I just drank a cream ale for the first time ever.

[Calichusetts]

Kind of funny seeing all the love for Cream Ale. I know I have seen a few of these posters bash BMC for making tastless beer. Cream Ale is basically the Ale counterpart to the much despised BMC beers . Don't get me wrong, I like Cream Ales, but I also like Bud Light at times too.

True...but at the same time, I've had BMC-like cream ales (Narragansett) and I've had lights-out delicious cream ales (slumbrew). They each have their own place.

 

[phuff7129]

Kind of funny seeing all the love for Cream Ale. I know I have seen a few of these posters bash BMC for making tastless beer. Cream Ale is basically the Ale counterpart to the much despised BMC beers . Don't get me wrong, I like Cream Ales, but I also like Bud Light at times too.

I've never had a BMC that tastes anywhere near as good my cream ale. I've never had a BMC that uses flakes oats and cascade or barley for that matter. I've never had a BMC with a beautiful creamy mouthfeel either.

 

[robanna]

Ah, yes. Genny Cream Ale. I used to play rugby for the Genesee Creamers. We'd get a keg donated for every home game. Genny Screamers are what you got the next day.

 

[Ridire]

Stupid question: what's the difference between a cream ale and a blonde? The grain bill for my "blonde" was pretty much stolen from a clone of a commercial "cream ale", with different yeast and a few other changes. I called it a blonde because it has no corn (but has wheat). I don't get too hung up in categories, as I don't enter comps, but I'm curious as to the difference.

 

[blakelyc]

I'm late to the party but another fun thing to do with cream ale is serve it as a Real Ale. My first all grain batch was a cream ale to be the guest tap at the homebrew club meeting (every meeting someone makes a beer and the club pres does the cellaring and serves it from a hand pull). I took home less than a gallon that day. It clocked in at about 4.5 abv and was absolutely amazing. I used 6lbs 2-row, 3lbs Flaked Maize, 0.5 carpils, 1 oz cluster (o.75 oz 60 min, 0.25 flameout). Your right it disappears quick and is a favorite with almost everyone. I call the recipe, "This is My Covered Dish".

I actually decided to carb mine to a lower level.... Not quite real ale, but I only took it to 2.0 volumes. It is lovely that way, and very, very easy to drink.

 

[blakelyc]

Stupid question: what's the difference between a cream ale and a blonde? The grain bill for my "blonde" was pretty much stolen from a clone of a commercial "cream ale", with different yeast and a few other changes. I called it a blonde because it has no corn (but has wheat). I don't get too hung up in categories, as I don't enter comps, but I'm curious as to the difference.

From my recipe research, most people say that corn is necessary for a cream ale, but the 'brewing classic styles' recipe does not have any (it uses rice).

 

[Weezy]

Genee Cream was my first taste of beer! when I was 14 and my grandpa gave me one of those little green stout bottles.

 

[Mr_Pear]

I love that ale! My mother-in-law sometimes sends some over and it's delicious. Would you like to share the recipe?

7 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 3 69.7 %
2 lbs 4.0 oz Barley, Flaked (1.7 SRM) Grain 4 22.4 %
8.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 5 5.0 %
4.8 oz Acid Malt (3.0 SRM) Grain 6 3.0 %
2.00 oz Mt. Hood [6.00 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 7 20.2 IBUs

This is the recipe that I used, fermented with white labs cream ale yeast blend but I think you could use anything neutral and clean and end up with good results. The actual recipe only adds hops in at whirlpool and from whirlpool to knockout is ~45 mins so I estimated with a 15min addition and cooled as normal. With just the whirlpool addition they get the 20ish ibus listed for the beer.

 

[blakelyc]

I just realized that I never posted the recipe I ended up with. Pretty similar to the fad fermentationist but with 50% pils and a lower hop schedule. Please note the when I did this is subbed in AU Helga hops. Turned out excellent. Also, did a simple over night starter for the 1056.

Cream Ale

Style: Cream Ale
Type: All Grain Calories: 167
Rating: 0.0 Boil Size: 6.50 Gal
IBU's: 21.60 Batch Size: 5.50 Gal
Color: 4.8 SRM Boil Time: 90 minutes
Preboil OG: 1.047
Estimated
Brew Date: - 04/13/2013
OG: 1.051
FG: 1.013
ABV: 4.98 %
Efficiency: 70 %
Serve Date: 05/18/2013

Fermentation Steps
Name Days / Temp Estimated Actual
Primary 21 days @ 65.0°F 04/13/2013 04/13/2013
Bottle/Keg 14 days @ 74.0°F 05/04/2013 -

Grains & Adjuncts
Amount Percentage Name Time Gravity
5.00 lbs 41.67 % Briess 2-Row Pale Ale Malt 60 mins 1.037
1.00 lbs 8.33 % Corn, Flaked 60 mins 1.037
0.50 lbs 4.17 % Briess 6-Row Carapils 60 mins 1.034
5.00 lbs 41.67 % Pilsner (2 Row) Ger 60 mins 1.037
0.50 lbs 4.17 % Barley, Flaked 60 mins 1.032

Hops
Amount IBU's Name Time AA %
1.00 ozs 18.01 Liberty 60 mins 5.60
1.00 ozs 3.59 Liberty 5 mins 5.60

Yeasts
Amount Name Laboratory / ID
1.0 pkg American Ale Wyeast Labs 1056

Additions
(none)

Mash Profile
Light Body Infusion In 70 min @ 149.0°F
Add 15.00 qt ( 1.25 qt/lb ) water @ 169.6°F
Sparge
Sparge 19.24 qt of 170.0°F water

Notes

Hops were Helga at 5.6 AA, 4.3 BA

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