Post brew day ponderings on Cream Ale kit

[cobbler]

I brewed a cream ale kit yesterday for my friend that has been drawing up labels for me. This is my sixth batch and I've been really happy with how the beers have turned out.

I did stray from this recipe a little by steeping the specialty grains for about 30 minutes. I also kept half of the extract aside to add 20 minutes before flame out. I had read that late extract additions can help keep the color of the beer lighter. Could I have just added all of the extract at the end instead of doing half and half?

Also one of their reviewers on NB website says "If you are attempting to convert light beer drinkers, reduce the hops boil from 60 to 35 minutes . Should give you about 16 Ibu according to beer smith." I was wondering what effects the shorter boil time would have on the hop flavor? I am I right in thinking that it would make the beer less bitter?

 

[agodfrey11]

Shorter boil will lower the overall bitterness, but with a cream ale kit there shouldn't be to much bitterness to begin with. Are you referring to the NB Cream Ale kit that only has one oz cluster at 60 min? I wouldn't mess with that, as that is probably the right amount of bitterness for a cream ale. You need some bitterness so the beer ins't to sweet.

That being said. Try it and see if you like it better. Worst case is that you end up making beer.

 

[cobbler]

Yeah, it's the NB kit. I didn't think it would bitter to begin with and luckily I'm not trying to convert a BMC drinker. I was surprised that the color was darker than I was expecting which is why I was wondering about the late extract addition.

 

[Flywheel]

Boiling the extract does darken it. Late addition is a common way to get a lighter colored beer. My extract batches have always been a little darker .... but I don't really care, I'm not entering it in competitions.

 

[TTB-J]

I add all of my DME at a couple of minutes before flameout, just long enough to get it dissolved and mixed in and then I cut the burner. To date, all of my batches have been spot on color-wise.