Advice on a session beer for the 4th?

[solomonscommune]

I have a half a case of Gold LME (don’t ask ha). I have some Carapils, some Crystal 20 and 60. I have these hops and I probably have at least 2 oz of each:

Amarillo
Tettnanger
Citra
Falconers Flight
Magnum
Summit
Centennial

I have 2 pks of 05 and a half quart of 05 yeast cake.

My dilemma is that I’d like to make a beer that most people would enjoy. I prefer hoppy beers myself, but I already have a honey hopped beer in Secondary, a bunch of bottled IPA, and a fruity experimental beer which may or may not turn out.

I just bought the Double pin lock kegging system with picnic taps from Midwest on the cheap, and had a friend in the bar business hook me with a full 20 pnd C02 tank so I’m ready to fill my first kegs for the 4th of July.

I just want to make a beer most people would appreciate. I don’t have the ability to Lager so can anyone shed some light or recipes on a good session ale that I could make using the above ingredients? I also have a pound of local honey as well. Thanks in advance for any help!

Chris

[braufessor]

For this 4th of July? That is pretty fast turnaround. I would just go with some kind of light american ale I guess if I was gonna try it. Something pretty light = 1.035-1.040 gravity. A little crystal/caramel steeping for some color. Maybe .5 ounce of magnum for bittering at 60min. and an ounce of Falconers Flight at flameout. 2-3 weeks in primary and then force carbonate in keg if you are able, if not, bottle. I have never tried to have a beer done that fast, but I think something light, low-medium hopped, is your best bet. Maybe use the 05 yeast cake to speed things up even more?

[mojoman67]

Can you get a california common done by then? I just happened to have brewed one yesterday. My first CC took a while to carbonate in the bottle but if you force carbed it with your kegging system would that work?

I’m actually now looking forward to trying to get mine done by then as my GF really likes this beer as it’s pretty light and crisp.

[solomonscommune]

Thanks guys. I just ended up making a low gravity beer with some tettnanger and a little kent goldings. We’ll see how it turns out.

[barley_water]

Yeah I made a blonde ale for the non-craft beer types and although the beer really doesn’t have flaws per se I think it’s boring. I’m going to try an American wheat pretty soon but I’m going to “hop burst” the stuff in an attempt to avoid the “suckatude factor”, we’ll see.