Cream Ale Cream of Three Crops (Cream Ale)

[lex990]

Brewing today with halletaeur we shall see

 

[StinkyVp]

I do not want to hyjack this thread but I am interested in your BIAB thing . I brew small amounts , a couple pounds or so for adding to no boil kits . I just crush them as normal and steep them in a gallon or so of water for 45 minutes and pour through a strainer into bucket . Would this be about the same end as BIAB ?

I guess the basic principal is the same as long as your temperatures are right. I don't get the whole thing about adding an extra pound either. I have actually done that and had to eventually back off because my numbers were a little high (but what's so bad about that?). Since I got a refractometer it's so easy to monitor the mash I get 80% all the time but sometimes have to mash a little longer.

 

[msa8967]

Has anyone brewed this beer with White Labs American Ale yeast (WL060)? Curious to know if it gives any lager like characteristics that would satisfy some of BMC drinking friends.

 

[CDGoin]

What about brewing with frosted flakes instead of corn flakes..?

 

[blaster_54738]

I'm going to brew this using White Labs San Francisco lager yeast. Then I got to thinking I have 50lbs of pilsen sitting around. What if I used the pilsen instead of 2row? Never done a lager before so I'm wondering what kind of difference it would make

 

[MarcusKillion]

just a note on Minute Rice . the stuff is rather pricey . i went to Aldi and got a 1 LB 12 OZ box for I think $1.65 and 14Oz for .99 . I cooked some up to see how it tasted and it was about the same as the minute rice which I think is $4.53 for 14 OZ .

Word to your mother ...

 

[MarcusKillion]

I guess the basic principal is the same as long as your temperatures are right. I don't get the whole thing about adding an extra pound either. I have actually done that and had to eventually back off because my numbers were a little high (but what's so bad about that?). Since I got a refractometer it's so easy to monitor the mash I get 80% all the time but sometimes have to mash a little longer.

I just brewed my version of a cream ale and was going to mash at 148 for 75 minutes . had it just right and decided to add a bit more hot water as it dropped a degree and went up to 154 . After topping off at 6 gallons I got 1.056 and was shooting for 1.053 so pretty close .
I am going to post my recipe to see what others think of it . Next one I am going to try this recipe as it is simple and cheaper and looks good .

 

[Aboo]

Well, I brewed this yesterday. It was my very first AG brew session. I made the mistake of waiting till the last minute to cut slots in my manifold... big mistake. 4 dremel blades later, only had two pipes slotted. So I went and bought a stainless steel screen and 20 minutes later, boom, Mash-tun is done.

I made two big mistakes. One - I didn't pre-test my fittings and completely forgot to plumbers tape them, so everything leaked. Had to pull the fittings out of my stock-pot and cooler and tape em up.

Two - I did not pre-check my thermometer accuracy. The thermometer in my kettle was 10 degrees high. Which meant when I started my mash, the temps were 10 degrees to low. I ended up having to add 1.5 gallons of hot(er) water to bring it up to 154 degrees. AFTER it had sat at 144 for an hour. I have no clue how that will affect the outcome at all. But I let it set at 154 for an hour and 20 minutes too.

On the plus side, my mash-tun held temp awesome!

6 lbs - 2 row
2.5 lbs flaked corn
1 lb minute rice
3/4 oz. Willamete and Crystal @ 60.

My boil never did get "roiling", but it boiled, for 90 minutes.

The resulting wort is... nasty looking. Like frothy mud. But I chilled it, OG was 1.050 on the nose. Pitched at 60 degrees and stuck it in my closet.

Here's hoping! I'll post back when I get to drink it

 

[MarcusKillion]

not that I am any expert in the matter but I would say a low mash temp will not matter any since you raised it up. ( now we wait for the experts to chime in ) I also mashed my cream ale at 154 but beer smith said to use 148. Willamette and crystal sound tasty. My wort was also that color except when I was siphoning it into fermenter then it was almost clear .
I bet it turns out quite tasty .

 

[OCBrewin]

Which meant when I started my mash, the temps were 10 degrees to low. I ended up having to add 1.5 gallons of hot(er) water to bring it up to 154 degrees. AFTER it had sat at 144 for an hour. I have no clue how that will affect the outcome at all. But I let it set at 154 for an hour and 20 minutes too.

You may end up with a more fermentable wort, which will leave your beet dryer. Not a bad thing for this recipe, I usually mash this beer at 148-150 which is perfect for me. What I would be more concerned with is your lack of a good boil. I'd say its about time to invest in a good outdoor burner. You can get a turkey fryer for cheap this time of year! A good rolling boil is key for good hot break, good hop utilization, and the reduction of DMS. Just my $0.02

 

[MarcusKillion]

good point on that boil . I was using a small cooker and it would not boil hard and I did not think that was a problem until I watched a video and saw the full boil going on there. I would suggest http://www.webstaurantstore.com/bac...ge-patio-stove-with-hose-guard/554BPHP17.html . Just like the KAB4 but with much heavier legs . 210K and is very heavy . will hold up a 120 quart pot with no problems . Boils 8 gallons of water like your stove boils 2 quarts. it is great and costs a whole lot less than the others like it . I think it was 70.00 + a bit shipped .

Any way I think your cream ale is going to taste great . Enjoy.

 

[Aboo]

You may end up with a more fermentable wort, which will leave your beet dryer. Not a bad thing for this recipe, I usually mash this beer at 148-150 which is perfect for me. What I would be more concerned with is your lack of a good boil. I'd say its about time to invest in a good outdoor burner. You can get a turkey fryer for cheap this time of year! A good rolling boil is key for good hot break, good hop utilization, and the reduction of DMS. Just my $0.02

I'm glad to hear that about the Mash. As for the burner... I got a bayou classic outdoor burner and a 32qt stainless steel pot for Christmas. This was my first time using it. I was getting a better boil on my electric stove with a ceramic pot in my previous batches.

 

[Estbrew]

would it work if i use flaked barley instead of corn? Corn is quite expencive here...

 

[Brewskii]

would it work if i use flaked barley instead of corn? Corn is quite expencive here...

Sure it will work. You don't need to adjust the mash but realize that flaked barley will add some protien haze to the finished brew in the form of a true chill haze.

 

[BorealBrewer]

Flaked barley is going to leave you with different flavours, and mouthfeel. Will it work? Yes. Will it make a good beer? If your process is good, yup.

The flavour and colour will be different than the original, but I bet you dollars to doughnuts you make a light ale you can be proud of.

 

[MarcusKillion]

I'm glad to hear that about the Mash. As for the burner... I got a bayou classic outdoor burner and a 32qt stainless steel pot for Christmas. This was my first time using it. I was getting a better boil on my electric stove with a ceramic pot in my previous batches.

Probably not enough BTU's . I have a small burner 30K i think also and it does not work so well. Upgrade to 100K or more with a 20 or 30 psi regulator .
my last comment on this burner thing as I do not want to hijack this thread. ...back to cream ale .

 

[NFryan]

Made an 11 gallon batch of this yesterday. Used 1oz Mt.hood and Willamette.

I hit about 85% efficiency so my
OG was 1.050

I'll let everyone know how it turns out.

 

[thadius856]

Looks like I'm going to have to scale this one down a little. Aiming for 10.5 gallons post-boil, and I think I may hit 85% again. Looks like the alphas in my hops are rather stronger too, as I'm coming in at 22.0 IBU on BeerSmith.

Going to make this next weekend. Think I'll use 1056 to get it out of my fridge before it goes dead.

 

[thadius856]

Probably not enough BTU's . I have a small burner 30K i think also and it does not work so well. Upgrade to 100K or more with a 20 or 30 psi regulator .
my last comment on this burner thing as I do not want to hijack this thread. ...back to cream ale .

I've done 13 gallon boils that roiled very well on my 55k BTU SQ14 Bayou Classic burner. Wasn't even turned all the way up.

Are you guys boiling inside a snowstorm or something?

 

[Sevenal]

Wow that was quite a read
I confess I did not read all of this thread but found the flow of ideas and questions very enlightening.

Thanks all

 

[thadius856]

Scaled down the recipe, aiming for 10.5 gallons of 1.042 into the fermenters, at 80% efficiency:

10 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM)
4 lbs Corn, Flaked (1.3 SRM)
14.0 oz Rice, Minute (1.0 SRM)

Not a perfect scaling, but I'd already bought the 4# of flake corn and minute rice comes in 14 oz boxes now. Expected 1.042 OG, 2.8 SRM. Close enough. BeerSmith tells me I should have come out of the tun with 13.27 gal of 1.032. Had 13.4 gal of 1.038. That's an amazing high mash efficiency of 96%! No idea how that happened. Instead of 10.5 of 1.042 into the fermenters, I got 10.8 of 1.044.

Had a nice golden liquid before I pitched the Irish Moss, then it became an ugly mixture of pale liquid and white floaters. Very odd looking break. Is it the rice protein, maybe?

 

[blaster_54738]

I'm going to brew this using White Labs San Francisco lager yeast. Then I got to thinking I have 50lbs of pilsen sitting around. What if I used the pilsen instead of 2row? Never done a lager before so I'm wondering what kind of difference it would make

Anybody? If it's a bad idea I have the 2row to use just want to know as I'm brewing this on Monday

 

[Varmintman]

Anybody? If it's a bad idea I have the 2row to use just want to know as I'm brewing this on Monday

You can change it to suit you. I know I did and it turned out great

 

[msa8967]

Anybody? If it's a bad idea I have the 2row to use just want to know as I'm brewing this on Monday

I have made this recipe using pilsen malt instead of 2-row and it came out great. If using pilsen malt you may want to increase your boil time from 60 min to 90 min in order to drive out any dms taste. You may also want to slightly increase your volume of mash water to help compensate for water loss during the extra 30 min of boil.

 

[thadius856]

Recipe calls for 90 minute boil anyway.

 

[msa8967]

Just opened a bottle of this that I had back in the fridge for 4+ months. A very crisp beer that has me thinking I need to double the recipe and save back 1/2 of this for 6 months from now.

 

[al_anderson311]

Kegged a batch of this a couple weeks ago. Thought it was a pretty good beer but wanted a second opinion. Called my dad and told him I needed a taste tester for some beer. He was knocking on the door before I had hung up the phone. Now my dad has tried most of my beers before and liked some of them but his go to is whatever is cheapest or high life. The reason for brewing this recipe was to have something on tap for people like him who are not crazy about some of the stronger flavored beers that I like. Anyways I gave him a half glass to get his opinion and his reaction was great saying this is really good beer. I filled up his empty glass and we went upstairs. Fifteen minutes later he says again how good the beer was and if he could have another glass which I then got for him along with a couple of bottles I had bottled from the batch for him to take home. Another fifteen minutes later and he had to go but was still talking about this beer. I know he's a little biased because I'm his son but he's never had that reaction with my other beers. I then went and filled a growler for him to take home along with the bottles. Makes all the time and money I've thrown at this great hobby all the more worthwhile when you get a reaction like that. This will definitely be a staple at my place. Thanks BierMuncher

 

[AVLbrewing]

Just picked up the supplies for this one today! I have another beer to brew first (extract rye IPA tomorrow) but its next in line!

I'll be following the scaled down recipe for the 5.5gal batch, and doing my second BIAB.

Cheers!

 

[Jayhem]

As I type this I am drinking the very last Cream Ale I have left of this recipe. It is a sad day.

 

[orion7144]

I just got my 15g conical setup and was currious if there is a way to scale this up but keep the boil size to the 14g and add water to the wort after it has boiled. I know that is how the extract kits work but I have never added water doing all grain.. Say I hit 1.056 and want to be in the 1.045 range how do you determine how much water to add?