Orange Creamsicle Ale

[hiphoppotamuss]

My wife and I were at a local brewpub recently where they served an “Orange Creamsicle Ale“… it was absolutely delicious. None of the servers had any clue as to the ingredients so I thought I would try to re-create it. I bumped up the malt bill on a Cream Ale I’ve brewed in the past which was quite good ( the creamsicle Ale was around 6.7% ABV) plus lactose and a little sugar to bump the ABV

I’m curious about hops? I know Mandarina Bavaria has a great citrus flavor to it but I have also been hearing wonderful things about the Zamba blend. Am I overdoing the vanilla? Thoughts?

5 lb 2-Row Xtra Pale Malt Viking Grain 1.8 °L
5 lb Pilsner Weyermann Grain 1.8 °L
1 lb Corn Yellow, Flaked Briess Grain 1.5 °L
1 lb Milk Sugar (Lactose) Sugar 0 °L
1 lb Oats, Flaked Briess Grain 1.6 °L
8 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt Grain 7.9 °L
6 oz Sugar, Table (Sucrose)
4 oz Carapils Briess.

150F x 60 min plus mashout 168F

60 minute boil

20g Mandarina Bavaria 8.5% @ 60 min 18.1 IBU
15 g HS Zamba 10.0% @15 min 8 IBU
10 g Mandarina Bavaria 8.5% @15 min 3.3 IBU
2oz sweet dried orange peel at 5 min
45 g HS Zamba 10.0% hopstand
30 g Mandarina Bavaria 8.5% hopstand

30mL vanilla extract whirlpool

2 packets Lallemand Voss ferment at 75F

3 vodka soaked chopped vanilla beans added at kegging.

 

[lumpher]

Not sure if it would be right, but it looks like that's how it would taste...
Here's a posted 1:

https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/664170/orange-creamsicle-ale

 

[lumpher]

You're not going to get a Creamsicle flavor using hops. Creamsicle are smooth and sweet. Hops are not.

 

[hiphoppotamuss]

Yeah. That was my hunch as well. Half ‘em?

 

[AzOr]

Since you’re using vanilla extract, why not throw a half or whole bean in the fermenter and hold back the extract and dose the keg once finished? Seems like a safer route since this is an experimental recipe.

Also, seems like the sucrose and dextrose would take away from the body.

I would look into using a touch (or more) of honey malt. It adds a perceived sweetness.

Good luck. Wether you end up close to a clone or not, I’m sure it’ll be a tasty beer regardless.

 

[IslandLizard]

30mL vanilla extract whirlpool

Add to keg, instead. Much flavor/aroma gets easily lost at hot temps. Fermenting doesn't improve it either.
But much better to use alcohol soaked cut-up vanilla beans instead. Steep them in a (pint-size) mason jar with 190 proof Everclear while fermenting the main batch. Give it a shake every day. Then add the potion to your keg. You can put the steeped pieces of bean in a mesh baggie and add to your keg as well.

6 oz Sugar, Table (Sucrose)

What's that for?

Was the “Orange Creamsicle Ale“ you had thin (like normal beer) or more thickish milkshake-like?
Did it have a slight tartness?

 

[Jag75]

This is a beer I brew often . Personally I'd leave out the table sugar . If you want a milkshake ipa style , use Lactose. If you want just an ale, forgo the Lactose.

I will admit , I've never brewed it with corn or crystal .

The beer I tried to clone was Belching Beavers , Fall of Troy. It's a fantastic beer. If you see it , try it.

 

[hiphoppotamuss]

What's that for?

Was the “Orange Creamsicle Ale“ you had thin (like normal beer) or more thickish milkshake-like?
Did it have a slight tartness?

Sucrose Just to up the ABV a touch without upping the body . I can definitely toss it.

So it was interesting. It was just a little bit thicker than an average ale and hazy but nowhere near milkshake IPA territory. You could definitely tell there was lactose in it. Very tart but balanced by the sweetness.

Yes, I am planning on adding chopped vodka soaked vanilla beans to the keg. Sounds like with this the vanilla extract may not even be necessary?

 

[hiphoppotamuss]

I will admit , I've never brewed it with corn or crystal .

The beer I tried to clone was Belching Beavers , Fall of Troy. It's a fantastic beer. If you see it , try

Yeah, the crystal was held over from the cream ale recipe and I’m thinking of tossing that. I think I’ll keep the corn in there to provide a little extra light sweetness. I will definitely keep an eye out for Fall of Troy!

I’d love to see your recipe, any way you can share ?

 

[IslandLizard]

Very tart but balanced by the sweetness.

I think the tartness / sweetness contrast is essential for the Creamsicle experience.
How are you going to make it at least somewhat or even very tart?
Kettle souring?

 

[Jag75]

Yeah, the crystal was held over from the cream ale recipe and I’m thinking of tossing that. I think I’ll keep the corn in there to provide a little extra light sweetness. I will definitely keep an eye out for Fall of Troy!

I’d love to see your recipe, any way you can share ?

I basically use my Neipa recipe and add lactose . I use hops that have the Citra profiles. Mandarin Bavaria, Amarillo , Citra . I'm looking at Lotus , Idaho 7 possibly in the future to see what those bring to the glass.

I use 2 row , Munich, flaked oats , flaked wheat and white wheat .

What I've found is that if your making an extract it takes longer then a few days or couple weeks . We tend to rush things . Imo it takes 4 to 6 weeks to get a decent extract. Best flavor of extract takes 6 months to a year.

However , pure vanilla extract works great in beers if you don't have the time to make your own extract.

Get a good wp at 170f .

If you leave the corn for a slight sweetness you may want to pass on the lactose . But I'm not certain because I've never tried it .

 

[hiphoppotamuss]

I think the tartness / sweetness contrast is essential for the Creamsicle experience.
How are you going to make it at least somewhat or even very tart?
Kettle souring?

Honestly, I hadn’t even thought about that.
I might just see how this batch goes and taste it before kegging, … if it really needs some sourness, add a little lactic acid. I know that’s cheating but….

 

[Jag75]

If your wanting some tartness add some Mandarin or Orange puree at the end of fermentation.

 

[IslandLizard]

If your wanting some tartness add some Mandarin or Orange puree at the end of fermentation.

That's probably what the brewpub did.

if it really needs some sourness, add a little lactic acid.

Yes, that's a good idea, and you can dose it to taste. One less variable to deal with.

I know that’s cheating but….

Nah...