Cream Ale Cream of Three Crops (Cream Ale)

yewtah-brewha said:

where do u get corn flaked?

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If you can not get it at LHBS then use some corn meal . I would put a paint strainer around my false bottom if I used them as they are so fine I bet they clog up the filter.

Purty purty

Channel66 said:

Purty purty

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Purdy

Channel66 That is one very artistic pic . Would make a great poster

Clearest brew I have made to date! Thanks again for the recipe.

Has anyone tried making this recipe using Vienna malt for the base malt instead of pale malt? Someone gave me a bag of Vienna and I want to try some different recipes with it.

Just did my 5th batch of this beer. Since the second batch I have used half 2-row and half Belgian Pilsner, and whatever appropriate hops I have around. Today was Williamette and Fuggles, a combination which I have used before and liked - Licked the hydrometer and it was quite nice!

First batch is being consumed as we speak - I did all 2-row and home grown Nugget hopps. So far Im enjoying it.. Couple questions though.

I seem to have chill haze. Where it is clear up till i chill it for drinking then gets cloudy. what causes this? cold break ? Hot break??

I have also noticed a flavor like double mint gum - would this be yeast I am tasting?

My second batch I cooked up yesterday with half 2-row and half carmel malts with an addition of toasted carmel, 2-row blend. No Idea what it will taste like just got inspired to do something off the wall. Any ideas on flavor profile? Good idea or bad?

New review ... After these beers sit in the bottle for about a month they are great . I usually drink them up fast but had a lot of other beers so they conditioned longer . the corn taste is gone and they have a bit of sweet flavor like a honey blonde and are very tasty indeed .
I am no longer just enjoying them on hot lawnmower days but am drinking them while kicking back in the AC . Just slammed down three in the last hour .
One real good thing also is the fact that with this beer you have a whole lot less trub and that equates to a lot more beer in the end . It is a win win .

Dumb question maybe. This was my first all grain and my first recipe using corn. Now its fermented down to 1.012 the og was 1.045. It has a very strong corn taste when I tried a sample. It was pretty over powering. I didnt boil with a lid on and did a 90 minute boil. Will this mellow with age or does this beer just taste strongly of corn.

thisisbeer said:

Dumb question maybe. This was my first all grain and my first recipe using corn. Now its fermented down to 1.012 the og was 1.045. It has a very strong corn taste when I tried a sample. It was pretty over powering. I didnt boil with a lid on and did a 90 minute boil. Will this mellow with age or does this beer just taste strongly of corn.

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It'll mellow. Or at least in my experience it does. This beer is ready fast and being a low abv beer people think it should be drank fast but it does stay "green" for a bit. Or at least in my experience. It'll mellow with a bit of time

good to hear. I'll let it secondary for a while.

Channel66 said:

It'll mellow. Or at least in my experience it does. This beer is ready fast and being a low abv beer people think it should be drank fast but it does stay "green" for a bit. Or at least in my experience. It'll mellow with a bit of time

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Is a long secondary a good solution or does it need to be bottle conditioning?

Fuzzymittenbrewing said:

Is a long secondary a good solution or does it need to be bottle conditioning?

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I'd imagine either would work, in secondary it may work faster because it can actually off gas. I have noticed about 1.5 months in the bottle most of strong corn/dms is mostly gone.

I only let this beer sit in fermenter for a week or two opposed to three weeks for stronger beers . this does leave it with a corn taste . But as I posted yesterday after 1 month in bottle this stuff tastes great . Secondary for a couple weeks perhaps then bottle and try one in a week .

I made some with more crystal hops and little vienna and only fermented for two weeks and bottled for one and it tastes horrible . Like bad fruit taste . But that is what happens to others like centennial in my opinion so after a few weeks in bottle I bet it is tasty .
got some more going with a lot of hops in it . Cant wait

What are you folks using for flaked corn? Like cornmeal, or what?

n240sxguy said:

What are you folks using for flaked corn? Like cornmeal, or what?

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Does your lhbs not carry flaked corn?

Fuzzymittenbrewing said:

Does your lhbs not carry flaked corn?

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I don't have a lhbs within 2 hours of me. I usually order all my stuff online. A couple local liquor stores are expanding out into some homebrew supplies. I haven't seen any corn there though.

n240sxguy said:

I don't have a lhbs within 2 hours of me. I usually order all my stuff online. A couple local liquor stores are expanding out into some homebrew supplies. I haven't seen any corn there though.

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Ah I see. If I'm not mistaken some have used corn grits. But not 100% what the conversion is

Ok. I looked it up online. I'll have to tack some on my next order I guess.

Stone ground corn meal has some of the hull and germ left in it and that gives it more corn taste as opposed to steel ground which has almost all the hull and germ removed .
Polenta is ground corn meal with all the germ removed .

so the question is , do you need that germ ( the reproductive part of the seed that sprouts ) ?
I do think you would need to do a cereal mash on meal .

you could go to the feed and seed store or coop and buy field corn and then grind it and cereal mash it and be good to go . I am pretty sure flaked corn is made from field corn and not sweet . Something to do with the starches needed for mash .

I just bottled my hopped up version of this . Cascade , hallertauer and chinook . Tasted pretty good right out of fermenter . How ever I think it needs even more hops to get the flavor . Tasted a bit different than the original but not much really .
I think this is going to be good . If it comes out tasting real good I will post the recipe . 5.64% ABV

Brewed this a couple of times however my last turned out cloudier than normal.

msa8967 said:

Has anyone tried making this recipe using Vienna malt for the base malt instead of pale malt? Someone gave me a bag of Vienna and I want to try some different recipes with it.

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Does Vienna have the diastatic power to self-convert in an all-Vienna mash?

kombat said:

Does Vienna have the diastatic power to self-convert in an all-Vienna mash?

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Yes.

But using Vienna will make a very different beer.

I've been planning to make this since April and was hoping it would be my summer quencher. I finally got around to it today and made a few adjustments... Did 5 gals and used only 1# of flaked maize and substituted corn sugar for the second. I was hoping to avoid heavy corn characteristics... Had the batch in the primary at 3pm and its already bubbling away thanks to a 1 quart starter of s-05.

emjay said:

Yes.

But using Vienna will make a very different beer.

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Very different for sure. I made it and wasn't impressed.

Huge thread.


Want to brew this weekend. Running shy on flaked maize, by about half the amount or more. i know i have one pound on hand possibly two. Could order more flaked maize, pay the $8 s&h and hope it gets here by Saturday.
OR
Could try using instant grits, without any additives
I've seen debate on necessity of a cereal mash or pre-boil.
OR
Could try to find a corn flake cereal product without any added ingredients or preservatives. Perhaps from a health food store.
OR
Just make if the difference with more malt.

I've been reading up on gelatinization, and cereal mashes, but I'd like to keep it simple. Corn flakes seem ideal, but I know the big players add stuff like preservatives. Local chain adds malt syrup, HF corn syrup, sugar, and salt, but no BHT or fortification that I can tell based on the label.

Suggestions?

TD

BigRedDog said:

I've been planning to make this since April and was hoping it would be my summer quencher. I finally got around to it today and made a few adjustments... Did 5 gals and used only 1# of flaked maize and substituted corn sugar for the second. I was hoping to avoid heavy corn characteristics... Had the batch in the primary at 3pm and its already bubbling away thanks to a 1 quart starter of s-05.

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the corn taste does go away but it takes a month or so in the bottle . I was hoping my version of it I bottles a couple weeks ago would give a good reference since I used less corn but I think something is wrong with it as it has a spoiled taste . maybe it will go away so i can check for corn taste .

Trickydick;
My suggestion would be to just use the two pounds you have . Add instant rice to beef up the ABV if you think you need to as this will not change the mouth feel or flavor of the brew .
Do not use corn flakes . I read several posts from people who did and said it tastes like crap.
If you must add in more corn because you think you need it , in my opinion you do not , then perhaps use some corn meal . Look at post 2101 . I posted the explanation of each kind of meal . I think 2 pounds would make a good beer and without the waiting for the corn taste to go away maybe .
Instant anything is ready to toss in the mash tun. The work has already been done for you.

that is my two cents worth any way

I'm about to rack 10g of Centennial Blonde that's been in primary for 4 weeks (half on Nottingham, half on WLP080).

If I were to brew this cream ale tomorrow and pitch onto those yeast cakes, would there be any flavor transfer from the blonde?

Can I re-use the better bottles "as is" after racking or should I try to get rid of the trub by diluting with distilled water and pour off the yeast into new, sanitized buckets?

I've been a bit gun-shy about reusing yeast cakes (I'm never ready to brew again when I rack)... but I will need both of these beers ready 3 weeks from today for a party and this seems like a good opportunity to have a huge starter.

Do it!

I just tried both of my customized versions of this recipe and they are quite good . Cream of three crops is indeed a good base beer to play with .
what i called a Crystal Cream Ale came out quite crisp and clean tasting . Hops are very light and in fact I would like to use more next time .
What i called hopped up three crops is not as hoppy as I would have liked but is good . Hallertauer chinook & cascade .
they are only a few weeks old in bottle so expect them to taste even better if I can hold on to some for a month.

Recipes will be posted in the recipe section since they came out so good .

Once again , Thanks to BierMuncher for this great Cream of Three crops

EDIT : I would still consider both of these to be a lawnmower beer .
the reason I want to add more hops next time is so I have a sitting on the couch watching TV beer . I like hops .

I used quick grits and minute rice instead of flaked corn and rice and it was the best batch i've made yet. served it at a party with 50 people and they all loved it, even the wine drinkers were drinking it. Keg was kicked by the end of the party.
I just tossed the grits and rice in with the grains, no cereal mash.
I used US-05 and made sure to keep the fermentation around 65 F the first 5 days by placing fermenter in water and placing a towel around it with a fan blowing on it.
Definitely will be my summer porch beer next year.

I always use instant rice for ABV raise . I use the store brand type as it is real cheap .
quaker grits 7.20 a pound in Walmart . OUCH. Can not get a price on the store brand . You can get flaked maize for about 7.50 5 pounds plus shipping . but the flavor might be different since grits are white corn . Might have to try it myself

MarcusKillion said:

Trickydick;
My suggestion would be to just use the two pounds you have . Add instant rice to beef up the ABV if you think you need to as this will not change the mouth feel or flavor of the brew .
Do not use corn flakes . I read several posts from people who did and said it tastes like crap.
If you must add in more corn because you think you need it , in my opinion you do not , then perhaps use some corn meal . Look at post 2101 . I posted the explanation of each kind of meal . I think 2 pounds would make a good beer and without the waiting for the corn taste to go away maybe .
Instant anything is ready to toss in the mash tun. The work has already been done for you.

that is my two cents worth any way

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Thanks. I may not end up being able to brew this one this weekend after all.

TD

I used two pounds of corn in my latest versions and it is good but I do think next time I may go with the three pounds or maybe 2 and 1 of grits . I like the taste after the corn taste dies down . Also was thinking of adding in 6 row half with 2 row for a bit more grain flavor .
I do not think you can mess this up as long as it is not changed too much . It is great beer for playing around with.
getting ready to brew up another batch of the original recipe . Like to keep it around and I only have a 12 pack left

When adding grits instead of corn maze, does this change the final color? Mine runs around 2.8. Are you guys adding crystal to make up for the color difference?

I bottled this July 26, and it was initially almost undrinkable. Six weeks later it is fantastic and has a wonderful taste and pleasant feel. I'm going to brew another batch.

Here's my latest. 3rd time brewing this. 6# 2 row, 2# corn, 2# rice. Magnum to bitter. After 3 weeks in keg taste 100% better than after 1st week. Nevrr had a beer mellow so much, so fast. What was an ok beer turned into one I am really proud of and will continue to brew as is.