Caramel cream ale?

I brewed the v1 recipe and has been kegged for about 1 1/2 weeks now. It tastes great...!!!! This is my first time at one of these "sweeter" style beers and I really like it... Its not something I could drink all the time every day, but I tend to like porters and stouts for everyday drinking... This recipe is definitely going into my recipe book and will be keeper...!!!! good luck to everyone trying this...

Jester

Dude and I were chatting at the Beer Fest last weekend here in Raleigh, and he commented that Cheesey must have stumbled across a world class recipe here.

No offense intended toward Cheesefood, but this recipe was one of the first you created, wasn't it? Yet, tons of people have brewed it and they all rave about it.

Bravo, Cheesey. I'm going to have to eventually cook up a batch of this to see what all the fuss is about. You seem to have nailed it.

-walker

I am going to do my attempt at v.1.0 this Friday. The only thing I have left to pick up is "real" vanilla extract. There are a couple places in town I have yet to look for it. But being as close to Mexico as I am, I doubt I will have that much trouble finding the good stuff.


THe only thing I haven't decided yet, is when Im going to add the lactose and the vanilla. As of now I may add the lactose late in the boil, and the vanilla as Its going into the primary.

Walker-san said:

No offense intended toward Cheesefood, but this recipe was one of the first you created, wasn't it? Yet, tons of people have brewed it and they all rave about it.

Bravo, Cheesey. I'm going to have to eventually cook up a batch of this to see what all the fuss is about. You seem to have nailed it.

-walker

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No, I created a few other beers. They were duds. One of them has been sitting in the bottle for about a year now. I'm trying one tonight for the first time since September in hopes that it'll finally prove worthy of keeping.

Cheesy, when you did V1 of this did you do a full or partial boil? I want to give this a try and am wondering if I need to adjust the hops at all.

TWolf10 said:

Cheesy, when you did V1 of this did you do a full or partial boil? I want to give this a try and am wondering if I need to adjust the hops at all.

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I did a partial extract, but fully boiled for 60 minutes total. You can adjust the hops by throwing more in (I went from 2oz to 3oz with positive results) or give the final hops more time (I went with end of boil for v1).

I need to brew again soon. I think I'm going to start the Tyre soon.

Cheesefood said:

Hops
1oz Cascade for bittering (60 minutes)
.5oz Saaz for flavor (20 minutes)
.5 oz Tettnang for aroma (end of boil)

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I went ahead and got an oz of each. Not sure of the AA% at work atm, but I was also considering upping the tettnang some for a bit more aroma. You remember how much you used? 1 oz of each?

JimmyBeam said:

I went ahead and got an oz of each. Not sure of the AA% at work atm, but I was also considering upping the tettnang some for a bit more aroma. You remember how much you used? 1 oz of each?

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For v2 (Boom-Boom) I used a full O of each, and I think I like the results better. I'm sipping on one right now that's been bottle aged for several weeks. The MD gives great mouthfeel and the hops add some crispness to it...a little bite after the sweet. I should enter a bottle into a competition just to see how it fares. Anyone know of a competition coming up soon?

OUCH! Dammit Cheese, I was backtracking thru this thread and you changed AV's on me and I choked... I'm still gonna re-read, but it's gonna be damn difficult with that AV brother..... I may just have to drink more....


Ize

Ps. Yeah this is on the list of things to brew. Congrats man, this looks like a terrific brew, and from the reviews it must be!

I believe the stark contrast between successive avatar selections by Cheesefood hints at the possibility that he is in fact manic depressive.


-walker
amateur psychoanalyst

edit: has anyone stopped to think about the fact that cheesey either (a) has a stock pile of obese-lady porn or (b) he seeks it out and knows where to get it.

Cheese for the love of GOD ignore this post if you read it...


Ize

Ize said:

I swear if he finds a variation of this one with his previous, I may be ill...

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Nice job, asswipe... now you KNOW he's going to find one. Quick! Delete your post before he sees it!



-walker

Walker-san said:

Nice job, asswipe... now you KNOW he's going to find one. Quick! Delete your post before he sees it!



-walker

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CRAP..... he WILL won't he?


I don't know tho, it's gotta be better than what's there NOW...

Doesn't it?

Ize

I missed it.

Download StumbleUpon. It's more addictive than message forums.

Racked my caramel cream ale to the secondary tonight, It smelled like alcohol big time! It was in the the primary for 6 days this is the longest I have ever had an ale in the primary but the airlock just kept bubbling. Also this is the first time I have used temp control 70F and I used WL German ale yeast. My o.g was 1045 I also used LME 3.5lbs of each. What do you guys think? everything sound like its going smooth?

fa1321tx said:

Racked my caramel cream ale to the secondary tonight, It smelled like alcohol big time! It was in the the primary for 6 days this is the longest I have ever had an ale in the primary but the airlock just kept bubbling. Also this is the first time I have used temp control 70F and I used WL German ale yeast. My o.g was 1045 I also used LME 3.5lbs of each. What do you guys think? everything sound like its going smooth?

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Alcohol? Why on earth would it smell like that? Oh dear lord, you've made poison! Burn it! Burn it all! Burn down your entire house!

Arrrrrhhhhh!!!

It should be fine. RDWHAHB

Cheesefood said:

Alcohol? Why on earth would it smell like that? Oh dear lord, you've made poison! Burn it! Burn it all! Burn down your entire house!

Arrrrrhhhhh!!!

It should be fine. RDWHAHB

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Oh dear lord, you've made poison! <--- That is some funny Shi* !

Yeah nobody said anything about alcohol! It was the dominate smell what % alc does your CCA finish at?
Also what is RDWHAHB?

fa1321tx said:

Oh dear lord, you've made poison! <--- That is some funny Shi* !

Yeah nobody said anything about alcohol! It was the dominate smell what % alc does your CCA finish at?
Also what is RDWHAHB?

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I don't take hydrometer readings. No point in it.

RDWHAHBis the mantra around here: Relax, Don't Worry, Have A Home Brew

Cheesefood said:

I don't take hydrometer readings. No point in it.

RDWHAHBis the mantra around here: Relax, Don't Worry, Have A Home Brew

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I broke my hydrometer before I did my first brew... so I didnt take hydrometer readings for a while... and now it seems like a pain to try to get a sample out of the 6.5 gallon carboys... so.. I'll take a reading during racking if I remember...

Cheesefood... nice avatars by the way...!!!!! Its always a good to see a hot a$$ woman when reading about beer.... heheheee....

JEster

Add me to the ever-growing list of ppl who've brewed this one. 3 days in the primary and the kreusen has already hit the airlock in my 6.5-gal 'Ale Pail' twice. "Boom-Boom" is right!

Was anyone else surprised at how expensive a little bottle of vanilla is?? I usually buy it once every blue moon, but 6 ounces was as much as the rest of my ingredients put together!

skifast1 said:

Add me to the ever-growing list of ppl who've brewed this one. 3 days in the primary and the kreusen has already hit the airlock in my 6.5-gal 'Ale Pail' twice. "Boom-Boom" is right!

Was anyone else surprised at how expensive a little bottle of vanilla is?? I usually buy it once every blue moon, but 6 ounces was as much as the rest of my ingredients put together!

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Hey Skifast, good to see more Illinoians on the board.

I bought a big bottle of real Bourbon Vanilla extract from Costco for $7.95. I can't remember how much is in there, but it's a lot.

I ended up putting my racking hose into the hole for the airlock. Fit perfectly. Put the other end in a glass of water and it bubbled for a few days.

I let it go about 3 months in the primary. I don't think you need to let it go that long, but it didn't hurt my flavor or clarity.

Cheesefood said:

Hey Skifast, good to see more Illinoians on the board.

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Hi Cheese - I'm guessing you're a regular at the Brew & Grow shop! That's a dangerous place for me. (love the avatars, btw)

I bought a big bottle of real Bourbon Vanilla extract from Costco for $7.95. I can't remember how much is in there, but it's a lot.

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Holy buckets that's cheap - I think the 2oz "Jewel" brand vanilla was $7. Now if only Costco stocked DME....

I let it go about 3 months in the primary. I don't think you need to let it go that long, but it didn't hurt my flavor or clarity.

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I'm trying to figure out how you managed to let something that good sit for so long. My Wee Heavy really should be left alone for a few months, but the money's against it lasting that long.

I brewed an AG version this today, and it tasted really good going into the primary. I hope it turns out as good as all the reports. I only used 2# of wheat malt this time. Maybe next time I'll go for 3#, depending on how creamy it turns out.

BTW - since there was some discussion a few posts ago about OG, mine was 1.052 (no lactose added yet), so I expect this should be 5 - 5.5% when it's done.

I should also note that for some reason, this was probably my easiest brew session ever. Maybe it's because I was making beer when I'm usually at work! Today was a good day!

Cheesefood said:

I ended up putting my racking hose into the hole for the airlock. Fit perfectly. Put the other end in a glass of water and it bubbled for a few days.

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After overflowing my third airlock in as many days, I finally wised up and set up the tube & water glass - you're right, it fits just perfect.

I can't believe how much activity this batch is showing; does the vanilla provide more sugars for the yeast to feast on?

Well I finally got around to brewing this on the 14th of May. I transferred it to secondary today and it does taste pretty good so far. I will definately be adding the lactose and vanilla additions at bottling to get that extra vanilla and sweetness. I am excited for this brew to finish so that I can see what all the hype is about. Just to throw it out there my OG was about 1.052 and the Gravity at secondary was 1.012, does this sound about right? Also, since the recipe uses wheat DME, I am assuming that it will end up a little cloudy???

:rockin: :rockin:

I used LME for my batch it came out at 5.8% alc. My og 1.045 fg 1.001 tasted good when I bottled it.

out of all my brews... this one gets the most approvals from people... everyone loves it...!!!!

We had some friends over the other night and my buddy offered his wife a drink of it. She took it from him and wouldn't give it back! ...and she doesn't even really like beer! Then she had a glass of my homemade apple wine and took the rest of the bottle home with her. Made me feel good anyway.

Now my take on this beer - I like it and think it tastes nice, but I wouldn't say it's my favorite, or even that I would want to drink it every day. But it is different and it definately tastes good.

fa1321tx said:

I used LME for my batch it came out at 5.8% alc. My og 1.045 fg 1.001 tasted good when I bottled it.

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Your batch fermented out much more than mine did for some reason. I think mine was still arount 1.012 or so when I bottled it. What kind of yeast did you use?

mine sure is taking a long time to carb. sure does taste good though

Lil' Sparky said:

We had some friends over the other night and my buddy offered his wife a drink of it. She took it from him and wouldn't give it back! ...and she doesn't even really like beer! Then she had a glass of my homemade apple wine and took the rest of the bottle home with her. Made me feel good anyway.

Now my take on this beer - I like it and think it tastes nice, but I wouldn't say it's my favorite, or even that I would want to drink it every day. But it is different and it definately tastes good.

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Sounds like you have a mooch on your hands.

If that's the case, ALL my friends are mooches.

I give away at least twice as much of my homebrew compared to what I personally drink. I enjoy it though. For me, it's part of what makes homebrewing fun.

9 Months and still going strong...this thread just won't die. Sounds like you got a winner Cheese...and the new avatar ain't half bad either :rockin:

JRGSPE73 said:

9 Months and still going strong...this thread just won't die. Sounds like you got a winner Cheese...and the new avatar ain't half bad either :rockin:

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Almost 5,000 views as well.

Dang...I just noticed that my 1,000 post came and went without my notice.

Bottling my first try at this fermenting monster tonight - can't wait!!

Thank you Cheese!!!!!!!

Mine is finally finished. And damn, is it good. This ones definitely in the recipe book, and is going to be brewed again very soon.

Im guessing I got the darker color from the 60 minute boil with extract. Maybe an AG one next time around.

Chimone said:

Mine is finally finished. And damn, is it good. This ones definitely in the recipe book, and is going to be brewed again very soon.

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Chimone - how long did you wait between bottling and drinking this bad boy? I just opened one after 6 days and the vanilla was REALLY strong. Cheese assures me it'll mellow, but I'm curious how long you waited.

Its been about a month now. I only used a total of 1 oz real vanilla. Theres an ever so slight hint of vanlilla, but thats it. Most people wont even notice. I think maybe ill use 1.5 perhaps 2 ozs next time.

I noticed a big difference between the first and last beer of each batch I made. Just let it sit then revisit it in a couple weeks.
Ski, is yours clear or cloudy? Mine started very cloudy and asit got clearer the flavors settled more.

Chimone, glad you like it. Your color looks a lot like mine.

Cheesefood said:

Ski, is yours clear or cloudy? Mine started very cloudy and asit got clearer the flavors settled more.

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The one bottle I cracked was definitely cloudy, but looked great. I'm afraid I'm going to have to *gasp* go and buy some beer to tide me over in the meantime!