Dark Cream Ale?

I just brewed a batch of Cream Ale from a recipe I got out of The Brewmaster's Bible. I'm a little confused on the color. I expected it to be very light golden. I've only had cream ale at a local micro, so I don't necessarily know that theirs is true to the style. But, the book says the SRM for cream ales in general should be 2-4. This looks like it is going to be in the amber to brown ale color. Here's the recipe:

1/2 lb. Crystal malt (10L)
1/2 lb. CaraPils malt
8 lb. Alexanders Pale LME (AHS pale LME)
1/2 oz Willamette hops - 60m
1/3 oz Hallertauer hops - 60m
1/3 oz Cascade hops - 60m
1/2 oz Hallertauer - 2m
1 tsp Irish Moss
1 ale yeast (Nottingham dry)
1 tsp gelatin - secondary

OG = 1.061
FG = should be 1.010

The names in parenthesis are the actual ingredient I used. I'm just wondering if they gave me the wrong extract. I didn't think about it at the time because all of my previous brews have had about that color of extract. But, AHS specs the LME at an EBC rating of about 3. Should it have been a really light golden color? It was pretty dark. It's hard to tell when it's concentrated like that.

Will it lighten in color as the fermentables are eaten up by the yeast? I'm not too worried about a ruined batch because I think it will be perfectly drinkable. It just may not taste like the style is suppose to. Who knows, maybe it will be a good accident?

Thanks.

Dave

it's nearly (if not entirely) impossible to make an extract beer at SRM 2-4... you just don't have that fine of control over the color.

It's possible they gave you the wrong extract, although more likely is the LME caramelized during the boil as it is wont to do. You could probably get a lighter product by using DME instead. Also, more beers look darkish in the fermenter if that's what you're basing your judgement on....in a glass you'll have a lot less beer to look through and it will appear lighter.

When I was doing extracts I don't think I ever managed a beer in the 2-4SRM range, but my memory's not that great.

It also helps to do the largest possible boil that your kettle can accomodate, if you're going for a lighter color. On my last batch, I started with about 1 galllon in a seperate pan, until the initial boilover tendancy subsided, then reunited all the wort in the kettle. The larger boil helps minimize the carmellizing of the wort.

You might need to reduce your hopping amounts a little if you're doing a much larger boil than the recipe you're following indicates.

I suppose the caramelizing is possible. There was really no burnt deposits on the bottom of the pot, so I wouldn't think so.

Yes, I am basing the color from the fermenter. A bucket at that. I realize a glass of it will be lighter, it just seemed darker than I expected. Honestly, I don't really care about the color as long as it tastes good. Someday I may be pickier as I learn more. Right now, I just want to make something that is drinkable.

Good tip on the hops. It never occurred to me to reduce the amounts. I boil a full 5 gallon batch at a time (actually 6 to start).

I will let you know how it turns out in about a month.

Rocker said:

Good tip on the hops. It never occurred to me to reduce the amounts. I boil a full 5 gallon batch at a time (actually 6 to start)..

Click to expand...

Software like ProMash or Recipator will calculate IBUs according to the gravity of the boil.

The difference between a 2.5 gallon boil (typical extract recipe) and a 5 gallon boil can be pretty large, in terms of bittering hop utilization and IBUs.

Sorry.. SRM? I assume that's a measurment for colour? What does it stand for?

Standard Research Method. Yes, it is the measure of degrees of color.

Rocker said:

Standard Research Method. Yes, it is the measure of degrees of color.

Click to expand...

standard reference method

I've never seen crystal malt (of any colour) used in a cream ale. It's usually just the lightest DME/LME plus some corn - no adjuncts that would add colour or body.

I have seen both, research and reference. If reference is the more accepted term, I stand corrected.

Yes, there are a couple of other CA recipes in the book that uses corn (maize) and rice. One even calls for hopped amber extract. Maybe they are more true to the style, I have no idea. I picked this one because it sounded good and it had the higher %ABV (6.5%).

Hi,

I also live in the Chicago burbs, Mt Prospect to be exact. I've brewed a number of ales from extracts. Most tasted great, better than store bought beer but none of them turned out really light colored. I've heard ther same thing from other home brewers. The professionally brewed light colored beers are all lagers which are difficult to make and take forever to brew.
I'm going to try my luck at all grain brews and see what happens. It dosen't seem to difficult and the added equipment is easy to make and not too expensive.
Do you know of any good home brew supply stores in the Chicago area. I used tobuy from a company in Elmhurst and another in Grays Lake but they both seem to have gone out of business. There is a large company in Minneapolis that I'm buying from now www.midwestsupplies.com

Regards,

David

davidkrau said:

The professionally brewed light colored beers are all lagers which are difficult to make and take forever to brew.

Click to expand...

Huh? Fermentation method has nothing to do with the end colour of a beer. A quick and dirty ale can be just as light in colour as a well aged lager.

To Mickey,

If That's true why do they go to expense and added time of lagering? Point out a kit and tell me where I can get it that produces a ale that is light colored like a Budweiser.

Regards

David

Sorry, David, but I have to agree with Mikey. My first brew was a Light Ale, which was a very light golden color. After it had conditioned in the bottle for about a month or two, I could pour it off the yeast just about as crisp and clear as anything from the store. Maybe not as bright, but it was definitely cleaner than a Hefer.

Yes, there are a couple out by me in Mchenry. Crystal Lake has one, which has a deceiving name "Crystal Lake Health Foods". They have quite the selection upstairs where they keep all of their brewing stuff. Ingredients are in one room and equipment in another. Here is a link to their site:

http://www.clwineandhomebrew.com/

There is another one in St. Charles called "Homebrew Shop". I haven't managed to make it there yet, but I hear they have a great selection as well.

http://www.homebrewshopltd.com/index.html

That's about all I know of. I generally mail order most of my stuff because I don't have to worry about whether they have it or not and having to go some place else. I could waste more money in gas and time than it's worth. But, I do like to support the CL shop on occasion.

Happy brewing!

davidkrau said:

If That's true why do they go to expense and added time of lagering? Point out a kit and tell me where I can get it that produces a ale that is light colored like a Budweiser.

Click to expand...

Why does it have to be a kit? I have to agree that it's certainly possible to brew ales or lagers that are as light as the BMC's of the world, particularly through AG brewing.

davidkrau said:

To Mickey,

If That's true why do they go to expense and added time of lagering? Point out a kit and tell me where I can get it that produces a ale that is light colored like a Budweiser.

Regards

David

Click to expand...

try a golden ale, wheat beer, light pale Ale, or whatever. the color has to do with the grains used. all lagering will do for appearance is improve the clarity.

cream ales should be light. the only reason yours isnt is the extract. its an unfortanate price to pay for the convenience of extract. but cream ales to me seem like they can be somewhat up to interpretation, so don't sweat it. as long as its refreshing it'll be ok.

Hi,

It's two against one so I guess I was wrong. I still don't know what the big deal is about lagers and why all the pros want to cold ferment their beer. Thanks Rocker for the info on home brew shops in the burbs. What suburb are you from?

David

davidkrau said:

Hi,

It's two against one so I guess I was wrong. I still don't know what the big deal is about lagers and why all the pros want to cold ferment their beer. Thanks Rocker for the info on home brew shops in the burbs. What suburb are you from?

David

Click to expand...

I think the primary benefits of lagering are smoother flavor and increased clarity. Personally, I generally prefer ale styles to lager styles, which is great for a homebrewer becuase ales are a lot easier to make anyway.

davidkrau said:

Hi,

It's two against one so I guess I was wrong. I still don't know what the big deal is about lagers and why all the pros want to cold ferment their beer. Thanks Rocker for the info on home brew shops in the burbs. What suburb are you from?

David

Click to expand...

Lagering is a 'manufacturing' method required to obtain a certain style of beer, primarily to do with taste and mouthfeel, but certainly nothing to do with colour.

Hey, if you don't like them don't drink them. I like them all.

No problem, David. I am out in the far northwest suburbs, Mchenry.

:rockin:

I did this extract cream ale about a year ago. It turned out very nice. It had a nice golden color and was great for summer. I believe it was around 9-10 SRM, which is pretty low for an extract brew. I plan to do it again as an all-grain in a few weeks.

davidkrau said:

... Do you know of any good home brew supply stores in the Chicago area. ...

Click to expand...

Here's a list. The closest to you might be Perfect Brewing in Wheeling. I work in Schaumburg and sometimes go to the Brew & Grow there. But my LHBS of choice is The Brewer's Coop in Warrenville who, BTW, is doing another one of their free all-grain brewing seminars this Saturday (3/4).

Thanks Everybody,

I appreciate the info on brew stores in the Chicago burbs. I've bought stuff from Brew and Grow in Schaumburg. I'll check out thee one in csrystal lake and the one in Wheeling. I can't make the seminar tomorrow in Warrenville but I'll call them and find out whether they have another one coming up. Again, thanks for the help.

David

Just thought I would update on my cream ale progress. I decided to condition it in a secondary fermenter. It has been in there for 1 week. I think I will give it one more week and then throw it in the keg. I can't wait to try it, but that is a few more weeks out at the earliest.

The price we pay for great tasting beer! It's well worth it.

Dave

Any updates Rocker?