Feedback on recipe (cream ale?)

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mr_bell

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I've been brewing (extract) for over a year now, posting occasionally and always perusing here.

I'm looking for some feedback on a very light ale recipe I created in Beersmith, which I would like to brew for friends that appreciate lighter beers; I am curious how this would turn out as well. The recipe as follows:

2.00 lb Extra Light Dry Extract (3.0 SRM)
2.00 lb Extra Light Dry Extract (3.0 SRM)
1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM)
0.50 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM)
0.50 oz Sterling [7.50 %] (60 min)
0.75 lb Corn Sugar (Dextrose) (0.0 SRM)

My plan:

1. Steep specialty grains @ 155 deg. x 30 min in 1.5 gals
2. Add water to 4 gallons
3. Add 2 lb dry extract and bring to a boil
3. Add hops, set timer for 60 mins
4. Add 2 lb dry extract and corn sugar w/ 10 mins remaining in the boil

Likely Wyeast 1056 would be my yeast of choice for this.
Beersmith estimates the OG as 1.043 and the FG as 1.011, color of 4.3 SRM and 15.9 IBU. Everything right within the style of a cream ale.

Any suggestions / thoughts are appreciated. :mug:
 
Looks pretty good, but I would suggest a few changes:
-Get rid of the caramel and carapils malt. If you are looking for a light ale, or going the cream ale direction, you want it to be light in color and body, the caramel malts will add both.
-If you want to make a more 'traditional' cream ale, you can partial mash about a pound of flaked corn with a pound or tow of 2-row. This will help you boost the OG without adding much flavor, again helping achieve the lighter flavor.
 
The way it is it's probably going to be unbalanced and cloyingly sweet from too much crystal malt. It certainly will have excellent head retention.

Back the crystal down to 1/4-1/2 lb, up the IBUs to 20 and call it a blond ale. You don't need the carapils (the DME probably has some already). The sugar and crystal kind of work against each other but the crystal also adds some grain flavor and residual sweetness that you want. More crystal will lower the perceived bitterness.
 
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