Cream Ale recipe input

[alemonkey]

I'm planning on having a barbeque next month, and about half the people there will be BMC drinkers. So, I decided I need to make a cream ale to appease them. I added a little Vienna and light crystal to make it slightly more interesting. I've never made one of these before, so any input would be appreciated.

ProMash Recipe Printout

Recipe : Gutter Swill Cream Ale

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (GAL): 5.00 Wort Size (GAL): 5.00
Total Grain (LBS): 9.00
Anticipated OG: 1.048 Plato: 12.02
Anticipated SRM: 3.5
Anticipated IBU: 15.4
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75
Wort Boil Time: 60 Minutes


Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
88.9 8.00 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row) America 1.036 2
5.6 0.50 lbs. Crystal 2.5L America 1.035 3
5.6 0.50 lbs. Vienna Malt America 1.035 4

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.75 oz. Hallertauer Whole 4.00 13.4 60 min.
0.25 oz. Hallertauer Whole 4.00 1.2 15 min.
0.25 oz. Hallertauer Whole 4.00 0.7 5 min.


Yeast
-----

White Labs WLP001 California Ale

 

[Mikey]

You'll want to lose the Vienna and crystal and add some corn or rice (up to 25%) to make it a cream ale. What you're proposing now sounds like a regular pale ale or a red ale- but a nice beer nonetheless.

Cream ales need to be lagered for quite a while to gain some smoothness, best get started soon.

 

[RichBrewer]

Another option to consider is to add some honey to it. It lightens the beer while increasing alcohol. Maybe 2 pounds added toward the end of the boil. You don't get any off flavors from honey.

 

[mysterio]

- Lose the crystal and replace it with carapils I'd say, although at 2.5L it virtually is carapils so you'll be ok. I would lose the Vienna too, or use slightly less.

- Mash on the low side so you've got a fairly light bodied beer. 149F - 150F is good. Also consider 6-row malt although this is not essential.

- Use a pound of flaked maize/corn. This will lighten the body and add a creamy corn taste. You could up this to 1.5 pounds but I wouldn't add much more.

- Aroma hops aren't true to style but I wouldn't worry about it.

- Ferment on the cold side of the yeast's temperature range and lager for a couple of weeks after fermentation is finished.

Good luck!

 

[budbo]

I'm planning on having a barbeque next month, and about half the people there will be BMC drinkers. So, I decided I need to make a cream ale to appease them. I added a little Vienna and light crystal to make it slightly more interesting. I've never made one of these before, so any input would be appreciated

Remember what happened when Churchill appeased Hitler? Just say no! Convert them with a light wheat beer.

Just say no to BMC clones

 

[alemonkey]

Lol...I had considered that. Most BMC drinkers can at least choke down a wheat beer. Plus, I wouldn't mind drinking the leftovers as much.

 

[Rhoobarb]

Good suggestions here! Personally, I think you'd be hard pressed to beat John Palmer's Your Father's Mustache! (scroll down a bit)

 

[alemonkey]

Ok, here's what I ended up going with. I feel dirty making a beer like this

ProMash Recipe Printout

Recipe : Gutter Swill Cream Ale

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (GAL): 5.00 Wort Size (GAL): 5.00
Total Grain (LBS): 8.00
Anticipated OG: 1.044 Plato: 10.91
Anticipated SRM: 2.9
Anticipated IBU: 15.4
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75
Wort Boil Time: 60 Minutes


Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
87.5 7.00 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row) America 1.036 2
12.5 1.00 lbs. Flaked Corn (Maize) America 1.040 1

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.50 oz. Hallertauer Pellet 4.20 5.3 30 min.
0.50 oz. Tettnanger Pellet 4.10 10.1 60 min.


Yeast
-----

White Labs WLP001 California Ale

 

[Mikey]

Looks good to me. Cream ale it is.

 

[alemonkey]

Update on the swill:

It's bubbling away in the fermenter, and this is the blandest smelling beer I've ever made. Should be good for the BMC drinkers. Blech.