Retirement brew?

[FedoraDave]

I'm officially retired now, and one of my Facebook friends asked me if I was going to brew a special beer for the occasion. I hadn't planned on it, but the idea appeals to me. I'm thinking it should be a refreshing, balanced session beer; relatively low ABV (say, 4.5 or so), with a pleasant, somewhat sweet flavor. Something that you'd associate with lolling in a hammock, or sitting on the porch watching the world go by.

A wheat beer with honey notes comes to mind. Maybe a touch of Mt. Hood and/or Northern Brewer hops; not a lot, but enough to keep it from being cloying. The mint notes in Northern Brewer might really help highlight the wheat and honey.

Any other ideas for style notes, or process?

[BlackDuck]

I think, instead of a session beer, you make a big huge ABV beer. It's not like you have to get up and go to work in the morning!!!

[Inkleg]

I think, instead of a session beer, you make a big huge ABV beer. It's not like you have to get up and go to work in the morning!!!

^^This^^

We so need a "Like" button.

[Whamolagan]

I'm thinking something like go through all of your ingredients and put it all in the mash tun and 'retire' the supply and then start all over with renewed ingredients. A kind of fresh start kind of thing.

[FedoraDave]

Huge ABV beers are too easy and too common, frankly. And I don't like the "hot" alcohol taste to a lot of them.

I really prefer something light and easy-going. And I especially like the image of just sitting on my front porch (I've got a glider out there and everything!) and watching other people go to work while I sip my delicious retirement homebrew.

I think a honey/wheat is the way to go. Although, in response to Whamo, I do have a lot of partial packets of hops in my freezer, and I may have to make an "Effit IPA" or else throw a lot of hops out.

[John Sand]

I was actually thinking that you need both a light daily beer and something that ages well to remember the occasion.
If only you had enough time to make two retirement brews!

[FrozenInTime]

I did this one, was amazed at how close it came to what I drank in Germany. I'm going to do this one up again. It was a big hit for everyone that tried it, makes a great session brew.

From Brew Your Own Magazine

1 lbs Rice Hulls (0.0 SRM) Adjunct 1 9.1 %
5 lbs Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 2 45.5 %
5 lbs Wheat Malt, Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 3 45.5 %
1.00 oz Saaz [4.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 4 12.1 IBUs
0.75 oz Saaz [4.00 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 5 0.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg Hefeweizen Ale (White Labs #WLP300) [35.49 ml] Yeast


From Brew Your Own Magazine

Use starter. If White labs WLP300 is not available, use Wyeast 3333.

Mill the grains then mix in rice hulls. Heat 16.5 qts water to 160 deg. then dump in grains for target of 148-150, 60 minutes. Use boiling water for 170 deg. mashout for for 10 minutes. Drain tun, sparge with 170 deg. water to collect 6.5 gallons wort. Boil for 90 minutes and follow hop sched. Chill wort to 70 deg. then pitch yeast. Ferment at 65-70 degrees, 3 weeks, no less. Mix 4 oz priming sugar and bottle, not keg. (bottling was their suggestion. I kegged it and it was great, will do/keg again.)

[berryman]

Dave why not do a couple retirement beers, one for your front porch sitting and watching others working, nice and mild and refreshing and then a heavy duty one, maybe a imperial IPA Franken to use up your hops and drink one or two later in the night, because you don't have to go to work the next day anyways.................

[docpd]

Congrats on your retirement. I still have at least 3 years to go and maybe longer, depending on how my retirement investments do the next couple of years.

I think you should start experimenting with different new recipes. I remember when we both joined the
Borg 7 years ago you went mad scientist early and regretted it. Now with your extensive brewing experience you are in a much better place to innovate.

[MadBrewer]

How about a Cream Ale or Kolsch, unless you have done those styles regularly or are strictly looking for more of a Wheat beer. An American Wheat might fit the bill too, sticking to Noble hops or even the NB or Mt Hood instead of any Citrus type hops.

[ScrewyBrewer]

Congratulations on your retirement Dave, by doing so you have scored one for us all! I say throw caution to the wind, brew what you want, whenever you want and as often as you can. Hears to a healthy, happy and long retirement!

[FedoraDave]

I like Berryman's idea of a nice, light wheat beer coupled with a head-banging Imperial. Goes hand-in-hand with John Sand's recommendation to make an Imperial to cellar for a long time and remember the occasion.

Thanks for all your input and your kind wishes. After a week of being retired, I'm trying to adjust to it all. I'm actually looking for work; I do want to still contribute to the family finances, I just can't take the physical strain of being a pest control technician. And I've been getting my culinary chops back in shape. I love to cook, but just didn't have the time before. Now I can devote more time to being the house chef.

[RickBeer]

Can't help on what to brew, but here's some possible names:

Old Man Stout

Geezer Gaelic

Get Off My Lawn ______

Shake Fist ______

Walmart Greeter Shanty

Hope this helps...


And in a few months:

Get Out Of My House You Bum And Get A Freakin' Job _____ (named by your bride)

[FedoraDave]

I started formulating a recipe for an American Wheat on Brewtoad. It looks pretty good, although I may tinker with the hops bill before I do anything.

But I'm going to call it Rocking Chair Honey Wheat.