Hops for Cream Ale

[TwoSheaStl]

I'm brewing Liberty Cream Ale from Midwest Supplies.

The kit comes with 1 oz. Cascade bittering hops, as well as 1 oz. Cascade aroma hops. However, I'm interested in using different hops than what came with the kit.

I've read a lot about people using Saaz hops in their cream ale with great results. I might like to try that…

Also worth mentioning—I'll be fermenting at around 70 degrees using wlp080.

Any Suggestions?

-Shea

 

[HoboBrewery]

5 gallon batch

1 oz cascade at 60 bitterin
1 oz saaz at 20 minutes
1 oz saaz at 5 minutes (both for aroma, little bit of bittering

dude saaz is unbelievable for cream.

 

[sonex]

for a cream ale you will want to ferment much cooler for a nice clean crisp profile. I'd ferment at 60f-62f with the cleanest ale yeast you have. hop suggestions any of the noble hops will work great for a lager-ish ale.

 

[TwoSheaStl]

5 gallon batch

1 oz cascade at 60 bitterin
1 oz saaz at 20 minutes
1 oz saaz at 5 minutes (both for aroma, little bit of bittering

dude saaz is unbelievable for cream.

A little confused…

So, boil 1 oz. of cascade for 60 minutes. Add 1 oz. Saaz 20 minutes into the boil with the cascade?

Then an additional 1 oz. saaz for aroma at the end of boil?

 

[TwoSheaStl]

for a cream ale you will want to ferment much cooler for a nice clean crisp profile. I'd ferment at 60f-62f with the cleanest ale yeast you have. hop suggestions any of the noble hops will work great for a lager-ish ale.

I don't have the means to ferment at those temperatures. I am told that the wlp080 works best from 67-70 degrees. That is why I am using that particular blend of yeast.

 

[Hernando]

A little confused…

So, boil 1 oz. of cascade for 60 minutes. Add 1 oz. Saaz 20 minutes into the boil with the cascade?

Then an additional 1 oz. saaz for aroma at the end of boil?

That is 20 min. left in the boil on the Saaz Flavoring Hops

5 min. left in the Boil for the Saaz aroma.

 

[sonex]

hobo's recipe is telling ya to boil cascades for 60 min and add the saaz for the last 20 and 5 min of the boil.

 

[larrynoz]

Hallertau or Saaz are fantastic and would be more traditional but the American hops are also nice (Cascade, Centennial, Chinook, etc.) Good Luck.

 

[TwoSheaStl]

hobo's recipe is telling ya to boil cascades for 60 min and add the saaz for the last 20 and 5 min of the boil.

Is it okay to combine my hops all together in the hopping bag? Like start with Cascade, 40 minutes later add my saaz into the bag WITH the cascade, then add my aroma saaz into the bag w/ the other hops? Or, should I clean the bag out after each separate hop?

Does that make sense?

 

[Yooper]

Is it okay to combine my hops all together in the hopping bag? Like start with Cascade, 40 minutes later add my saaz into the bag WITH the cascade, then add my aroma saaz into the bag w/ the other hops? Or, should I clean the bag out after each separate hop?

Does that make sense?

Yes, either add it to the same bag or use an additional bag (which is easier). I don't use hops bags at all, but if you want to use them make sure the hops are very "loose" in whatever bag you used and not packed in.

 

[HoboBrewery]

Yea I don't use hop bags either. I use pellets and they naturally settle out when i bottle. You might lose a tiny bit of beer, but I feel like I want my hops incorporated into the beer as much and for as long as possible.

Thanks for deciphering my hop schedule everyone. Not how much into the boil but how much left in a 60 minute boil.

And you might want to check out homebrew warehouse website for a free beer calculator. Happy brewing.

 

[kanddr]

I just bottled that same kit 2 weeks ago and popped a couple open tonight. It is a very good kit as is so you may want to try it with the provided hops then try the saaz next time.
Mine is still a bit hoppy but it is still early too and that will mellow with time. I did half of the bittering hops at the beginning of the boil and the other half at 30 minutes left in the boil and the full amount of aroma hops at the end. I think this schedule will work perfectly once they age appropriately.

I used Safale US-05 and fermented about 66*

 

[AdamWiz]

I don't have the means to ferment at those temperatures. I am told that the wlp080 works best from 67-70 degrees. That is why I am using that particular blend of yeast.

I have used WLP080 at around 68-69 degrees with good results. Crisp and clean taste. Some slight sulfur smells during the early part of fermentation, but that goes away. As for hops, I like using all cluster hops for cream ales. I have also used Fuggles, but I prefer the cluster.

 

[Love2BrewCrew]

Just brewed a Cream Ale about two months ago; big hit.

Hallertau and Saaz worked incredible; very light flavor which contributes to the sweet beer.

 

[lorne17]

Hey guys,

I just brewed this Liberty Cream Ale today. I'm curious to know how long I should leave it in the primary fermenter. I don't plan on putting it in a secondary (never use one). I was thinking 3 probably 4 weeks in primary. Thoughts?

Thanks,
Lorne

 

[BansheeRider]

Hey guys,

I just brewed this Liberty Cream Ale today. I'm curious to know how long I should leave it in the primary fermenter. I don't plan on putting it in a secondary (never use one). I was thinking 3 probably 4 weeks in primary. Thoughts?

Thanks,
Lorne

Depends on when your beer hits FG. Three weeks should be plenty though.

 

[sweed]

Hey guys,

I just brewed this Liberty Cream Ale today. I'm curious to know how long I should leave it in the primary fermenter. I don't plan on putting it in a secondary (never use one). I was thinking 3 probably 4 weeks in primary. Thoughts?

Thanks,
Lorne

I brewed one up last night and I'll check it after 2 weeks.

 

[DPBISME]

I'm brewing
I've read a lot about people using Saaz hops in their cream ale with great results. I might like to try that…

I think Cream ALes are Hybreds... they are a lot like a Kolsch and Kolsch's are certanly made with Saaz hops.

BUT

I would ferment at the bottem end of of the temp range for you yeast to get the clean crisp flavor you are looking for.

My Kolsch was one of the best beers I ever have made...

Fermented at about 62 for a couple weeks.
Room Temp for 2 days
Lager for 2-4 weeks in the high 30s-low 40s.

DPB

 

[amber-ale]

Is it okay to combine my hops all together in the hopping bag? Like start with Cascade, 40 minutes later add my saaz into the bag WITH the cascade, then add my aroma saaz into the bag w/ the other hops? Or, should I clean the bag out after each separate hop?

Does that make sense?

The numbers are when to add the hops, relative to the end of the boil. And all the hops stay in from their addition time to the end of the boil. You don’t remove the first when you add the second.

 

[KeizerBrewr]

I treat my cream ale like my Kölsch, cool and with good hops. But since cream ale is a classic American hybrid, I use Crystal and Saaz.