Temp Recommendations Cream Ale

[Slim M]

I’ve never brewed a Cream Ale before but I’m going to give it a shot for a light macro drinker I know. You know kinda open some minds up that homebrew and micro can be a lot of things besides dark, bitter, or whatever else stereotypes are out there.

I’ve already decided on the recipe and such but I haven’t done true ales in years and when I did I was using liquid German types. Right now I’m sticking to dry strands because of summer and chose Bry-97 over US-05 do to reading about the peach flavor possibilities. What temp schedule would you go for to get a nice balanced fermentation with this yeast. I control temp to the fermentation chamber but I have no thermowell on my fermenters, I just tape the probe to the side so keep that in my mind.

 

[pvtpublic]

I do mine with wlp001/S-05 at about 64-66F for 3 weeks, then lager the hell out of it at 33F. Cooler ferment temps help with a cleaner profile. You cood try it at 62 too, like Kölsch.
What was your thoughts?

 

[Slim M]

I’m thinking of starting at 63-64 then ramping up slowly to 70 over the coarse of 8 days then off to the keg to crash & carb.

 

[pvtpublic]

Sounds solid. I recommend keeping the temp down until it's about 3/4 the way done. It will help with a cleaner profile with the heightened yeast activity.

 

[Slim M]

Sounds solid. I recommend keeping the temp down until it's about 3/4 the way done. It will help with a cleaner profile with the heightened yeast activity.

I hear this Bry-97 can lag but I also have read it’s been improved some how? I’ve heard this yeast once it takes off is vigorous. I’m wondering if I need to ditch the airlock and go with the blow off hose.

 

[pvtpublic]

I hear this Bry-97 can lag but I also have read it’s been improved some how? I’ve heard this yeast once it takes off is vigorous. I’m wondering if I need to ditch the airlock and go with the blow off hose.

I don't have any experience with Bry-97, but I recommend using a blow off on everything for the first week. It's good insurance, and, for me, it keeps my process consistent.

 

[Slim M]

I don't have any experience with Bry-97, but I recommend using a blow off on everything for the first week. It's good insurance, and, for me, it keeps my process consistent.

Guess I’ve been lucky in the past because I always used ale pales with 5.5 gal batches and only ever had one issue with crap in the airlock and that was with Coopers yeast, the big pack not the little ones in those old kits.

 

[pvtpublic]

That's probably due to the viability difference between the two. That big pack is probably better handled than the little guys sitting at who knows what temp for how long.

 

[Slim M]

Not really sure what the Big 15g Coopers pack is but it’s was sort of like Nottingham. I remember intentionally fermenting it warm like 72 ambient for an Aussie Sparkling trying for moderate esters and so I’m sure internal temp was much higher.

It was the only time I ever blew a lid of completely across the room. Surprisingly it wasn’t a fruity bomb. Finished in like 3 days. Basically drinking it in 2 weeks. 6 days in primary and the remainder force carb in keg.

 

[Saunassa]

I have one in tap most of the time. Us-05 and Nottingham are my 2 most common yeast. Ferment around 66 first 5 days. Leaving in fermenter at least 3 weeks was a plus. After 2 weeks in the fridge/keg nice and clear.

 

[Slim M]

I have one in tap most of the time. Us-05 and Nottingham are my 2 most common yeast. Ferment around 66 first 5 days. Leaving in fermenter at least 3 weeks was a plus. After 2 weeks in the fridge/keg nice and clear.

Hey so your leaving it in the primary for 3 weeks intentionally? What are you fermenting in?

 

[Saunassa]

I use NB big mouth bubblers and don't use secondaries. I have two 5 gal batches of cream ale from our clubs big brew day to transfer tomorrow. They have been in the fermenters for 4 weeks. The Nottingham was pretty much done fermenting after 5 days and was clearing. The US-05 was still slowly chugging along for 2 weeks and was finally clearing by the 3 weeks.
I used Imperials House yeast for my oatmeal stout and it was in the fermenter 6 weeks before bottling. One of my best beers to date.

 

[Slim M]

I use NB big mouth bubblers and don't use secondaries. I have two 5 gal batches of cream ale from our clubs big brew day to transfer tomorrow. They have been in the fermenters for 4 weeks. The Nottingham was pretty much done fermenting after 5 days and was clearing. The US-05 was still slowly chugging along for 2 weeks and was finally clearing by the 3 weeks.
I used Imperials House yeast for my oatmeal stout and it was in the fermenter 6 weeks before bottling. One of my best beers to date.

Yeah I’ve ditched the 2ndary fermenter also. When I started brewing back in the 2000’s it seemed to be what was taught was 2ndary was pretty much essential to keep beer away from the yeast cake during lagering or maturing. I remember reading back then that off flavors would arise from such practices. Most likely much unnecessary o2 was introduced this way with the additional transfer. Looking back much has changed in the hobby.