Smooth Flow / Cream Ale / Nitro Recipes

Probably not the favorite variety on homebrew sites, but i've been particularly enjoying the likes of Tetley's Smooth Flow, John Smiths Extra Smooth, Wexford Irish Cream Ale and Old Speckled Hen. The "Nitro" 16 oz'ers.

For my second batch, i purchased an extract recipe from a LHBS. it's a Cream Ale sitting in Primary going on Wk 3. Not know what this will taste like for another 3 weeks, i wanted to make something in the lines of the brews mentioned above. Since i particularly enjoy the low carbon/ silky texture of these beers (not to mention, low ABV/session), i was wondering if this trait can be accomplished without the use of nitrogen?

And if anyone has any recommendations, i'd love to brew one of these smooth flow types with hints of vanilla. i've only come across speckled hen clones, so i guess that's a start (for an extract recipe). If anyone has any input to my goal, any help is appreciated. until then, i'll scour the internets and see what ingrediants i can decipher for my swill.

"i'd love to brew one of these smooth flow types with hints of vanilla"

put vanilla beans in your secondary.

" i was wondering if this trait can be accomplished without the use of nitrogen?"

some people try to emulate nitrogen by using a syring.They pull some beer out of their glass then rapidly shoot it back in.I personally just coughed up the cash and run a nitrogen tap.

i've read about vanilla beans, seems the way to go for that flavor. The Nitro tap will have to be on hold. I assume that isn't a quick fix and with expense caps, probably not something in the near future. although something to ponder in the meantime. if you know of any recipes for "smooth" brews, let me know. finding them on the web isn't as easy as you think (outside of OSH). Although I'm looking forward to the cream i have sitting around. thanks.

The "smooth flow" type beers aren't so much about the recipe as they are about the dispensing method. The nitro pour is what gives them the smooth low carbonation and creamy head. As paps said, you can get close to this using a syringe to suck up some beer and shoot it back into the glass. Just be sure to carbonate the beers to a very low level, maybe something like 1.5 volumes, otherwise the syringe trick will kick up a huge head that will overflow your glass. As for a recipe, just go for something simple. Since it looks like you do extract recipes, just go for a pale extract base with about a half a pound of a medium english crystal steeped. If you can do partial mashes mash a little flaked barley or wheat (torrified or malt) for some extra head retention for that smooth creamy head. If you can't mash, then you could also use a little wheat extract or steep a little carapils. Aim for an ABV% of 4.0-4.4 and about 30 IBUs using something like goldings to bitter and as a late addition. Use british yeast and carb to 1.5 volumes. Then use the syringe trick after pouring into a glass. That should get you very close to what you're looking for.

awesome, thanks for the feedback. being the noob still, i am strictly extract till i start tasting the patches i have in fermentors and bottles. but i'll heed you advice, something to look forward to after i get rid of these 15 gallons of brew i'll have laying around (which, as long as they taste good, shouldn't be to hard to get rid of).
thanks again for the info.