Cucumber Cream Ale Recipe advice needed

[Kunal Vanjare]

Hey Guys,

I am planning to make a 1 Gallon Cucumber Cream Ale which would probably be my last brewday in this lockdown for a while. So I am planning to use up whatever ingredients I have got left which are as follows :-

Process - BIAB
1. Pale 2-Row : 0.77lb
2. Pilsner : 0.6lb
3. Munich : 0.23lb
4. Flaked Corn (I don't have Flaked Rice!)... Will Kellogg's Unflavored Corn Flakes work?
5. Munton's Ale Yeast
6. Magnum for bittering
7. Nelson Sauvin (Not sure if I should use this)

I am planning, after due reading, to slice the cucumber into small pieces and add them in the fermenter(only primary) after 5-7 days. Can I sanitize the cucumber by boiling them in water? Also how much cucumber should I use here?

More Queries :-
1. Is it okay if I start fermentation around 65F (18C) and then increase it to 68F after 5 days?
2. I don't intend to cold crash. How can i get the clarity in the beer in that case? I don't have any fining agents other than Irish Moss.

Any help will be appreciated. Cheers

 

[Miraculix]

If you can get hold of it, try sorachi ace, it has a distinctive dill taste and might go well with cucumbers.

Can also be used for bittering.

Corn flakes should work.

 

[Kunal Vanjare]

If you can get hold of it, try sorachi ace, it has a distinctive dill taste and might go well with cucumbers.

Can also be used for bittering.

Corn flakes should work.

No purchases are possible right now with everything being shut, sadly.

Would a flameout/whirlpool addition of Nelson Sauvin compliment the Cucumbers? When would you add the cucumbers? During boil or during fermentation? If the latter, how would you sanitize them?

 

[Miraculix]

Just for the record, I would never EVER add cucumbers to my beer

If for some reason, which is somehow not detectable for my own eyes/ way of thinking, somebody would want to do it, I would do it either at flame out or better, boil them shortly in some water and add them with dry hops (water included).

Cucumbers have a delicate flavour, my guess is that otherwise it won't make it into the beer.

 

[Kunal Vanjare]

Just for the record, I would never EVER add cucumbers to my beer

Is it because you don't like the taste of Cucumber in your beer or is there a technical reason behind that? I love cucumbers in general, but the only time I had experienced a Cucumber beer was the time I had a Cucumber Kolsch at a local brewery which was really refreshing.

Since I don't have any Kolsch yeast, I figured might as well try an Ale. Plus I guess if it comes out well, it'd make a really nice summer thirst quencher.

I would do it either at flame out or better, boil them shortly in some water and add them with dry hops (water included).

Alright then. I'll dry hop some Cucumbers (after boiling them) with Nelson Sauvin and hope for the best.

Still unsure as to how much Cucumber to use though....

 

[Leezer]

I’ve never used cucumber but have used some fruits. My reading led me to conclude a pound of fruit per gallon is a general rule of thumb which has worked out for me. But cucumber flavor, like some fruits, is pretty subtle so may want to use a bit more than that.

 

[ehk089]

I make a cucumber lager every year, it’s awesome. Just brew like normal, after ferment is done, dry hop it w 1-3 cucumbers. I wash, dip in sanitizer, then on a sanitized cutting board I take the skin off and slice it, before adding to fermenter...2 days later keg. I like 1 cucumber so you barely get a hint of it, if you want to know it’s there, my friend prefers 2 or 3 depending on size.

 

[Miraculix]

Is it because you don't like the taste of Cucumber in your beer or is there a technical reason behind that? I love cucumbers in general, but the only time I had experienced a Cucumber beer was the time I had a Cucumber Kolsch at a local brewery which was really refreshing.

Since I don't have any Kolsch yeast, I figured might as well try an Ale. Plus I guess if it comes out well, it'd make a really nice summer thirst quencher.


Alright then. I'll dry hop some Cucumbers (after boiling them) with Nelson Sauvin and hope for the best.

Still unsure as to how much Cucumber to use though....

It is just that I am German and we tend to like beer that tastes like beer and not like something else.

 

[ehk089]

I typically prefer “beer flavored” beer As well, but it makes for a nice refreshing variant from time to time

 

[Kunal Vanjare]

It is just that I am German and we tend to like beer that tastes like beer and not like something else.

Reinheitsgebot! Ich verstehe

 

[Jag75]

So my wife picked up a can of Q - Cumber Ale by San Fernando Brewing . I didnt expect it to be as good as it was . I was surprised how well it went together.

 

[day_trippr]

I had a cucumber basil saison once

 

[royger]

I once had a cucumber sour that tasted like tzatziki, not bad but I would rather drink a beer flavored beer while eating tzatziki.

 

[Miraculix]

I typically prefer “beer flavored” beer As well, but it makes for a nice refreshing variant from time to time

Yes, i also do weird stuff sometimes and enjoy experimenting a lot. But somehow, cucumbers are too far out for me

But whatever suits you!

 

[masonpi]

@Kunal Vanjare how did your experiment turn out? I'm also looking into making a cucumber (or maybe cucumber+basil) cream ale for my girlfriend so would love to hear how your experience turned out.

 

[Kunal Vanjare]

@Kunal Vanjare how did your experiment turn out? I'm also looking into making a cucumber (or maybe cucumber+basil) cream ale for my girlfriend so would love to hear how your experience turned out.

I haven't really brewed this one yet. Changed my plans into first brewing a mango pale Ale. Then I'll go for this one. Problem was that I had ingredients sufficient for one beer. And then we got a huge load of mangoes in the house. So planning to make This next month when I get new ingredients. Why don't you go ahead and keep us updated?

 

[masonpi]

Classic mango supply surge.
I'm going to brew something with cucumber and basil in a cream ale next weekend. Still in research mode. Currently thinking ~3 lb. of peeled cucumber and .2 lb of a basil tincture in secondary. I'll update.

 

[Kunal Vanjare]

Classic mango supply surge.

The fruit changes all your plans doesn't it

I'm going to brew something with cucumber and basil in a cream ale next weekend. Still in research mode. Currently thinking ~3 lb. of peeled cucumber and .2 lb of a basil tincture in secondary. I'll update.

I for one am not a big Basil fan. Although there was a cracking Basil Peppercorn Wit in one of the brewpubs here, but that is probably where I would draw the line with Basil in my beers. Goodluck. Please keep us (me) updated

 

[TheMadKing]

Just for the record, I would never EVER.

Cucumbers have a delicate flavour, my guess is that otherwise it won't make it into the beer.

I did, and it wasn't great

Is surprisingly exactly the opposite. They are an overwhelming flavor and completely take over the beer.


I made a cucumber lemon Gose and I used 3 cucumbers pureed in the whirlpool. The beer that came out got named Fridge Pickles if that tells you anything.

Go light on the cucumber, and whirlpool seems like a good place to add them for flavor

 

[Miraculix]

I did, and it wasn't great

Is surprisingly exactly the opposite. They are an overwhelming flavor and completely take over the beer.


I made a cucumber lemon Gose and I used 3 cucumbers pureed in the whirlpool. The beer that came out got named Fridge Pickles if that tells you anything.

Go light on the cucumber, and whirlpool seems like a good place to add them for flavor

Fridge pickles

 

[masonpi]

I made a cucumber lemon Gose and I used 3 cucumbers pureed in the whirlpool. The beer that came out got named Fridge Pickles if that tells you anything.

If you had to try again, would you still add them to the whirlpool? From what I've read it sounds like many people think that high heat may change the flavor profile; it sounds like the general consensus is to add them to secondary.

 

[TheMadKing]

If you had to try again, would you still add them to the whirlpool? From what I've read it sounds like many people think that high heat may change the flavor profile; it sounds like the general consensus is to add them to secondary.

Yes I would still add them in whirlpool - I didn't notice a change to the flavor, and what I got was a very intense and readily identified as cucumber. I would scale it back from 3 pureed cucumbers to 1/2 pureed cucumber though.

 

[masonpi]

Update:
I decided to go with just cucumber in the cream ale instead of cucumber + basil.
I kegged it yesterday, and the sample I took for a final gravity reading tasted surprisingly great! Cucumber flavor is definitely present but it's light/not overwhelming.
I added 3.5 lb of peeled and thinly sliced cucumber straight to primary, assuming they would sink to the bottom (they did not). Left them there for 5 days before transferring to a keg.
Don't know yet how the flavor profile changes over time.

 

[bkboiler]

Cool...glad to hear it turned out well!
My first intuition wouldve been with lime in a gose or wheat beer...but yeah i suppose anything light and refreshing...now i know!

 

[masonpi]

Second update: Now that I've been able to try it several times, I would probably cut back a bit on the volume of cucumbers used. I'd probably use 66% or so of what I've used. The cucumber flavor is a bit strong for my taste, but my girlfriend (who loves cucumbers) thinks it's great.