Thoughts required on beer kits I'm buying for my wedding

[teriyakimonkey]

If you haven't seen me already I'm asking all sorts of questions about brewing as I'm making a load of beer for my wedding in April.

As I type this I have a long list of fairly basic equipment and beer kits waiting to be ordered from the-home-brew-shop.

The kits I'm thinking about ordering are:

Munton's Gold IPA
Coopers Real Ale
Coopers Premium Selection Sparkling Ale
Coopers Irish Stout
St. Peters Ruby Red
I already have a Woodforde's Wherry on the go.

I'm aware I'll have a huge amount of beer when they're all done but I intend on tasting some, "tasting" some and allowing for wrongens and spoiled brews.

All will be bottled and I am ordering the recommended malt and enhancers instead of using plain old sugar.

Can I please have your opinions.

 

[Fender Precision]

A simple brew with "ale type yeast" is Coopers Canadian Blonde. Everyone will drink this as its fairly bland and it brews easily at room temperature. I repeatedly brew this in between the Ales I brew for myself as visitors, scroungey mates and S.W.M.B.O guzzle this constantly.
By the way CONGRATULATIONS !!! :thumb:

 

[calumscott]

I think the Wherry is a good call. Everyone rates it. I bottled a Woodfordes Admirals Reserve a couple of weeks ago and it's nowhere near ready for really drinking yet but the bottle that I couldn't resist the other night was nothing short of lovely!

I've got the Coopers Stout ready to bottle (I think, must take a second reading tonight or tomorrow...) and it's the first brew of eight that I have simply HAD to drink the entire contents of the trial jar!!! It is simply delicious already. It is destined to have it's bottles primed with black treacle for more unctuousness...

Oddly enough, St Peter's Ruby Red Ale is next into the FV, SWMBO kindly got me the kit for Christmas!!

If those Coopers ales are like their IPA you'll be fine with those too.

That really is a hell of a lot of bottles!!! :drunk:

 

[BeerEagle]

I brewed 5 different styles for my GF's son's 21st last May.

4 various ales and a batch of Coopers Canadian Blonde.

I was very surprised that everyone tried an ale and then went on to the "lager". Not that they didn't like the ales, but they said that the lager was more suitable for an evening session. Easy drinking and not too challenging (peasants! )

So if I do this again, I'll double up the Blonde, and maybe do one IPA and one mild.

 

[Dave1970]

I don't think you can go far wrong with that selection, maybe as already suggested something a bit more 'lagerish' would be a good idea? I'd get cracking on brewing these asap, all would benefit from as much maturing time in the bottle/barrel as you can.

 

[teriyakimonkey]

Thanks people!

I've got the lager front covered- for free!

 

[Runwell-Steve]

I regularly work on temporary bars for parties and weddings.

We supply a full bar service wherever it is required, whether it be a cash bar, or prepaid bar, we also sort out the necessary license.
On prepaid bars there is no Alcopop type products as they are too expensive. I would suggest you don't supply them either as you will be skint.

100 adult people at a wedding will consume roughly.

22 gallons lager.
4 gallons cider
4 gallons Ale.
1 - 2 gallons Guinness

Apart from that it's all spirits and mixers.

If you already have the lager sorted, all you really need is a small amount of cider, one or 2 real Ales and some Guinness.

Guinness drinkers are unadventorous, so if you don't have guinness they will drink lager or shorts. They will not drink any other stout or porter you may make to keep them happy. I would just shell out for a few cans orf Guinness.

Ale drinkers will be happy with one good Ale. So I'd stick with the Wherry, but consider putting it in a keg.

Cider drinkers are split into 2 camps, real Cider Drinkers and Magners drinkers. Ignore real cider drinkers as they are quite rare, just have something that resembles cheap cider and you'll be fine.

 

[teriyakimonkey]

Thanks for that, that's very handy.

Unfortunately we're not allowed a drinks license so we have to provide the lot, hence me doing my best with the homebrew.

I've thought a lot about who will drink what and out of my friends and both families I've only seen about a third of them ever drink lager. About half of my freinds are real beer fans and meet every fortnight in different pubs around London.

Overall with the gents I think it'll be 50/50 lager to beer ratio but that said I have been promised as much lager as I want and I'll probably match that with homebrew.

I will take your advise about the Guinness and cider though and get a case or two of each.

I changed my mind with the kits and have ordered:

Coopers Brewmaster IPA
Coopers Premium Selection Sparkling Ale
Coopers Irish Stout
St. Peters Ruby Red
Coopers Canadian Blonde
I already have a Woodforde's Wherry on the go.

I've just bought a long wheel base Transit so I can literally fill that up and it'll be on site so we shouldn't run out of anything which in my mind is the worst thing that can happen.

 

[carl_saint]

+1 on the St Peters Ruby Red, but make sure you give it plenty of time to condition and you will appreciate it much more!

 

[Fender Precision]

Nice choice of beers. The coopers sparkling ale is a high gravity brew and takes a good while to ferment and condition. I personally didnt like it but my OH loved it. If you havnt tasted it before the bottled variety from the off license is almost identical. Best of luck and fair play !! More people should try this type of wedding/party after all beer was originally brewed by people for their own enjoyment and not by cynical brewing companies. :