17 replies to this topic

[Big Nake]

My optimism suggests that warmer weather will be here soon but I noticed that I am woefully short on "lighter" offerings like pilsner, cream ales, American Wheats, etc. I am making a Mexican Vienna on Tuesday 3/1 but I'm considering another brewday this week with a cream ale of sorts. I'm such a fool for German beers that I can't even seem to make a straightforward American Ale without trying to "German it up". See...

Cream Ale

7 lbs Briess American 2-row Pale Malt
1 lb Munich Light
1 lb flaked corn
1 oz Tettnanger pellets 3.9% for 60 mins
½ oz Hallertau Mittelfruh pellets 4.3% for 5 mins
½ oz Hallertau Mittelfruh pellets 4.3% for 1 min
US-05

OG: 1.050, FG: 1.012, IBU: 19, SRM: 4, ABV: 4.8%

I plan to mash at 150° and I assume that the FG will be a little lower because of the US05. I added the Munich hoping it would add a little "depth" to it but overall it will be pretty wimpy. I plan to cut my filtered tap water with 50% distilled water and ferment cool... like around 60° or so. I have a small amount of American Ale hops like Mt. Hood and US Magnum but I just got 10-12 ounces of German pellets (Spalt, Tettnanger, HM and Hersbrucker) and thought I would go with the freshest & cleanest pellets I have. Thoughts?

[jayb151]

I don't know Ken, it looks pretty good to me! You could even go a little traditional with it and use some 6-row.

[cavman]

Looks good, I like the idea of adding the Munich.

[zymot]

Not saying it won't make a delicious beer.I am not an expert on cream ale, but the munich might stiffen up the malty backbone too much.How about vienna instead?

[EWW]

No issues with it as written, but cream ale screams saaz to me

[Big Nake]

I do have Vienna in the house but I think all of it is slated for other recipes at the moment and I don't think I have time to get more. I thought about the Munich because I think I have just about a pound left from a 10 or 15 pound bag. I know it's not traditional so maybe it's just my interpretation. Wait, really? Saaz in cream ales? I don't think I've ever heard that before. Sounds yummy though. Cheers & thanks for the feedback guys!

[EWW]

Cigar city, terrapin, rogue, Jamil, etc all use saaz aroma additions. Good stuff.

[zymot]

I do have Vienna in the house but I think all of it is slated for other recipes at the moment and I don't think I have time to get more. I thought about the Munich because I think I have just about a pound left from a 10 or 15 pound bag.

When you have munich, but want vienna, use 1/2 as much munich. I think of vienna as "munich lite." I do not know much about cream ales. That is an "east coast" beer. Out in California, we have to suffer with only SNPA, Rogue, Pliny the Elder, etc. I have been to the east coast and had a couple cream ales.

Wait, really? Saaz in cream ales? I don't think I've ever heard that before. Sounds yummy though. Cheers & thanks for the feedback guys!

In My Limited Opinion: Any noble hop will be good. Just enough to counter the malt sweetness. Flavor and aroma hops? Better too few than too many, if you want the easy drinking on a hot summer's day kind of beer. Munich/vienna & hops, either way, you should have a tasty beer.

[cavman]

When you have munich, but want vienna, use 1/2 as much munich. I think of vienna as "munich lite." I do not know much about cream ales. That is an "east coast" beer. Out in California, we have to suffer with only SNPA, Rogue, Pliny the Elder, etc. I have been to the east coast and had a couple cream ales.

Tell that to Lagunitas https://beeradvocate...ofile/220/16159

[Big Nake]

The amount of Munich I have left may be a pound or less. If it ends up being 12 ounces or something, I'll just make up the rest with 2-row. When I have some sort of gold lager or other beer like this, I will do a 60 and then something very late like 5 or 1 or whatever. You get aroma but not really any flavor that would detract from the beer's pounding potential... I mean... it's clean subtlety. :stabby:You're right that Genessee and Little Kings are probably the best-known Cream Ales but I thought that these beers could be found nationwide and that Cream Ale was a national phenomenon... not just a regional one. Cheers & thanks again Beerheads.

[Deerslyr]

If you are flush with Mt. Hood, don't be afraid to use it in your Cream Ale. It's what I use. As for the munich... I don't have an opinion one way or the other. I typically use 6 Row and Flaked Maize exclusively in my recipe and it turns out great. Everyone loves it.edit: Oh... and I use US-05 as well. Expect it to drop to 1.008.

Edited by Deerslyr, 01 March 2011 - 03:57 PM.

[zymot]

You're right that Genessee and Little Kings are probably the best-known Cream Ales but I thought that these beers could be found nationwide and that Cream Ale was a national phenomenon... not just a regional one. Cheers & thanks again Beerheads.

In the last few months I have noticed Genessee in stores around here. I have not picked any up yet. I had a sixer when I was working back east, it was pretty quaffable.

[jayb151]

Genessee is some pretty good stuff. I grab it everytime I need a cheap, decent beer.EDIT: It comes in pint cans too!

[Big Nake]

If you are flush with Mt. Hood, don't be afraid to use it in your Cream Ale. It's what I use. As for the munich... I don't have an opinion one way or the other. I typically use 6 Row and Flaked Maize exclusively in my recipe and it turns out great. Everyone loves it. edit: Oh... and I use US-05 as well. Expect it to drop to 1.008.

I would absolutely use Mt. Hood but I have more of these other hops and I think they will go over well. Yeah, the Munich may be weird, but I think it will be okay.

In the last few months I have noticed Genessee in stores around here. I have not picked any up yet. I had a sixer when I was working back east, it was pretty quaffable.

I went to a local mega-liquor store and they said that some of their stores carry it and some do not... mine did not.

Genessee is some pretty good stuff. I grab it everytime I need a cheap, decent beer. EDIT: It comes in pint cans too!

But JB, I remember that yours did. I was on the Genessee site not long ago and the pic of the cream ale looked yummy. Cheers!

[jayb151]

Ken, I actually get pint cans from the mini-mart down the street, and I've never seen them at the mega-liquor store!I have heard that the one in Shaumburg carries a 30-pack of cans though.

[Big Nake]

Ken, I actually get pint cans from the mini-mart down the street, and I've never seen them at the mega-liquor store! I have heard that the one in Shaumburg carries a 30-pack of cans though.

When we were talking about this last time I thought you found a Binny's in Elmwood Park or something and you found the Genessee Cream Ale there. I went to mine and they said that they usually don't have it but some of the Binny's did. I still need to find some so I can "research" it.

[jayb151]

When we were talking about this last time I thought you found a Binny's in Elmwood Park or something and you found the Genessee Cream Ale there. I went to mine and they said that they usually don't have it but some of the Binny's did. I still need to find some so I can "research" it.

No, I tried it for the first time when a friend picked up a case from Shaumburg. The Indian mart literally a block away from my house has a 6-pack of pints for $3.99. They even have Genessee Ice for the same price. I can always pick some up for you if you wanted to meet sometime for a beer! For research, of course.

[Big Nake]

Yeah, JB: Sounds like we need to do some 'research'. ;)Okay, Update: I needed some things (cleanser, sanitizer, Whirfloc, etc.) so I stopped and picked up supplies today and grabbed some fresh 1056 too. I popped it at the store, made a starter for it and it's currently spinning on the stirplate preparing for a brewday tomorrow (Thurs 3/3). I think the US05 would've been just fine, but I always like to use liquid yeast when possible and I plan to reuse it in some MLPA. Cheers!