

So I try to provide myself with seasonal beer.  For everything there is a season and a time for every ale under heaven.  

Amen.

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