I have been asked to brew a 'Light Beer'

[drewseslu]

I need some serious ammunition to fire back with on this issue, and I need everyones help with me on this one. The owners' thought process has steadily been going in this direction for some time and this is one of those 'draw a line in the sand' moments.
They want to be able to offer a 'lighter' beer at lower price point 'for football season'.
The compromise I came up with was that I could brew a small beer from the last runnings of a Belgian Golden Strong, Blonde Barleywine or Imperial Pilsner or the like. With that I wouldn't feel so dirty all over as with a true light beer. But, they have given the impression that the 'lightness of flavor' and 'lower in calorie/carb' is the direction they want to go...*sigh*
Anyway, fellow brewers, lend me your wisdom, I need it now more than ever!

[MatthewS]

my summer beer is like this...
25%Rye
75% Pils
20 IBUs of centennial and crystal (you may want to drop this is bit)

get this...
OG 9plato
FG 1.5plato

under 4%... tasty 'light' beer.
I fermented with belgian golden yeast... but maybe a kolsch yeast would do this one justice for your boss.

[jwalts]

I'd tell them it takes at least a month in the fermenter, as well as a dedicated yeast purchase, to brew a proper light lager. If they want to buy you another tank and spend more money on ingredients for a beer they're going to sell for less... great! If you can repeatedly brew a great light lager, it probably means you're a damn good brewer.

If they think their customers are stupid and will put up with any golden swill, I'd push the ingredient envelope a little bit and try to make a decent English summer ale. Bud-guzzlers will think an American blonde ale is too heavy anyway. Getting 5-10% of your extract from clear candi syrup (http://www.darkcandi.com/cl.html) should impart some of that elusive British character. Yeah, the Belgian stuff. I've never seen British brewing syrups for sale here.

Update: I like Matthew's idea too.

Joe

[gabewilson50]

I'm assuming you're talking about a light beer in the style of a Bud Light, Miller Lite, etc. and not just a lighter colored or flavored beer.

Make sure to let the owner know that you also would need to buy additional enzymes to make their cheaper "light" beer. Spend more for something that they'll sell for less, yeah, that should sell it.

If they really want a "light" beer that they can sell cheap, how are you going to do it cheaper than the macros?

[einhorn]

Kölsch?

What's wrong with a 4.5% Kölsch made with straight pilsner malts? Low IBUs, a bit sweet, but still clean and not too "in your face" for the BMC drinkers. Is that so wrong?

[Ted Briggs]

Wow- my heart goes out to you. I would try to explain to them what Craftbrewing means-- preferably with the heavy end of your mash paddle.
But doing the numbers for these kind of folks will work. Show them the time and money it will take to make a light lager and show them the profit $ they will loose from discounting. Remember that when talking to "money men" the fear of loss is greater than the expectation of gain. Then explain how with a regular priced kolsh or sparkling ale you can sell less and make more $.
Good Luck Bro!

[BrewinLou]

Pick and choose your battles with owners carefully my friend. What is wrong with a Golden Ale quick and easy. The part I have a problem with is the price point. A lower price, what the L? Do they think you are going to compete with the megalarge brewery around the corner from you? You make a superior product. You can charge the same as for any other you make. Owners are not the enemy, they sometimes lack a great deal of understanding of the industry. Educate them, look a this as an opportunity not a problem. Good luck Drew.

[gitchegumee]

I'm with BrewinLou. Unless you're sure you know the market better than the owners, and you're willing to quit over style issues, then I wouldn't fight it. You're in this business to do a job, not satisfy your ego. So do your job and make a great light beer. (And anyone that says this is an oxymoron should get out of the business) Unless you don't know how to make a great light beer. Then you should learn and grow professionally. Personally, I like the lighter styles and don't care for the "whack you over the head with malt/hops/alcohol" approach to brewing. And since when did this forum become "ProCRAFTbrewer.com"? Unless Admin tells me different, this forum belongs to ALL brewers--"craft", regional, and large--whether you like their product or not. OK, off the soapbox......

[beerking1]

Hmmm...I can't help but thinking that this thread belongs under the other title "A Matter of Ethics."

[beertje46]

Hmmm...I can't help but thinking that this thread belongs under the other title "A Matter of Ethics."

Is it unethical to brew a lower gravity beer now?

Remember that when talking to "money men" the fear of loss is greater than the expectation of gain. Then explain how with a regular priced kolsh or sparkling ale you can sell less and make more $.
Good Luck Bro!

Excellent point.

Brew the best "light" beer you can but never ever discount the product. The lower cost of the small beers will offset the higher cost of the big beers. The owners should know they cannot compete with the Eagles on Pestalozi Street on price.

[beermkr]

When I started up here at The River Company I decided that a lighter colored beer was a good thing to have. Here in Southwest Virginia we have not had a lot of great local craft beer available. My reasoning is that there are always the people that are willing to try your beer but have a hangup on the color.

What my solution was was to brew a cream lager on the low side of the style. It is 2 row, carapils, and flaked corn with S-23 lager yeast. 12 IBU's and 4.5% alcohol and in my opinion a very nice beer. It takes longer to make and if time was a crunch I would say brew it as an cream ale instead.

Someone asked me why I made it the other day (a beer guy at the bar). I explained the concept but added that I don't brew beer I do not like. I have no issues drinking this beer on a regular basic and find it just right for a session of drinking. Some nice flavor and a light crispness to it but still has a light hop bite to it.

Hope this helps.

Mike

[BrewerTL]

But doing the numbers for these kind of folks will work.

Don't count on it.....

[gabewilson50]

But, they have given the impression that the 'lightness of flavor' and 'lower in calorie/carb' is the direction they want to go...*sigh*

Sorry all, but I had to quote the original post. I think many people are giving recommendations to brew something that drewseslu suggested to the owners and that they are leaning away from. The owners are pushing for "lightness of flavor", yes, but also something that is low calorie/low carb. I don't think that suggesting different variations of something that he already wants to brew is helping in his argument of why the owners shouldn't want to offer a Bud Light clone. Just my $0.02.

[beertje46]

We recently added a session series to our lineup. We've always had a Mild and added Belgian-style Taffel (table) Bier and Abzug - an old German lager class. All three are low gravity session beers covering a broad range of color while staying in similar IBU territory. These have been well received.

[beerking1]

Sorry all, but I had to quote the original post. I think many people are giving recommendations to brew something that drewseslu suggested to the owners and that they are leaning away from. The owners are pushing for "lightness of flavor", yes, but also something that is low calorie/low carb. I don't think that suggesting different variations of something that he already wants to brew is helping in his argument of why the owners shouldn't want to offer a Bud Light clone. Just my $0.02.

I took his original post the same way, hence my JOKE about "unethical." Low alcohol beer = fine. Low calorie/carb beer = "unethical." (Remember, it's a joke!)