Cream Ale Yeast - Not American Ale

[smithmd4]

Just drew up a recipe for a cream ale. 70/30 barley to flaked corn. I've never had a homebrew that I loved with American Ale yeast and generally use 1318 and 1098 for most of my beers, but I'm trying to make a beer my dad will like (he only drinks BMC) without going full pilsner. Looking at ambient temps in the 60s.

So what yeast do y'all recommend?

 

[ArcaneXor]

Lots of options - I would try WLP011 European or WLP029 Koelsch (if you can keep it cool enough). European is more "round" and malt-forward, Koelsch is a bit crisper. Koelsch yeast is pretty finicky, though - I recommend solid temperature control for the first few days of fermentation if you want to go that route.

 

[ArkhamAsylum]

White Labs WLP080 Cream Ale Yeast worked quite well for me, if you can get it.

 

[smithmd4]

Kolsch is out because I don't have fine control over the temps.

I think I'll check if my LHBS can get either the European or Cream Ale blend for me. What kind of temps did you ferment with these?

 

[dfhar]

Try WLP090, the San Diego Super Yeast. Great alternative to Chico.

And "full pilsner"? Try brewing a real Bohemian Pilsner some time and you'll see how different (and how amazingly delicious and complex) of a beer it is from the American mass market "pilsners".

 

[giraffe]

1335 is also a very clean malt foward strain in the low to mid 60s. Ive used it for a few cream ales before and they came out well.

 

[smithmd4]

And "full pilsner"? Try brewing a real Bohemian Pilsner some time and you'll see how different (and how amazingly delicious and complex) of a beer it is from the American mass market "pilsners".

Ha, I really meant that I wanted to avoid lager fermentation as it takes my keggerator out of commission for a few weeks. I've made a bohemian pils before and it was tasty!

 

[smithmd4]

Went with Denny's yeast as its what they had on hand of the options at LHBS. Brewed today and its the palest thing I've ever done. Hopefully my BMC loving father will be happy he finally has something to drink in the keggerator.

Also something weird. There are 3 distinct layers in the carboy. Trub at the bottom, a copper layer in the middle, and a straw colored layer on top. It's like the sugars stratified or something. Never seen that before.

 

[PrinceOfThePoint]

I've never had a homebrew that I loved with American Ale yeast

You poor thing!

 

[Natdavis777]

I used the kolsch once with my cream ale recipe, and though it was good, I didnt like it as much. I have had a lot of luck with 1056 on my cream ale (netted a 40 in the brewers cup).