So I haven't brewed in a while. I did do a beer kit a couple months ago but it wasn't anything special. I have been trying to lose weight so I haven't been drinking much beer at all. Beer is pretty high in calories and not very good for a low calorie diet. If I brew beer I will have it in the house and drink it and screw up the weight loss, so far Ive lost about 40 pounds.
Lately I have had the brewing bug, and luckily I watched my favorite brewing video/podcast Basic Brewing, and they did a low calorie homebrew. It makes use of the body that rye adds to beer. They did a rye wit which really isnt my style but I drew up the recipe anyway and it looked like this.
Low Blow Rye Witbier
3 lbs Wheat Malt, Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 75.0 %
1 lbs Rye Malt (Briess) (3.7 SRM) Grain 2 25.0 %
1.0 pkg Safbrew Wheat (DCL/Fermentis #WB-06) [50.28 ml] Yeast 4 -
0.50 oz Tettnang [4.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 3 9.6 IBUs
1.00 oz Willamette [5.50 %] - Dry Hop 0.0 Days Hop 5 0.0 IBUs
This is a BIAB all grain 5 gallon batch. According to Beersmith it is about 70 calories per 12 oz, with an ABV of 2% or so. Now I know this won't be the best beer in the world but it's something I feel comfortable having in the house.
But as I was sitting around and thinking this morning making a list for the brewing store. I decided to try this with 2 row instead of wheat and change up the hops to be more American Pale Ale like. Which is much more to my liking. That recipe looks like this.
Low Blow Pale Ale
3 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 66.7 %
1 lbs Rye Malt (Briess) (3.7 SRM) Grain 2 22.2 %
1.0 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) [50.28 ml] Yeast 5 -
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 3 11.1 %
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Dry Hop 0.0 Days Hop 6 0.0 IBUs
.75 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 4 23.1 IBUs
This one is also a BIAB all grain 5 gallon batch. This one is about 75 calories per 12oz and also about 2% ABV.
Some people will ask what's the point in a 2% ABV beer. While you cant get drunk off it but hopefully it will be good enough to keep from drinking higher calorie stuff. This is very experimental for me however, both batches will cost about 30 bucks total including yeast.
I am leaving in just a few minutes to get these ingredients from the homebrew shop and have a healthy lunch with my wife.
Congrats on losing 40 lbs. That is amazing.
ReplyDeleteI have never done anything this low in ABV, but I am a fan of session beers.
You don't mention how warm you are mashing. I suggest a higher mash temperature to help increase the body.
Perhaps too late if you are already on your way to the HBS, but a base grain with a bit more rich flavor might be in order as well. Perhaps Maris Otter. Perhaps some munich malt.
Looking forward to reading how this turns out.
Should I maybe add a quarter pound of Munich to the pale ale? Or replace the crystal 60?
ReplyDeleteWell, I was thinking I would replace a portion of the 2-row with the Munich. 1/4 lb is probably about right. Keep the C60.
ReplyDeleteOr, if you don't mind the extra calories and ABV, just adding that 1/4 lb Munich on top of what is already there is probably even better. (I have no idea how many calories that would add ... probably not much)
That is, of course, just my opinion.
The main concern with really low ABV beers is getting malt flavor and body in there with less malt. Anything that adds body or has a richer, more distinctive flavor (as long as you like the flavor) is your friend. Obviously, you don't want to go overboard though. Like anything else, it takes some trial and error.
Eric, I went ahead and did it as I drew it up originally. I did get 2 oz of cascades and add .75 at 60 minutes and then add the other .25 oz for 10 minutes. I will still dry hop with 1 oz.
ReplyDeleteMy concern is the mash temp got low. After starting about 154 it dropped to 146 after an hour. However my OG was right on at 1.020.
I have never used Maris otter but maybe I can try this again since its so cheap.
I'm also breaking a huge all grain rule, since I only have a 4 gallon brew pot. I am boiling about half the batch and adding water to 5 gallons. I'm not sure how exactly this will effect it.