How to make a cream ale 'creamy'

I am wondering how to add that creamy mouthfeel and huge thick head to a beer. I recently attempted to make a cream ale with little success, after reading a few recipes posted here it seemed like the key ingredient was flaked corn, so this is what i used. I used 1/2 lb of it in a 2.5 gallon batch. Got a tiny bit of creamy mouthfeel but the head was no where near what I wanted. I cant remember the recipe exactly but it was probably about 70% two row, 20% munich and 10% flaked mais. Used safale s-05. Mash temp was a little high at 154 degrees farenheit. Beer turned out light and sweet, i assume the sweetness was due to the high mash temp.

So, how do you make a cream ale creamy? I plan on making a red cream ale soon and want to get this recipe right.

Here is an article from Brew Your Own magazine that may help you.

http://***********/stories/wizard/a...stand-out-for-you-when-you-are-brewing-a-beer

I just read the article. Can't really say I know more now lol

Have you had commercial examples of the style that were to your liking? A cream ale isn't really creamy. It is should taste like grain (this is why 6-row is often chosen over 2-row) and be fairly light. If you want to add a creamy feel to it, perhaps adding lactose or malto-dextrine would do the trick. I do question the presence of Munich in your cream ale.

tom_gamer said:

I just read the article. Can't really say I know more now lol

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I am with you Tom_Gamer..... The guy writing an article writes like he is running for office... HA!

"Read the Recipes" was the bottom line.

I once had a real interesting dark Wheat Beer at Greenshields in Raleigh NC, (no longer a brewpub), It was rich and had a real "Grainy/Bready" taste to it that I found "Wonderful".

I would like to brew such a beer but my only thought is that there was lots of Biscuit or Victory in it.

But it would be nice to have a general idea of how they made it...

DPB

Cream Ale isn't creamy. But you can get that creamy mouthfeel you're looking for by adding oats to almost any beer, if that's what you want. It's appropriate, for example, in some stouts or in a witbier.

tom_gamer said:

I just read the article. Can't really say I know more now lol

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Oh sorry, it looked like what you were asking.

kkramer56 said:

Oh sorry, it looked like what you were asking.

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To review the article,
The question was a question to see if these specialty grains actually do what they say and which one does it the best. That is how I interpret the question. Then the reponse is go out there and find out. Wtf? Lol

Some options would be to serve the beer on nitrogen or beer gas, increase the use of flaked grains - oats in particular, or add body-boosting grains or adjuncts like maltodextrin or a dextrin malt like CaraPils, CaraMalt, or CaraFoam. If you want to increase body and perception of sweetness, add lactose and use a less attenuative yeast.

Thanks for the reply everyone.

progmac said:

Have you had commercial examples of the style that were to your liking? A cream ale isn't really creamy. It is should taste like grain (this is why 6-row is often chosen over 2-row) and be fairly light. If you want to add a creamy feel to it, perhaps adding lactose or malto-dextrine would do the trick. I do question the presence of Munich in your cream ale.

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The commercial examples I have had are both local beers : Mill Street Red Beard and Creemore Cream Ale. Both had a very creamy/full mouthfeel. The Munich was used as the recipe I based my recipe off called for Vienna, my LHBS is very limited in its supply so I thought Munich would be a suitable substitute.

Perhaps I just didnt know what the style was. I find it odd that the style is called 'Cream Ale' while it is not actually creamy.

Pilgarlic said:

Cream Ale isn't creamy. But you can get that creamy mouthfeel you're looking for by adding oats to almost any beer, if that's what you want. It's appropriate, for example, in some stouts or in a witbier.

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Interesting, what do you think about adding oats to a Irish Red just to add a creamy mouthfeel?

I thought the answer was corn?

Halbrust said:

I thought the answer was corn?

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Corn isn't creamy at all- it's bland, and ferments out and leaves a thin mouthfeel behind.

A "cream ale" is a style that is very much like an American lager. From the BJCP guidelines: 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.
Overall Impression: A clean, well-attenuated, flavorful American lawnmower beer.


A cream ale is never "creamy". It's a non-lager version of a light American lager. The corn makes it thin, and dry, but with a faint corn sweetness.

progmac said:

Have you had commercial examples of the style that were to your liking? A cream ale isn't really creamy. It is should taste like grain (this is why 6-row is often chosen over 2-row) and be fairly light. If you want to add a creamy feel to it, perhaps adding lactose or malto-dextrine would do the trick. I do question the presence of Munich in your cream ale.

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Fail!

There is no lactose or maltose in cream ale.

You get the head and texture by a combination of using pilsen malt (or 6 row, or other hi protien malts) and fermenting with ale yeast at lager temperatures. You can use Corn, Rice or sugar as adjuncts.

Personally, I use flaked corn, and a bit of demerara sugar.

It's one of my house beers and frankly, I just can't keep it on tap.

Maltose is not the same as maltodextrin. Maltose is the main fermentable sugar in any beer. Maltodextrin is essentially unfermentable and can be used to add mouthfeel. It's a very common way to "fix" a beer that turned out thinner than anticipated, as its flavor impact is minimal.

Lactose should not be part of a cream ale brewed to style, but many people like to make (and confuse cream ales for) "cream soda" ales with lactose, vanilla, caramel flavoring, and all kinds of other ingredients. The OP seems to be looking for such an example rather than the BJCP interpretation of the style.

What is your fermentation temperature? I don't know of any ale yeast that stays active at 48 degrees. Cal Ale can ferment in the mid-50s, which is a bit above most traditional lager ferm temps.

ArcaneXor said:

Maltose is not the same as maltodextrin. Maltose is the main fermentable sugar in any beer.

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Ah the joys of slapping out a quick reply on the phone. You're 100% correct. My bad.

ArcaneXor said:

Lactose should not be part of a cream ale brewed to style, but many people like to make (and confuse cream ales for) "cream soda" ales with lactose, vanilla, caramel flavoring, and all kinds of other ingredients. The OP seems to be looking for such an example rather than the BJCP interpretation of the style.

What is your fermentation temperature? I don't know of any ale yeast that stays active at 48 degrees. Cal Ale can ferment in the mid-50s, which is a bit above most traditional lager ferm temps.

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I use Kolsch yeast at the low-mid 50's, with a d-rest in the mid 60's at the end. Truely a clean beer with good head, and a creamy mouthfeel.

progmac said:

Have you had commercial examples of the style that were to your liking? A cream ale isn't really creamy. It is should taste like grain (this is why 6-row is often chosen over 2-row) and be fairly light. If you want to add a creamy feel to it, perhaps adding lactose or malto-dextrine would do the trick. I do question the presence of Munich in your cream ale.

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some 6-row in a cream ale also helps in the mash. 6-row raises the level of nitrogen to help with adjuncts like corn. I think Lactose would be out of style and might add too much sweetness to such a light beer.

I'd suggest adding carapils, maybe some malted barley. Also, a long period of lagering is really what cream ales are known for. Lagering long-term can add a pleasant mouthfeel.

Herky21 said:

some 6-row in a cream ale also helps in the mash. 6-row raises the level of nitrogen to help with adjuncts like corn. I think Lactose would be out of style and might add too much sweetness to such a light beer.

I'd suggest adding carapils, maybe some malted barley. Also, a long period of lagering is really what cream ales are known for. Lagering long-term can add a pleasant mouthfeel.

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Since this is the second time that post has been quoted and people are calling me a fool, I should clarify. I was suggesting the lactose if he wanted to make an out-of-style cream ale that fits the name, as some of the west coast brewers have started doing. As you mention, 6-row is usually the base of choice for the style, didn't know that about the nitrogen; cool!

You guys take yourselves far too seriously. The op asked how to add a creamy mouthfeel, not how to make a cream ale that fit the BJCP guidelines.
Help the guy make the beer HE wants, not the cream ale YOU would make.

Soulrebel said:

You guys take yourselves far too seriously. The op asked how to add a creamy mouthfeel, not how to make a cream ale that fit the BJCP guidelines.
Help the guy make the beer HE wants, not the cream ale YOU would make.

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Why not let him know that the name is misleading? He said: "Perhaps I just didn't know what the style was. I find it odd that the style is called 'Cream Ale' while it is not actually creamy." Now he knows, so he won't be confused and disappointed if he brews a cream ale recipe and it isn't creamy. Looks like he got plenty of feedback on how to make a cream ale creamy, too, if that's what he wants to do.

Who cares about styles? Let's make what we wanna drink!

How did the creamy ale come out?

If someone hadn't figured out the science ahead of a novice like me, I would not be able to walk into my HBS, pick out a recipe and ingredients and go home and brew a beer that I like. Cheers to the beer nerds!