67 replies to this topic

[chadm75]

I was doing some research on what cream ales and found many different interpretations of the style. Some have corn (maize) as a percentage in the grain bill and some don't. Some are brewed with both ale and lager yeasts. The most recent version I had was called a cream ale but was prodominantly wheat and carapils malt. The BJCP's definition is as follows:6A. Cream AleAroma: Faint malt notes. A sweet, corn-like aroma and low levels of DMS are commonly found. Hop aroma low to none. Any variety of hops may be used, but neither hops nor malt dominate. Faint esters may be present in some examples, but are not required. No diacetyl.Appearance: Pale straw to moderate gold color, although usually on the pale side. Low to medium head with medium to high carbonation. Head retention may be no better than fair due to adjunct use. Brilliant, sparkling clarity.Flavor: Low to medium-low hop bitterness. Low to moderate maltiness and sweetness, varying with gravity and attenuation. Usually well attenuated. Neither malt nor hops prevail in the taste. A low to moderate corny flavor from corn adjuncts is commonly found, as is some DMS. Finish can vary from somewhat dry to faintly sweet from the corn, malt, and sugar. Faint fruity esters are optional. No diacetyl.Mouthfeel: Generally light and crisp, although body can reach medium. Smooth mouthfeel with medium to high attenuation; higher attenuation levels can lend a "thirst quenching" finish. High carbonation. Higher gravity examples may exhibit a slight alcohol warmth.Overall Impression: A clean, well-attenuated, flavorful American lawnmower beer.History: An ale version of the American lager style. Produced by ale brewers to compete with lager brewers in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic States. Originally known as sparkling or present use ales, lager strains were (and sometimes still are) used by some brewers, but were not historically mixed with ale strains. Many examples are kräusened to achieve carbonation. Cold conditioning isn't traditional, although modern brewers sometimes use it.Comments: Classic American (i.e. pre-prohibition) Cream Ales were slightly stronger, hoppier (including some dry hopping) and more bitter (25-30+ IBUs). These versions should be entered in the specialty/experimental category. An OG of 1.050 - 1.053 is most common and IBUs are rarely as high as 25.Ingredients: American ingredients most commonly used. A grain bill of six-row malt, or a combination of six-row and North American two-row, is common. Adjuncts can include up to 20% flaked maize in the mash, and up to 20% glucose or other sugars in the boil. Soft water preferred. Any variety of hops can be used for bittering and finishing.Vital Statistics: OG FG IBUs SRM ABV 1.042 - 1.055 1.006 - 1.012 15 - 20+ 2.5 - 5 4.2 - 5.6% Commercial Examples: Genesee Cream Ale, Little Kings Cream Ale (Hudepohl), Sleeman Cream Ale, Liebotschaner Cream Ale (Lion Brewery), Dave's Original Cream Ale (Molson), New Glarus Spotted Cow Farmhouse Ale, Wisconsin Brewing Whitetail Cream Ale----------------------------------Curious to what the boards thoughts are on cream ales. It's a great style, easy to make, and fun to drink!

[Deerslyr]

I don't think its any secret on this Board that I'm a big fan of the Cream Ale. It's so easy to make, I can practically do it blindfolded. (ok, not really, but I don't have to think or worry too hard about this one.) I was actually thinking of going to my LHBS today during lunch to pick up some yeast for this brew. My recipe is posted in the Recipe section. I am thinking about tossing in a small amount of crystal (say half a pound), but haven't decided yet. I've made the beer enough that I want to try and tweak it. Otherwise, the recipe is 80% 2 Row and 20% Corn. I think I would swap out the 2 Row.btw, I went back to my recipe and saw that you were in on that thread too. Summer must be coming!

[Thirsty]

Cream ale is in the hybrid category, so it can really cover a spectrum of interpretation. Traditionally it should be fermented cooler with an ale yeast, and as the ingredients say- "can" include adjunct maize. The whole idea here is what the final outcome produces. If you can get a thin enough beer with a lower mash temp and it still has flavor, you may not need maize. Beers like a light lager require maize or you can never get the mouthfeel to cooperate. I think with the cream ale it would be more of a trial and error to achieve the effects of what you are looking for. As far as the yeast, some may use a lager yeast to give the clean, low to no fruit esters if they cannot control an ale yeast to perform this way. It is all about the end result.

[weave]

I use rice instead of corn in my recipe. I also make mine as a session beer, 1.042. It is a great lawnmower beer and cheap as hell to make. I like about 20 IBU's of Perle, but that might be a touch hoppy for comp beers. 1056 is my goto yeast for this. My basement temp ought to be warming up to about 60F pretty soon so it is time to schedule this years batch.

[Deerslyr]

I use rice instead of corn in my recipe. I also make mine as a session beer, 1.042. It is a great lawnmower beer and cheap as hell to make. I like about 20 IBU's of Perle, but that might be a touch hoppy for comp beers. 1056 is my goto yeast for this. My basement temp ought to be warming up to about 60F pretty soon so it is time to schedule this years batch.

I substituted Rice last year for a 2nd side by side batch. I like the corn better. The rice had a flavor that I guess I just wasn't used to. Oh, it was good and all that, but I like corn better. I normally use US-05 for this. Might consider teh 1056, but I'm not sure when I'm going to get around to brewing it. It'll be at least a week, maybe two. I know it depends on the expiration date on the pack, but how long can I keep a smack pack in the fridge?

[Big Nake]

I just went back & looked at that recipe and I like it. I have made many versions of "Blonde Ales" which I think is an interpreted style as well, but I'm not sure if I have made a cream ale this way. You really can't get it much easier than 80% 2-row, 20% corn and 1 oz of Mt. Hood at 60. I would think that low primary temps would help and I would think that you might want to watch your water if it were on the hard side or had any chlorine issues. I think US05 would make it drier because of its ability to attenuate and I think 1056 or WLP001 would be a little better. What was the mash temp again? 152°? I'm sure that going lower would result in a pretty thin beer with the 20% corn in there. Hey, I have 1056 up & running in an amber ale right now. Cheers.

[Deerslyr]

I just went back & looked at that recipe and I like it. I have made many versions of "Blonde Ales" which I think is an interpreted style as well, but I'm not sure if I have made a cream ale this way. You really can't get it much easier than 80% 2-row, 20% corn and 1 oz of Mt. Hood at 60. I would think that low primary temps would help and I would think that you might want to watch your water if it were on the hard side or had any chlorine issues. I think US05 would make it drier because of its ability to attenuate and I think 1056 or WLP001 would be a little better. What was the mash temp again? 152°? I'm sure that going lower would result in a pretty thin beer with the 20% corn in there. Hey, I have 1056 up & running in an amber ale right now. Cheers.

Went to the LHBS. One change at a time. Picked up my US-05 and instead of crystal, got some cara-pils. Will sub half a pound in lieu of 2 Row. Hoping to get a bit more body without picking up sweetness. Arrived at this decision in consultation with the shopkeep.

[BarelyBrews]

I made several cream ales, the best was the last one. I tried both rice and corn,the corn was better IMHO. My beer fit in the standards,but this time i might use WLP 051 slurry.

[chadm75]

My first batch of the year is cold-conditioning in my attic at 45 degrees. Mine is 2-row and crystal fermented with a 50/50 combination of ale & lager yeast @ 68 degrees....

[Big Nake]

My first batch of the year is cold-conditioning in my attic at 45 degrees. Mine is 2-row and crystal fermented with a 50/50 combination of ale & lager yeast @ 68 degrees....

Wow, a crystal-cream lagerale? What the [mod edit]? What type of crystal? Lighter I assume.So what's the consensus on hops? I see that Deerslyr went with Mt. Hood for 60 to get to about 21-22 IBUs. Does anybody use hops later? Does anyone use hops that are a little more "out there"? I love Mt. Hoods so it seems perfect... but this is one of those styles where almost anything goes so I wonder what others are doing. I could easily see an 80% 2-row, 20% flaked corn grain bill with an ounce of Mt. Hoods for 60 minutes and 1056, no problemo.Ps. I mod-edited my own post!

[chadm75]

Ken -The minute you have to start censoring yourself, you need to stop drinking! But if I were a Cubs fan, I would bitch, moan, and cuss too! It's a lighter crystal (20L). I hopped it with .25 oz of Warrior (45 mins) and finished it 1 oz. Cascade (1 min).

[Big Nake]

Ken -The minute you have to start censoring yourself, you need to stop drinking! But if I were a Cubs fan, I would bitch, moan, and cuss too! It's a lighter crystal (20L). I hopped it with .25 oz of Warrior (45 mins) and finished it 1 oz. Cascade (1 min).

Yes, being a Cubs fan will do that to you. Okay, so you added C20 and then added late hops. I could see this working well too, but I wonder if the Warrior + Cascades ended up making this more of a very pale "pale ale". I only say that because it would be more agressively hopped. I know that many people think that a beer that's only hopped once (at 60) can be boring... but not me. I have no problem with it. Hmm, this is getting interesting. I have 1056 in an Amber Ale right now and I was going to make Home Run Red Ale next week but I wonder if I should go CREAM instead.

[Deerslyr]

Yes, being a Cubs fan will do that to you. Okay, so you added C20 and then added late hops. I could see this working well too, but I wonder if the Warrior + Cascades ended up making this more of a very pale "pale ale". I only say that because it would be more agressively hopped. I know that many people think that a beer that's only hopped once (at 60) can be boring... but not me. I have no problem with it. Hmm, this is getting interesting. I have 1056 in an Amber Ale right now and I was going to make Home Run Red Ale next week but I wonder if I should go CREAM instead.

Ken, Imma gonna push you to the Cream Ale. I'm going to brew tonight and replace 1/2 pound of 2 Row with the CaraPils. Everything else the same as posted in the recipe. Using US-05 (I really like this "workhorse" yeast). You should brew it with the same modification!

[Big Nake]

Ken, Imma gonna push you to the Cream Ale. I'm going to brew tonight and replace 1/2 pound of 2 Row with the CaraPils. Everything else the same as posted in the recipe. Using US-05 (I really like this "workhorse" yeast). You should brew it with the same modification!

I have the 2-row, the corn, the Carapils along with 1056 (up & running) and a packet of US-05 in the fridge. I also have Mt. Hood, Hallertau, Tettnanger, Sterling, Vanguard, Spalt, Styrian Goldings, Kent, Tradition, Northern Brewer, Liberty, Super Styrian, Target, Magnum, Hersbrucker and probably a few others. Maybe I'll do the cream ale next week and then the Red Ale the week after that.

[chadm75]

Yes, being a Cubs fan will do that to you. Okay, so you added C20 and then added late hops. I could see this working well too, but I wonder if the Warrior + Cascades ended up making this more of a very pale "pale ale". I only say that because it would be more agressively hopped. I know that many people think that a beer that's only hopped once (at 60) can be boring... but not me. I have no problem with it. Hmm, this is getting interesting. I have 1056 in an Amber Ale right now and I was going to make Home Run Red Ale next week but I wonder if I should go CREAM instead.

My total IBU's came in about 13 so it very lightly hopped. Most of those 13 come from the Warrior's obviously...

[DigitalTaper]

Any of you ever use grits? My GF's dad drinks Genny Cream like water, I've always used flaked maize but plan on trying grits in this summers batch to make my version more authentic to his favorite? I've used Liberty's for my previous batches ...www.creamale.com

[Big Nake]

www.creamale.com

I checked that out. Man, I just don't get it... it says that "Genny Cream" is 12 IBU. 12? How do you get 12 IBU? That has to be like 2.6 AAUs for 60 minutes and that's it. I honestly didn't think a beer could be balanced with only 12 IBUs.

[DigitalTaper]

Ahhh ... the balance comes from the Kodak chemicals that leeched into the Genny water source! You need a touch of Polaroid to make a great cream ale. While 12 IBU's seems low, Genny is still the 1st BJCP classic example. My guess would be the grits don't provide as much flavor as flaked corn, thus the lower IBU's. If I get real motivated I'll make two batches at the same time this summer, with flaked corn in one and grits in the other.

[ChefLamont]

Yea 12 seems a little low but it is not much of a beer to need balancing. The one I make (that I like so much I have just about decided it will never run out at my house) has right at 18. Yea that is a bit more than 12 but not a ton.I like flaked corn in mine. A buddy of mine makes his with rice, and while it is very good too, I just like mine a little better. A lot of that probably is because it is.....mine. But that is still my perception. Mine is heavily inspired by the one in Brewing Classic Styles. 11-gal batch, 82%eff, 7.5# pilsener, 7.5# Am 2-row, 2.75# flaked corn, 1.55oz Willamette at 60min, 1oz Willamette at 1min., Mash at 149, Ferment with 001 or equivalent at ~66deg.Funny thing about mine is that, with the low mash temp and the pilsener, I do a 90 min mash and a 90 min boil. For being one of the "simplest" beers I do it is one of the longest brew days.

[jayb151]

Funny thing about mine is that, with the low mash temp and the pilsener, I do a 90 min mash and a 90 min boil. For being one of the "simplest" beers I do it is one of the longest brew days.

That's funny cause I was thinking that when I brewed my last cream ale!On my first one i got a kind of subtle sweetness from it that I liked. I thought it was the pilsner, but now I'm thinking it was the hops. I used Amarillo, and i beilieve i got a kind of fruityness that seemed sweet. Now I'm thinking I have to brew a cream ale too!