I just drank a cream ale for the first time ever.

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We had the folks from Genesse at our home brew club meeting a few years ago. We decided to do a clone of Genny cream ale. We used a combination of 2-row, 6 row, and flaked maze as our base grains with a California common yeast. Our brew was placed 2nd out of 9 teams. The brewers from Genesse were impressed by most of the beers and said our recipe was close to the real thing.
 
We had the folks from Genesse at our home brew club meeting a few years ago. We decided to do a clone of Genny cream ale. We used a combination of 2-row, 6 row, and flaked maze as our base grains with a California common yeast. Our brew was placed 2nd out of 9 teams. The brewers from Genesse were impressed by most of the beers and said our recipe was close to the real thing.

And that recipe is............
 
Im willing to try any beer, but cream ales seem to light for me. I like a lot of flavor. I dont think im a subtle kind of guy. That being said, not gonna knock it til I try it :)
 
I have been knocking cream ale for years and I have never tried it. Yet here I stand, like a champion.
 
Drank a lot of Genny Cream Ale in college here in Buffalo. It was cheap, tasted pretty good, and came in 16oz washed bottles. We'd get a case for under $10. Haven't had it in years. There was a side effect to drinking it referred to as the Genny Screamers that you experienced the next morning. it wasn't pleasant.
 
So here is the recipe that I'll throw out there.... It is a mash up (no pun intended) of several different recipes. I have tried to take a loot at each ingredient and what it brings to the party.

5 lbs 2-row pale
5 lbs pilsner malt
1 lbs flaked corn
.5 lbs flaked barley
.5 lbs caramel 10L

1 ounce liberty 4.3% pellet 60 minutes
1 ounce liberty 4.3% pellet 5 minutes

Right now I have my efficiency at 70% because I am building a new rig and I am sure it'll take a while to get it dialed in. Please take that into account when looking at this.

I have debated replacing the pilsner malt with 6-row. Any thoughts or feedback?
 
I don't think 6row is necessary, but that's just one guys opinion. I really liked the flavor of the pilsner in mine when I made it. The Liberty hops will give a slight citrus/lemon flavor when the beer is fresh.
 
I put liberty in the recipe since that seem to be the most popular, but I think this may be an interesting place to use the AU Helga hops I just got in the mail. I have never used them, but the description from NB is:

"Typical alpha 4.9-6.3% Formerly known as Southern Hallertau. Bears almost no aroma similarities to it's European cousin - instead, fresh fruit yogurt, crushed super-pungent basil, and darjeeling tea jump out. Low oil and cohumulone, but very unique aroma with moderate bittering. Lots of potential for English-style ales."

All that makes it sound interesting for this recipe.
 
Best cream ale I've tried is called Kilkinney. It's brewed by Guinness from what I've been told. Unfortunately there are only two places in the USA where you can get it. One is at the Rose and Crown in Disney World. If you ever get a chance to try it I highly recommend it. It's awsome.
 
My first cream ale is cold crashing now! I'm pretty excited, 1oz crystal at 60, 30, 15, & 0, fg @ 1.004, thanks to sugar addition. Not bad for fermenting at 56 tops.
 
It could have been that 4 of us sat down to play cards 35 years ago with a 1/4 keg of Genny. It could have been that we were back at the package store 2 1/2 hours later to get another one. In those days, $12 a 1/4 keg (7.75) gallons.

These days, Tap1 on the keezer always has a cream ale on it. Nice easy drinker.
 
I've been reading about Cream Ales for a long time, but I don't eat dairy and as stupid as it sounds, I thought they actually had some sort of cream in them so I never searched for one or a recipe until I just read this post. […]

Fyi, there's no milk in a milk stout, either...

Cheers! ;)
 
This is a pretty great thread! I was looking to brew my boyfriend and his sister a cream ale as my next brew. Genne is one of their favorite brews and they recently lost their father. Looking through old family photos, what was the old man drinking? Squat top bottles of Genne!

I am newbie to brewing, so would anyone have an extract recipe for this? I have little experience with adjuncts. I saw Northern Brewer has a kit available, has anyone tried it? I would really like to make this my first extract true recipe shot, not a kit. Advice appreciated. Although you can get a case of it for around $13 here, I would really enjoy putting some love and time into it.
 
Best cream ale I've tried is called Kilkinney. It's brewed by Guinness from what I've been told. Unfortunately there are only two places in the USA where you can get it. One is at the Rose and Crown in Disney World. If you ever get a chance to try it I highly recommend it. It's awsome.

I tried that a few years ago,got it around here somewhere but then it vanished shortly after,never seen it since. I didnt know that was a cream ale, I remember likeing it though.:)
 
This is a pretty great thread! I was looking to brew my boyfriend and his sister a cream ale as my next brew. Genne is one of their favorite brews and they recently lost their father. Looking through old family photos, what was the old man drinking? Squat top bottles of Genne!

I am newbie to brewing, so would anyone have an extract recipe for this? I have little experience with adjuncts. I saw Northern Brewer has a kit available, has anyone tried it? I would really like to make this my first extract true recipe shot, not a kit. Advice appreciated. Although you can get a case of it for around $13 here, I would really enjoy putting some love and time into it.

You can buy corn sugar to replace the corn, and extra light DME for the extract. There are a couple of things that can really help- cool fermentation temperatures (60 if you can do it!) with a clean neutral yeast like nottingham. Good water, like reverse osmosis water, is important in a super light beer like this also. If you want to start a new thread in the "recipe area" asking for a specific recipe for extract, I'm sure you'll find some great recipes and we'll be glad to help with specifics.

Northern Brewer's "Speckled Heifer" kit is a nice cream ale, and I've actually sampled that one (a friend made it- an extract brewer). I haven't tried any other cream ale kit by them, though.
 
Thanks! I will be snooping around the recipe threads for sure. Appreciate the tip on temp. I think I can attain that temp in our loft, will have to monitor the temps up there (we keep the window open up there).
 
I just decided to brew cream of three crops today, since this thread reminded me how much I liked my first one, and changed my brew plans.
Changed it up a little.
Subbed Korean red rice to give a lovely ruby red color
cereal mashed stone ground cornmeal and the rice
subbed in 1/2 lb honey malt, and 1/4 lb biscuit
hopped with Cluster.
Mashed at 152

wort tasted awesome going into the carboy. 1.49 OG
American Ale II yeast, third generation.
Hoping for a crisp ruby red cream ale in a couple months.
 
What does "cereal mashed" mean?

A cereal mash is when you mash a portion of the base malt with unmalted cereal grains such as rice or corn. Basically you gelatinize the grain and the base malt enzymes begin the conversion. Then boil to mush, and add back into the main mash.
You can use formulas to determine rest temps similar to decoction.
 
Oh , like raw corn and rice. Cool . Never tried it. I have used the flaked stuff here and there. I put flaked oats in alot of my recipes.
 
My roommate in college (Elmira, NY) would completely fill our little dorm room fridge with Genny cream ale. Went down easy, a little too easy.

I was thinking Best Bitter as the batch "on deck", now maybe the Cream of 3 Crops. Decisions decisions
 
Looks like canal water, or cream corn. I used corn and rice flakes.
Kinda tasted like canal water with hops in it too.
Not that bad but not very good either.
Tried it twice for my sis. Botched it both times.
I was thinking it was the wrong yeast. Notty on the 1st try and Safale 05 the next time.Thought it may have needed to be Kolsh.
Has to be fermentation temps or maybe mash temp.
I want to try again. Just a 5 gallon batch this time.
Any tricks I need to know? Kinda discouraging.
 
Looks like canal water, or cream corn. I used corn and rice flakes.
Kinda tasted like canal water with hops in it too.
Not that bad but not very good either.
Tried it twice for my sis. Botched it both times.
I was thinking it was the wrong yeast. Notty on the 1st try and Safale 05 the next time.Thought it may have needed to be Kolsh.
Has to be fermentation temps or maybe mash temp.
I want to try again. Just a 5 gallon batch this time.
Any tricks I need to know? Kinda discouraging.

What recipe(s) did you use?

I don't like s-05. Never used notty, even though I have it in my fridge. I use American Ale II for most things. I'd try the kolsch yeast though, I've used the one from wyeast, and liked it.

Ferment low. Mine is pegged at 63 F core temp (temp probe).

Keep IBU's low, and don't use standout hops like centennial.

If you are mashing, mash low and use soft water. I start with RO and add chemicals. For this I add CaCl2 only.

leave it on the yeast long enough to clean up off flavors like 3-4 weeks. Light beers like this show flaws easily. I let mine age until clear in a keg in the fridge, the second to last glass is always best.
 
justkev52 said:
Looks like canal water, or cream corn. I used corn and rice flakes.
Kinda tasted like canal water with hops in it too.
Not that bad but not very good either.
Tried it twice for my sis. Botched it both times.
I was thinking it was the wrong yeast. Notty on the 1st try and Safale 05 the next time.Thought it may have needed to be Kolsh.
Has to be fermentation temps or maybe mash temp.
I want to try again. Just a 5 gallon batch this time.
Any tricks I need to know? Kinda discouraging.

Both of those yeasts are the standard. You can use WLP029 Kolsch of you like or the cream ale blend but I don't think yeast is your issue. Light beers like this require a skillfull boil. Not too much and not too little. Different for extract ( definatly late additions for extract) and solid roll for SMM scrubbing (DMS reduction). Use Irish moss and cold crash for "secondary". Should be clear and clean as a whistle.
 
Mmm one of my favorite beers is Kiwanda Cream Ale by Pelican brewery (http://www.yourlittlebeachtown.com/pelican/beer/kiwanda-cream-ale). I did a cream ale pretty early on in my homebrewing that was just 2 row, lots of flaked barley (I think 20%) and a little bit of cara-pils. Then I just used Mt. Hood hops at 30 mins and less for 25 ibus. Fermented cool with the cream ale blend by white labs and came out with a really solid beer, super refreshing and easy drinking. I entered it in the State Fair and believe it scored in the upper 30s so I was pretty happy about that. Anyway I was always one of those IPA/super hoppy beer drinkers til I had this beer and like someone said the style is pretty open to interpretation which makes it fun to experiment with.
 
Thanks for the tips.
I'm starting to not like S-05 very well either.
I threw the recipe away after screwing up the 15th gallon :)
I'll try one of the recipes on here or in the BS cloud.
I'll probably try the Kolch or a blend of lager and ale yeast this time. Probably just the Kolch.
Thanks again!
 
Both of those yeasts are the standard. You can use WLP029 Kolsch of you like or the cream ale blend but I don't think yeast is your issue. Light beers like this require a skillfull boil. Not too much and not too little. Different for extract ( definatly late additions for extract) and solid roll for SMM scrubbing (DMS reduction). Use Irish moss and cold crash for "secondary". Should be clear and clean as a whistle.
Thanks,
I'll try that. Got a new high BTU burner coming tomorrow.
Hard to acheive a hard boil in the freezing garage.
Dosen't stop me from brewing though.
Chill goes away about half way through the boil:)
 
Mmm one of my favorite beers is Kiwanda Cream Ale by Pelican brewery (http://www.yourlittlebeachtown.com/pelican/beer/kiwanda-cream-ale). I did a cream ale pretty early on in my homebrewing that was just 2 row, lots of flaked barley (I think 20%) and a little bit of cara-pils. Then I just used Mt. Hood hops at 30 mins and less for 25 ibus. Fermented cool with the cream ale blend by white labs and came out with a really solid beer, super refreshing and easy drinking. I entered it in the State Fair and believe it scored in the upper 30s so I was pretty happy about that. Anyway I was always one of those IPA/super hoppy beer drinkers til I had this beer and like someone said the style is pretty open to interpretation which makes it fun to experiment with.

I love that ale! My mother-in-law sometimes sends some over and it's delicious. Would you like to share the recipe?
 
Try to get your hands on Slumbrew's My Better Half. It's an imperial cream ale and its stunning. Not just a great cream ale, but a great beer
 
I'm late to the party but another fun thing to do with cream ale is serve it as a Real Ale. My first all grain batch was a cream ale to be the guest tap at the homebrew club meeting (every meeting someone makes a beer and the club pres does the cellaring and serves it from a hand pull). I took home less than a gallon that day. It clocked in at about 4.5 abv and was absolutely amazing. I used 6lbs 2-row, 3lbs Flaked Maize, 0.5 carpils, 1 oz cluster (o.75 oz 60 min, 0.25 flameout). Your right it disappears quick and is a favorite with almost everyone. I call the recipe, "This is My Covered Dish".
 
pelipen said:
I just decided to brew cream of three crops today, since this thread reminded me how much I liked my first one, and changed my brew plans.
Changed it up a little.
Subbed Korean red rice to give a lovely ruby red color
cereal mashed stone ground cornmeal and the rice
subbed in 1/2 lb honey malt, and 1/4 lb biscuit
hopped with Cluster.
Mashed at 152

wort tasted awesome going into the carboy. 1.49 OG
American Ale II yeast, third generation.
Hoping for a crisp ruby red cream ale in a couple months.

Any update on how this turned out?
 
A great cream ale is Midwest Supplies Liberty Cream Ale kit. I brew the all grain version with wyeast 1056. It's light with a really balanced hop character. Crisp, refreshing, with a creamy mouthfeel. I've brewed it a dozen items. Always a big hit. You can get the recipe from the Midwest website.
 
Kind of funny seeing all the love for Cream Ale. I know I have seen a few of these posters bash BMC for making tastless beer. Cream Ale is basically the Ale counterpart to the much despised BMC beers :). Don't get me wrong, I like Cream Ales, but I also like Bud Light at times too.
 
Kind of funny seeing all the love for Cream Ale. I know I have seen a few of these posters bash BMC for making tastless beer. Cream Ale is basically the Ale counterpart to the much despised BMC beers :). Don't get me wrong, I like Cream Ales, but I also like Bud Light at times too.

Beers are like music - there's a place for most of them :) :rockin: (depending on the mood)
 
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