Please ... no more hop only beer ...

[Klongtjong]

Personally I don't like hops (dark and smooth for me!), so the idea that "hops makes it taste better" is incorrect. I believe hops was originally added to IPA as a preservative for long trips at sea - but I could be wrong.

Typically, dark and "smooth" beers contain even more hops than lagers and ales (and often also IPA:s) for the simple reason that they are so heavy on malt, which basically is carbonhydrates/sugars which makes the beers sweet. The sweetness is balanced with the hops and you get the smoothnes you mentioned. Just a little besser-wisser-ing: Hops in fact do make your favourite types of beer taste a whole lot better, without them they would taste like sugar water with 5% ABV.

That aside, I agree (naturally) with the creator of this world, Tynan, that complicating things is unwise - I have brewn a lot of beers in my days but I would not complain about the simplistic ways of brewing beer in Rimworld for the simple reason that there are no eletricians complaining about the lights in Rimworld missing space-bulbs etc.

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Fun fact: In Scandinavia we used other plants to balance our beers, but the trade-mafia (Hansan) spread lies that these plants were poisonous so that they could sell their northern Germanic hops to us. Eventually their smearing campaign of hops won over the native bitter-plants and still, to this day, we are using various specialized hops to brew our boring beers.

[Mihsan]

I really do agree with you in principle; I just worry about the complexity of these production chains.

What RimWorld grains would be usable for beer? Or would I need at add barley to the game?

I would be fine with just generic ALCOHOL instead of beer. Which IMO should be made directly from food (corn, potato, berries...) without any additional props like hops.

Also having generic "alcohol" is just the same as having "simple meal". You do not tell players that it is boiled potatoes or grilled steak. Player can think out for himself, which meal it really is and that's a good side of RimWorld. So why not make the same with alcohol? Beer, wine, moonshine - why bother with details? Just give players basic alcohol item and let ingredients do the job of storytelling. Well maybe add some diversity with light/strong alcohol (just like simple/fine meals).

P.S.: Grain would be great addition to list of growable plants. Could have nice perks like some resistance to cold temperatures or even plants surviving winter (winter crops, right?).

[Pax_Empyrean]

I really do agree with you in principle; I just worry about the complexity of these production chains.

What RimWorld grains would be usable for beer? Or would I need at add barley to the game?

I'm very much of the opinion that less is more; making two dozen kinds of alcohol from their corresponding real life ingredients is a project for modders. What I would suggest is removing hops and allowing players to make generic "alcohol" from rice, potatoes, corn, or strawberries. It simplifies the supply chain even more than what we've got at present, and it makes intuitive sense.

If you want to make it a little more complex, you could keep the above system, but use hops and add a grain for making a mid-tier beer, and add grapes for making high-tier wine. Add a cooking skill requirement for the better stuff. If it were up to me, I'd keep it simple, and let the modders make the fancy variety stuff if they want.

[cultist]

I really do agree with you in principle; I just worry about the complexity of these production chains.

What RimWorld grains would be usable for beer? Or would I need at add barley to the game?

Does it have to beer? Why not change it to "moonshine" and let players brew it from any grain?

Also, any plans for adding more drugs to the game? I doubt the popularity of coffee and heroin will have dropped in 5500.

[Wex]

Adding barely would mean also to be adding winter crops (you seed it at the end of the fall, you harvest it at the beginning of spring).
I would like to see them! Brussel sprouts, anyone?

[SpaceDorf]

Brussel sprouts, anyone?

No thanks .. not for me

[mumblemumble]

Sounds neat... I think brewing new stuff would be interesting....perhaps even combining the meal quality effects with cooking, and general quality of manufactured items...but stacking quality items is always glitchy. Still, could be neat.....chocolate beers, if possible would be amazing.

[kragnfroll]

I really do agree with you in principle; I just worry about the complexity of these production chains.

What RimWorld grains would be usable for beer? Or would I need at add barley to the game?

As far as I know, malted bareley is the most commonly used, but rice and corn are also widely used. Potatoe beer is possible but I think it's more like a local singularity.

Receipe could be :

X Rice/Corn/Potatoe => perishable beer
Y Rice/Corn/Potatoe + Z hops => current in game beer.

And why not a lavish-meal like receipe for beer ? more ingredients for a better mood and less intoxication ?

[Serenity]

I'm also for generic alcohol. As said in different qualities and/or strength. Low alcohol content gives you a slight buff, and less chance for drunkenness and addiction. Strong alcohol has a stronger buff, but also increases the risk of negative effects.

[skinicism]

Personally, I'm still hoping for pickled cactus tarts and tart buns (not as a
play on dart guns).