My wife, in a quest to take off the dread baby weight, has requested that I support her in her desire to go on the South Beach Diet.
Any married amongst you know that “support” is actually code for “you’re doing it too, if you know what’s good for you.”
Of course, as intelligent and realistic adults, we are not going to try to diet alone as a cure-all for our weight ills; we will be working out and exercising, as well. South Beach was chosen as I have experience cooking to South Beach recommendations, and is fairly open in terms of what is and is not allowed, especially as the Phases progress. However, I think we all know the stance of beer, especially in Phase 1.
We look forward. I am a man who can cope with adversity, and ascend farther than ever. Already I am looking beyond the strictest period of the diet, and realizing this is the perfect opportunity to give a homebrew a nice, long conditioning without impatience forcing a beer to disappear before its time. I was considering a Lord Fatbottom, but I am still a novice and I do not want to push myself too far beyond my present skill set.
What would you all recommend for a satisfying finish line, knowing that time is not an issue, but sticking with Extract?
I love a good bitter and the name is certainly appropriate.
Wife and I still eat mostly low carb, with beer being an obvious glaring exception. For awhile I was brewing my beers very dry and you could do that. You can also keep things on the low OG side. Personally I think the best part of low carb is cutting way down on pasta, potatoes and bread and subbing in more fresh veggies. I do make exceptions on occasion and go for really high quality when I do so. I’m not skinny by any measure, but I feel like I’m reasonably healthy.
Life is short my friend. I think you only get so much “living” and you can stretch it out if you want but that doesn’t make it any more. Plus you might get screwed by something outside of the “living” realm, like getting run over by a bus.
I don’t have lagering capabilities, unless we count nature’s provisions - I live in Upstate NY, so it can get cold enough in, say, a garage, but the garage is uninsulated so I am unable to regulate the temp or prevent freezes. Effectively, I should stick with ales. I tend to go with hoppier beers, and don’t tend to brew my own stouts or porters as my homebrewing mentor brews them almost exclusively, so I have as good a line on them as I could desire. I am also sticking with bottling for now, not kegging. Like I said: still a neophyte. Thanksgiving sounds like a good time to crack open a bottle. At the earliest. If something truly special comes along, I’d have no problem waiting until 2013 for a taste. So, pretty long timeline.
A double IPA would do well with some aging. Denny’s Waldo Lake Amber, also tastes good with age. Jamil’s Evil Twin, Ryan’s Face Punch, all pretty hoppy beers that age well. All NB kits. These are brews I’ve done that have definitely aged well. You mentioned Lord Fat Bottom in your first post. I don’t think you will find it any different then any other extract kit, other than the increase of the extracts and hops. My advice, try the 8 month Fat bottom, make sure it’s done fermenting and pull it off the yeast into a secondary. Dry hop a week before you bottle.
Smilner,
At this point getting a different wife sounds a bit complicated so you are probably better off going with her plan. With that said, what beer would you go buy at your local shop as a reward? If it’s a little bit beyond your perceived skill level go for it anyway. It’s a bit of the same attitude you’ll need to run that extra half-mile for each beer you enjoy. Push yourself, you can do it. That beer may likely be one of the best tasting you ever brewed.
Other than that I’d go with a lower gravity, lighter ABV. Dry stout possibly…
The core book does still level that accusation, yes. My favorite part of that section is how it says that no diet, in good conscious, could actively encourage drinking liquor. Squares.
If you’re going low carb, the best beer option by far is not Imperial IPAs(WTF?) with 400 calories or so per pint. It’s ordinary bitters. Something with low carbs and calories and enough flavor to be satisfying. Plus it’s cheap and easy to brew. No lagering required. I’d shoot for 3.5 to 4% and bitterness ratio of around .75.
