Caramel cream ale?

[Stevo2569]

Bump, any help on this please?

3. Add DME same time as Lactose or add both at 2 min left to avoid scorching.
9. Why are you using DME and priming sugar? Cancel DME and Lactose, those will have already been added.

Q 1: Not at only a lb. Only more color.
Q 2: It's only 22 IBU's.

I let all my beers ferment at least 3-4 weeks. I suggests getting some brewing software like BeerSmith. It will tell you just about everything you need to know.

 

[Brickout]

So I kegged this a few weeks back at 5 psi since I was planning on putting this on beergas and serving through my stout faucet. I poured one last night and it came out fantastic. Nice creamy, silky texture. It's tastes great, but it's a little too sweet for me. I don't think I could drink more than two glasses. If I make this again I'll cut back on the lactose.

I was talking to my LHBS guy about this and he suggested blending it with a bitter or doing a half-and-half with Guinness Foreign Extra Stout. I'll give this a try and report back.

 

[bassballboy]

3. Add DME same time as Lactose or add both at 2 min left to avoid scorching.
9. Why are you using DME and priming sugar? Cancel DME and Lactose, those will have already been added.

Q 1: Not at only a lb. Only more color.
Q 2: It's only 22 IBU's.

I let all my beers ferment at least 3-4 weeks. I suggests getting some brewing software like BeerSmith. It will tell you just about everything you need to know.

I will give beersmith a shot and see what it's like, I've never tried it before.


3. I'm not familiar with adding the malt so late - the kits I've used from my LHBS always add it ealier in the boil.
9. I was guessing after reading the "priming" section from the post #5. Is that not what he meant?


What if I did 2lbs of 60L, would that add more caramel flavor? Is there another method to add more caramel flavor?

 

[Stevo2569]

I will give beersmith a shot and see what it's like, I've never tried it before.

3. I'm not familiar with adding the malt so late - the kits I've used from my LHBS always add it ealier in the boil.
9. I was guessing after reading the "priming" section from the post #5. Is that not what he meant?

What if I did 2lbs of 60L, would that add more caramel flavor? Is there another method to add more caramel flavor?

3. Yeah sorry used to all grain adding late. I think hop utilization is affected by not adding DME early.

I use a lot of crystal malts and I'm only able to get so much caramel flavor after that it's just color in my opinion.

 

[bassballboy]

Hey all, I'm planning on doing this as my next batch of beer, but it will be the first time I've ever done a brew without a kit (my third is currently in the fermenting bucket).

To put the recipe in dummy-proof instructions, is this correct?:

Step 1. Steep the caramel grains for 45 minutes at 150-165 degrees
Step 2. Remove grains, raise temperature to a rolling boil
Step 3. Add DME and Cascade hops; boil 60 minutes
Step 4. Add Saaz hops after 40 minutes
Step 5. Add Lactose after 45 minutes
Step 6. Add Tettnang and irish moss after 50 minutes
Step 7. Cool and add vanilla
Step 8. Put in bucket with yeast and let it ferment for 2-3 weeks
Step 9. Boil the lactose, vanilla, priming sugar, and DME together and cool, add to bottling bucket.
Step 10. Bottle... then wait and enjoy.


Sound right?

So I believe I am correct in the above steps, but I have one major question - is the DME in the priming used INSTEAD of sugar to get carbonation? Please let me know ASAP someone - going to brew this week.

 

[Stevo2569]

So I believe I am correct in the above steps, but I have one major question - is the DME in the priming used INSTEAD of sugar to get carbonation? Please let me know ASAP someone - going to brew this week.

Choose One or the Other.Priming Calculator

 

[liesea]

Hey I have been following this forum for awhile but just joined. I am pretty new to brewing but I am definitly going to brew this beer as soon as I have an open fermentor. I was just wondering if anybody had thought of adding pecans. I think it would be really tasty and I think I am just going to add them in with the caramel 60L

 

[one8tvw]

Hey I have been following this forum for awhile but just joined. I am pretty new to brewing but I am definitly going to brew this beer as soon as I have an open fermentor. I was just wondering if anybody had thought of adding pecans. I think it would be really tasty and I think I am just going to add them in with the caramel 60L

not in this beer, but if you add them to the mash roast them first to get some of the oil out

 

[liesea]

not in this beer, but if you add them to the mash roast them first to get some of the oil out

I have heard if you roast them let them sit in a paper bag it gets all the oils out. I figuredi would do that then steep them in with the the caramel 60L if I don't think there is enough pecan flavor when I rack to the sevondary I will probably "dry hop" some in the secondary

 

[Brickout]

So I kegged this a few weeks back at 5 psi since I was planning on putting this on beergas and serving through my stout faucet. I poured one last night and it came out fantastic. Nice creamy, silky texture. It's tastes great, but it's a little too sweet for me. I don't think I could drink more than two glasses. If I make this again I'll cut back on the lactose.

I was talking to my LHBS guy about this and he suggested blending it with a bitter or doing a half-and-half with Guinness Foreign Extra Stout. I'll give this a try and report back.

So I served this at my NYE party and it was a big hit. Even for the BMC drinkers. I also tried a half-and-half with Guinness Foreign Extra Stout, fantastic!

 

[bassballboy]

I finally made this on Saturday and I am excited! One last question, I'm considering subbing 2oz of caramel extract and 2 oz of vanilla extract at bottling time - thoughts?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0041RGD0E/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[bassballboy]

I finally made this on Saturday and I am excited! One last question, I'm considering subbing 2oz of caramel extract and 2 oz of vanilla extract at bottling time - thoughts?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0041RGD0E/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Bringing this to the top.

I just want stronger caramel flavor than vanilla. I did 2# of 60L also.

 

[GrizBrew]

So, I brewed this up last weekend as a PM. I added my lactose to the boil (4 oz). This only bubbled the airlock for about 2 days ( I realize that is no sign of anything but, just sayin) after 5 days, I have very little Kraussen. It almost looks like it's in secondary. I added 2 oz of vanilla tonight and am thinking I may let it sit in primary for another week or so.
I am a little worried about alcohol content, although when I cracked it tonight it smelled like alcohol. My thought is a little vanilla on the trub, a little in secondary (another 2 oz) and maybe add a little lactose and vanilla to the keg about a week after secondary rack. Whadda ya think??
Ready to drink a few days after the kegging??

 

[GrizBrew]

One more thing, I added all of the DME in the boil. Should I add more at keg time or just force carb it? Thanks

 

[Toy4Rick]

I dropped mine into fermentation on Jan 8 using a yeast starter, took about 12 hours to really get going. 3 inches of krausen on the second day. Can't wait to get this bad boy bottled and ready to drink.

My wife, who says everything tastes like Bud , said that sounds good, looking forward to trying it

So stoked

Toy4Rick

 

[HBrew71]

Subscribed!

 

[bassballboy]

Can't wait to bottle this! Still debating on whether not to add the caramel extract or not...

 

[Stevo2569]

I brewed this a little over a month ago and been drinking on it for a week. It's smooth and creamy. A lot more caramel flavor than I expected.

10# Marris otter
1.5# C-60
1# C-80
1# Honey malt
1 oz EKG at 15
1 oz EKG at 10
1.2 oz EKG at 5
1.5 oz Willamette at 0
14 grams Sterling English Ale yeast

6.3 ABV

 

[Toy4Rick]

This is 2 weeks in the fermenter and so far, it tastes very good

What gravity readings should we be expecting?

My OG was 1.052
SG after 14 days is 1.016

Toy4Rick

 

[Toy4Rick]

So 1.016 was it after another week. Bottled it and 9 days later, we cracked the first one or two or 6

It tastes very good even this young, hope I can wait for it to condition before I finish it all off

Toy4Rick

 

[das_mikey]

subscribed as well.

This will be my next brew.

 

[Woodbury419]

Has anyone noticed that this beer is highly unstable? The vanilla flavor disappears over time, I'm planning on taking a fresh and aged sample in my GC/MS at work to analyze what off flavorings are present and do some stoichiometry to see what happens to the Vanillin and other compounds found in beer.

 

[Stevo2569]

Has anyone noticed that this beer is highly unstable? The vanilla flavor disappears over time, I'm planning on taking a fresh and aged sample in my GC/MS at work to analyze what off flavorings are present and do some stoichiometry to see what happens to the Vanillin and other compounds found in beer.

Quite scientific of you. Please post your results. I will slightly disagree though. Over a three week period in the keg I did not detect much change.

 

[Woodbury419]

Quite scientific of you. Please post your results. I will slightly disagree though. Over a three week period in the keg I did not detect much change.

Thanks, I most certainly will. Although initially it doesn't change much, but over a 1-3 month time period the beer changes dramatically. I want to know if the Vanillin is a martyr or if it bonds with another off flavoring. What I probably should do is brew a version with an without the vanilla and take headspace samples of each initally and aged 3 months to compare what off flavorings are no longer present.

 

[Mk010101]

I've finally brewed a caramel cream ale. When I joined HBT, this was the talk of the forum at the time. I bookmarked it but never got around to doing it. Made a small 2 1/2 gallon batch. Wow, that is just TOO sweet for me. I even cut back on the lactose/vanilla based on other experiences in this thread, but I can barely stomach it. Beautiful beer, though. Nice creamy head!

I am glad I tried it, though. The joys of homebrewing -- we get to try so many different things and learn what we like to drink. Figured out sweet beers are not for me. Thanks for the experience!

 

[RaginCajun112]

Thanks, I most certainly will. Although initially it doesn't change much, but over a 1-3 month time period the beer changes dramatically. I want to know if the Vanillin is a martyr or if it bonds with another off flavoring. What I probably should do is brew a version with an without the vanilla and take headspace samples of each initally and aged 3 months to compare what off flavorings are no longer present.

I brewed this back in aug/sept last year and I agree that it does change a bit over a few months. Mine was in primary for 3 weeks, 3 weeks in bottle then started drinking. The vanilla does seem to mellow considerably over time but overall it was a good beer for the 2 months or so it took me to finish it off. My personal experience was it hit a nice balance around 6 weeks of bottle conditioning.

 

[Toy4Rick]

Mine was in the fermenter for 3 weeks, started tasting a few at 10 days in the bottle, it was OK. After 2 more weeks, it's getting better by the day. The vanilla has all but disappeared at 4 weeks where it was slightly present at 10 days. Definitely sweet but ooohhhh sooooo tasty

Toy4Rick

 

[BW210]

I think I'm going to brew this one next. What is the thought of using WLB001 California ale yeast? I washed some and like what it has done and not buying it for a few brews now? Ideal fermentation is 68-72 degrees, but I ferment between 62-64 degrees without any worries.

 

[mwmoose152]

Brewed this again last night. Put 1 madagascar vanilla bean in boil at end of boil, and will add 2 oz pure vanilla extract with lactose at kegging.

Thoughts?

 

[bozizle]

I brewed this 3 weeks ago and force carbonated it the past 2 days...all I can say is wow. I only used 2oz of extract when kegging but I truley enjoy this beer. The wife loves it too. Thanks again for this recipe.