Thoughts On My American Cream Ale Recipe

I'm a relatively new brewer and love experimenting. I've now done several kits and on my last batch ventured out on my own with a Baltic Porter. It was nice not working within the confines of a kit and fun putting it all together with some help. I've decided to do an American Cream Ale for my next brew and found a recipe that I liked online, however, I wanted to make some adjustments and make it more along the lines that I want it. I've run it through my software and it looks good, just want some thoughts and critiques.

5.5 lbs Extra Pale Liquid Extract
1 lbs 6 Row
1 lbs CaraPils
.5 lbs Corn (Flaked)
1 oz. Hallertauer (60 min)
1 oz. Cascade (10 min)
1 oz. Williamette (2 min)
Wyeast 1056 American Ale

OG: 1.051

Thanks!

Your recipe looks fine. It's your recipe, if it were mine, I'd try this for my own taste.
My thoughts:

1. lessen or remove the cascade
2. Add some light crystal (0.25#)
3. increase corn (to 0.75#)

Interesting you mentioned increasing the corn, I've gone back and forth on that. I originally had it at a full pound, but the corn is really only going to affect the mouthfeel don't you think?

Yes. The corn will bring a noticeable sweetness and sharp body to the beer.

I tend to be more of an extremist when I brew though, I guess another way of saying is that I don't like subtleties or hints and a hallmark of Cream Ale's is the maize. However, I will say that in most recipes I've made from scratch, I always taste the beer and look back on them and rarely do I say that it needed more of this, most of the time, any adjustments are decreases.

I think you're going to have a great beer not matter what you do.

I thought I remember reading somewhere that you have to mash flaked corn, and it can't really utilized by steeping it?

forces said:

I thought I remember reading somewhere that you have to mash flaked corn, and it can't really utilized by steeping it?

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That is what I have thought as well. Not only does it need to be mashed, but it's a good idea to mash it with other grains that have higher diastatic power like 6-row and wheat.

With the 1# of 6-row, carapils and 0.5# corn, I was assuming a mash.

Incredible, are you doing an extract with steeping grains process or a partial mash?

Here's my recipe:

8 lbs Pale Malt, Maris Otter 80.00 %
1 lbs Corn, Flaked 10.00 %
8.0 oz Biscuit Malt 5.00 %
8.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine 5.00 %

1.00 oz Hallertauer Hersbrucker [3.50 %] (60 min) Hops 10.0 IBU
0.50 oz Saaz [3.50 %] (10 min) Hops 1.8 IBU
0.50 oz Saaz [3.50 %] (5 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep)

You could convert it to a partial mash by using 4 pounds of DME and 2 pounds of 6 row instead of the maris otter malt. (This recipe and IBUs assumes a full boil and a 5.5 gallon batch).

I like to use about 10% corn in a cream ale. I think the cascade is out of place, although I love cascade hops. They can overpower the cream ale flavor, in my opinion. A noble hop seems to fit better.

Pappers said:

Incredible, are you doing an extract with steeping grains process or a partial mash?

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I am doing a partial mash with this. I'll mash for 45 min at 155 degrees and sparge for 10 at 170 degrees. I had the flaked corn milled with my other grains as well.

I think the cascade is out of place, although I love cascade hops. They can overpower the cream ale flavor, in my opinion. A noble hop seems to fit better.

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Cascade seemed right to me being a "true American" brew. I'm using them more for the aroma than anything.

Thanks for all of the thoughts and suggestions thus far!

YooperBrew said:

Here's my recipe:

8 lbs Pale Malt, Maris Otter 80.00 %
1 lbs Corn, Flaked 10.00 %
8.0 oz Biscuit Malt 5.00 %
8.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine 5.00 %

1.00 oz Hallertauer Hersbrucker [3.50 %] (60 min) Hops 10.0 IBU
0.50 oz Saaz [3.50 %] (10 min) Hops 1.8 IBU
0.50 oz Saaz [3.50 %] (5 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep)

You could convert it to a partial mash by using 4 pounds of DME and 2 pounds of 6 row instead of the maris otter malt. (This recipe and IBUs assumes a full boil and a 5.5 gallon batch).

I like to use about 10% corn in a cream ale. I think the cascade is out of place, although I love cascade hops. They can overpower the cream ale flavor, in my opinion. A noble hop seems to fit better.

Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing this with us YooperBrew! I like the idea of Saaz, I've used them in my last couple of brews and really like them. Out of curiosity, what yeast are you pitching?

Thanks!

IncredibleMulk said:

Thanks for sharing this with us YooperBrew! I like the idea of Saaz, I've used them in my last couple of brews and really like them. Out of curiosity, what yeast are you pitching?

Thanks!

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Each time, I've used a "clean" well attenuating ale yeast at a cool temperature. I've done it with Nottingham at 60 degrees, S05 at 63 degrees, and WLP at 65 degrees. I've chosen my yeast based on my ambient temperature, so I don't have to do any temperature control. My basement is in the high 50s-60 in the spring, so it works out great!

YooperBrew said:

Each time, I've used a "clean" well attenuating ale yeast at a cool temperature. I've done it with Nottingham at 60 degrees, S05 at 63 degrees, and WLP at 65 degrees. I've chosen my yeast based on my ambient temperature, so I don't have to do any temperature control. My basement is in the high 50s-60 in the spring, so it works out great!

Click to expand...

Would love to have a basement! Those are unheard of in Texas LOL. In regards to the yeast, S05 and Wyeast 1056 should be about the same right? I heavily considered the White Labs Cream Ale blend on this as well.

I think I'm gonna go brew this right now bought the stuff yesterday! :rockin: