Cream Ale Cream of Three Crops (Cream Ale)

I am planning on trying my first no boil (aka raw ale) with this recipe. Anyone have experience doing a no boil and want to share their results?

dirkjk said:

I am planning on trying my first no boil (aka raw ale) with this recipe. Anyone have experience doing a no boil and want to share their results?

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With or without a pasteurization step after the mash?

I often do no-boil (both with and without pasteurization of the wort) for my berlinerweiss beers with a similar grain bill and have produced very clean and pleasantly "grainy" beers with the method.

ten80 said:

With or without a pasteurization step after the mash?

I often do no-boil (both with and without pasteurization of the wort) for my berlinerweiss beers with a similar grain bill and have produced very clean and pleasantly "grainy" beers with the method.

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I brew in a bag. My plan is to mash at around 150 for 30 min with hops then pull a decoction, enough to raise the overall temp to around 170 which should help with the hops iso and pasteurization.

BrunDog said:

Curious to hear your results. My only concern is Ca ppm is a bit low for yeast health.

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Huh. News to me. At this point, I'm just plugging and chugging water profiles in Bru'n water. I figured I'd learn what they all do eventually.

What's the potential problem? Under-attenuation? Low flocculation? Early cell death/autolysis? (I plan to harvest some yeast from this batch.)

Krausen is almost up. I guess I'll know about attenuation when I take a gravity sample.

Ca > 50 ppm is good for yeast health/propagation.

BrunDog said:

Ca > 50 ppm is good for yeast health/propagation.

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Yeah, but what am I supposed to look for to see if the low calcium went poorly?

I took a gravity sample at day 6, since fermentation seemed to have died down. It's at 1.006, so 86% apparent attenuation. So if the yeast health problem was that they might not reproduce or attenuate well, that didn't happen.

I actually think it's still fermenting some. I raised it to d-rest temperatures, but it's only been there for a day or so. It's very corny smelling and tasting right now. (Think: tortilla chips.) Other than that, no detectable off-flavors. But it's very cloudy, and you can tell that that's because of some particulate matter floating around. I'm guessing it's either the yeast or trub being kicked up by the yeast.

Just brewed this today.

Doubled the amount of rice and used flaked. Also used Colombus to bitter and did a 60 minute boil instead of 90.

Ended up with 1.044, so overshot by just a bit.

Looking forward to it! Should be ready to drink in July, just in time for those hot days.

Bottling my latest batch today. Used some experimental hops (#07270) that were said to be like Amarillo on steroids. If they turn out well my lhbs has 1# bags of them!

My first attempt at this recipeView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1498362430.622182.jpg

Turned out pretty good. I will brew it again.

The reality is the malt generally has everything the yeast need. In beers with lots of adjuncts like this one, sometimes elements like Ca need a bit more attention. But a good yeast pitch can make up for it. Remember that yeast health is more than just attenuation. Every beer will ferment if given enough time and the right temperature. But stressed yeast produce off flavors, so its best they are happy!

After 1 week in bottle. So good.

Finshed at 1.012 after 2 weeks with US-05, so a fair bit higher than I thought, but beer nonetheless. Looking forward to giving it a try once it's done carbing.

So I posted a while back. I did 50/50 pilsner/2-row, california common yeast, and I bumped up the rice and lowered the corn. I've now tried my beer and... well, I think it's a little too corny. Hopefully that'll age out a little. Otherwise, it's fine beer. I'm very happy with the color and clarity.

I've never attempted a cream ale so this will be interesting. Although I did get to try one at my last brewing competition. It was really good and I enjoyed it which is what really matters. I brew for myself and everybody else gets to reap the benefits if they like it as well.

This is a very long thread at 300 and some odd pages long so I figured I'd just post and ask. Is everybody still using the recipe The op posted on page one or has the recipe evolved and now everybody is using a different recipe?

BrewinSoldier said:

. Is everybody still using the recipe The op posted on page one or has the recipe evolved and now everybody is using a different recipe?

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I am using basically the same recipe but have modified it a tad. I use equal amounts of rice and corn instead of the 1:2 ratio. I also have played around with the hops. The last batch was done with experimental hop #07270, described as "amarillo x 10"!

I haven't made a bad batch of this recipe yet.

BrewinSoldier said:

I've never attempted a cream ale so this will be interesting. Although I did get to try one at my last brewing competition. It was really good and I enjoyed it which is what really matters. I brew for myself and everybody else gets to reap the benefits if they like it as well.

This is a very long thread at 300 and some odd pages long so I figured I'd just post and ask. Is everybody still using the recipe The op posted on page one or has the recipe evolved and now everybody is using a different recipe?

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I brewed a cream ale about 6 weeks ago. I didn't use this recipe, but this recipe is what probably inspired me to do a cream ale. Mine was pilsner malt, rice, Sorachi Ace hops, and German ale yeast. Very good summer beer; I'll brew it again, but might use some corn next time (getting back closer to the original recipe)

BrewinSoldier said:

Is everybody still using the recipe The op posted on page one or has the recipe evolved and now everybody is using a different recipe?

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I don't think it's evolved much, reading more recent threads. My recipe was the same as Biermuncher's, except I substituted half of the 2-row with Pilsen malt and I reduced the corn and raised the flaked rice to be about even (same overall percentage of adjuncts). I also used California Common yeast, but I don't think it mattered.

Lowering the corn and raising the rice was a suggestion early in the thread, I think by BM himself. I did this because I was chasing a lighter SRM.

Here she is after a week in the keezer. Pretty refreshing!

tiredofbuyingbeer said:

I've now tried my beer and... well, I think it's a little too corny. Hopefully that'll age out a little.

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Update: It definitely ages out. I think the corn taste was exacerbated by the likely sweetness of the residual priming sugar that had not yet been eaten, as well as the less-than-full carbonation bite. (It might also be less prominent if the beer were more heavily hopped, but that would be to take it beyond the recipe.) It was basically like flat Budweiser. Now that I'm getting into bottles that have been carbed for more than 14 days, it tastes like a quality AAL. I'll post pictures soon.

Great i'll go into brewing this one after my attempt at an Imperial honey porter. This recipe looks really good ! maybe i'll hop it up a little bit

Picture:

Hey ! i've come up with my little twist to that cream ale :

HOME BREW RECIPE:
Title: Cream Ale Tri-Crops Shady
Author: Biermuncher

Brew Method: All Grain
Style Name: Cream Ale
Boil Time: 90 min
Batch Size: 11 gallons (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 15 gallons
Boil Gravity: 1.037
Efficiency: 75% (brew house)


STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.050
Final Gravity: 1.009
ABV (standard): 5.34%
IBU (tinseth): 15.25
SRM (morey): 4.01

FERMENTABLES:
14 lb - Canadian - Pale 2-Row (70%)
2 lb - Flaked Corn (10%)
2 lb - Flaked Rice (10%)
2 lb - Canadian - Munich Light (10%)

HOPS:
1.5 oz - Willamette, Type: Pellet, AA: 4.8, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 14.03
0.125 oz - Horizon, Type: Pellet, AA: 10.1, Use: Boil for 15 min, IBU: 1.22

MASH GUIDELINES:
1) Temp: 153 F, Time: 90 min, Amount: 1.42 gal, Mash
2) Fly Sparge, Temp: 168 F, Time: 30 min, Amount: 0 gal, Fly sparge
Starting Mash Thickness: 1.5 qt/lb

OTHER INGREDIENTS:
2 g - Gelatin, Time: 0 min, Type: Other, Use: Secondary

YEAST:
Fermentis / Safale - American Ale Yeast US-05
Starter: Yes
Form: Dry
Attenuation (avg): 81%
Flocculation: Medium
Optimum Temp: 54 - 77 F
Fermentation Temp: 68 F
Pitch Rate: 0.5 (M cells / ml / deg P)


This recipe has been published online at:
https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/517451/cream-ale-tri-crops-shady

Generated by Brewer's Friend - https://www.brewersfriend.com/
Date: 2017-07-19 15:44 UTC
Recipe Last Updated: 2017-07-19 15:44 UTC

I made this recipe about 5 years ago and enjoyed it. Now that I live in the Florida heat I think it will be a perfect summer beer so I'm making another batch next weekend. Has anyone tried it with kolsch yeast? I read half the thread and didn't see anything. I'm planning to use 2 of the 3 out of notty, us05 or washed kolsch yeast. Obviously split between 2 fermenters.

I just made my 3rd batch of this and its probably my best yet. I wanted a touch more body and flavor character. Here are the details on my 11 gallon batch:

2 Row Pale Malt 10.0lbs
Toasted 2-row 2.0lbs (275 degrees for 35 minutes)
Flaked Maize 4.0lbs
Minute Rice 1.0lb
C60 4oz

Mashed 151
60 minute boil

1.75oz of Styrian Bobek at 60 minutes

Yeast: 34/70 starter fermented at 66 degrees for 7 days.

Into the fermenter:


Awesome Vittles Vault fitting into my mini fridge like a boss!

No air lock needed with Vittles Vault?

dstockwell said:

No air lock needed with Vittles Vault?

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I drilled a small hole and ran a blow-off tube on it. However.... it never bubbled, the lid leaked enough not to build pressure. I have subsequently pulled lid and ring seal off and filed off the casting ridges and then put it back together with keg lube on the seals. I think it might hold pressure now, but am not too worried either way.

Made this with about a half pound less corn. This is about 2 weeks in the keg. Good summer drinker!
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1501202682.982096.jpg

For those who have done this brew, can you explain how you did the primary fermention?

1. Did you begin the diacetyl rest and cold crash early so you could have it transferred to secondary BY THE 14th day?

2. Or did you leave alone for full 14 days and then begin to do diacetyl rest and cold crash extending into days 15 and 16?.

Some like to cold crash, some don't. Opinions please.

Fordiesel69 said:

For those who have done this brew, can you explain how you did the primary fermention?

1. Did you begin the diacetyl rest and cold crash early so you could have it transferred to secondary BY THE 14th day?

2. Or did you leave alone for full 14 days and then begin to do diacetyl rest and cold crash extending into days 15 and 16?.

Some like to cold crash, some don't. Opinions please.

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IIRC I brewed on a Saturday, and raised the temp to help it finish out by the following Saturday. I verified it was stable by by about Thursday and began cold crashing. Fined with gelatin Friday. Bottled on sunday. I didn't use a secondary at all. I'm also not sure a diacetyl rest applies here unless you're using a lager yeast and temperatures.

It really depends on your fermentation conditions and the type of yeast you use. With us-05 fermenting around 65 degrees you'd probably be able to get stable hydrometer readings by day 10-11, which definitely leaves you enough time to cold crash and package by day 14. I don't see any reason to secondary at all personally. Of course the safest and surest method is to just leave it alone at 68 degrees for the full 14 days like biermuncher's instructions say before you do anything else. I like to take an active role in the process though. Checking for activity, taking gravity reading, and tweaking the fermentation temperature serve as stuff I can do to feel like I'm doing something. It usually helps me to identify the earliest point that I can safely package the beer too.

I think I did 10 days at 65 then went up to 70 for another 7 or so. No CC or gelatin. Straight to a purged keg.

Fordiesel69 said:

For those who have done this brew, can you explain how you did the primary fermention?

1. Did you begin the diacetyl rest and cold crash early so you could have it transferred to secondary BY THE 14th day?

2. Or did you leave alone for full 14 days and then begin to do diacetyl rest and cold crash extending into days 15 and 16?.

Some like to cold crash, some don't. Opinions please.

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The first time I brewed this recipe I was in a rush to deliver for an event. I pitched a starter on brew day, it was finished fermenting 5 days later. I started crashing it then, transferred to a keg on day 6, set CO2 to 30psi for 24hrs then turned it down to 12. The keg was served and floated on day 9 to rave reviews.

Honestly, I would try using Saflager 34/70 with this recipe. I ferment it at 66 degrees, it finishes just as quick as US-05 and is a touch more lager-y.

The second time I brewed this I gave it about 10 days in the fermenter before transfering. This last time it as about 10 days in the fermenter and will be about 2 weeks cold conditioned before I serve it. I think the extra cold time in the keg is helping clean it up even more.

No doubt a little more time in the fermenter and keg will do this beer well.

making this next and using the OP recipe. Except subbing Halletauer for the Crystal.

I'm toying with the idea of changing the hops, or maybe dry hopping half of it. I've never made this recipe before though. Should I leave it alone? or should I change out the hops?

I think leave it alone, at least for the first go. It's a cream ale - meant to be very approachable and light. Dry hopping makes a different beer, which might be unbalanced given its dryness, light body, and low alcohol.

That said, I did a side-by-side with a Bud Light just for fun. BL is literally piss-water, especially when you do a comparison to a legit beer like this. BL on right - no head, no carbonation, no thanks!

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1501972954.385927.jpg

Strange how I ended up with a more golden color, but perhaps that's up to the pale ale malt I get here (Weyermann).

Either way, also very happy with how clear it ended up. Looks gorgeous.

dttk0009 said:

Strange how I ended up with a more golden color, but perhaps that's up to the pale ale malt I get here (Weyermann).

Either way, also very happy with how clear it ended up. Looks gorgeous.

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Interesting. When I lived in Germany I never brewed my self. With the home delivery and awesome gasthauses and hausbrauerie I didn't have the time.

sgraham602 said:

making this next and using the OP recipe. Except subbing Halletauer for the Crystal.

I'm toying with the idea of changing the hops, or maybe dry hopping half of it. I've never made this recipe before though. Should I leave it alone? or should I change out the hops?

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I don't think the exact variety of 60 minute hops makes much difference (it does make some difference.) If you want to add late hops, maybe 1/4 ounce in the last 5 minutes -- it should be subtle. Halletauer or WIllamette would be fine.

Dry hopping would just be wrong (no offense). A hoppy beer needs more backbone to support it. This is lawnmower beer that actually has a little taste to it, but it's still light. Might be a good choice to put up in quart bottles.

That's a pretty nice color!!

Either way - I don't think you can compare image to image... different lighting, camera, colorspaces, etc.

sgraham602 said:

making this next and using the OP recipe. Except subbing Halletauer for the Crystal.

I'm toying with the idea of changing the hops, or maybe dry hopping half of it. I've never made this recipe before though. Should I leave it alone? or should I change out the hops?

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I did a dry hopped cream ale (El Dorado), and it was good. Go easy on the dry hops, though.

I think 60/30/0 is a good hop schedule for light beers like this.

BrunDog said:

I think leave it alone, at least for the first go. It's a cream ale - meant to be very approachable and light. Dry hopping makes a different beer, which might be unbalanced given its dryness, light body, and low alcohol.

That said, I did a side-by-side with a Bud Light just for fun. BL is literally piss-water, especially when you do a comparison to a legit beer like this. BL on right - no head, no carbonation, no thanks!

View attachment 409840

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I'm surprised the BL is more golden.