Can a "WoW" Cream Ale be brewed?

[NJbeer]

Is it possible to brew a really impressive "wow" cream ale (not to be mistaken for just a really good cream ale for the style)? For a style that is suppose to be low on flavor and nothing stands out, you could taste one and say thats a really good cream ale, but would you ever try one and say "thats one of the best beers i ever had"?

 

[kaconga]

Nope. Not for me at least. Everyone is different though so maybe you could wow somebody with a cream ale.

 

[Bramstoker17]

I think in order to do that, you'd have to push the beer out of the traditional limits for the style. As you said, cream ales are supposed to be pretty neutral and easy drinking, a good lawnmower beer. I think Sixpoint's sweet action is one of the better cream ales I've had, and that's darker and has more hop flavor than the style probably allows if you follow the style guidelines. I'd say New Glarus Spotted cow is as close as you'll get to a wow cream ale that fits the typical definition, at least from what I've seen.

 

[NJbeer]

I agree

What about light american lager

 

[brew_ny]

I brew a cream ale recipe with Vienna used for the base malt instead of 2 row

it is well liked

S_M

 

[NJbeer]

I brew a cream ale recipe with Vienna used for the base malt instead of 2 row

it is well liked

S_M

a vienna ale? Is it a "WOW" amazing beer though

 

[brew_ny]

a vienna ale? Is it a "WOW" amazing beer though

some may say so I brew it a lot because I like it

wow

S_M

 

[paperairplane]

Put it on nitro

 

[brew_ny]

Put it on nitro

everthing's better on nitro

 

[Roundhouse]

I'm going to disagree and say that yes a WOW Cream ale can be brewed. The problem is that most people criticize lighter beers for what they aren't instead of focusing on what they are. Many home brewers especially frown on the American Lager and Cream Ale. I felt this way too for about the first ten years of home brewing. Now I appreciate all styles for what they are without regards for comparison to other styles. That's really the only way any beer should be judged. I don't prefer certain styles of course but others may love styles that I don't like.

To me a good cream ale needs to be compared only to beers that are similar to it. Other cream ales or even the American lager since at the end of the day they are basically the same thing with different yeasts and the accompanying subtleties associated with those yeasts. I don't necessarily follow the BJCP guidelines to the strictest of the wording and think that it's perfectly acceptable to go outside of them a little bit here and there. After all, they are "guidelines" not laws.