January Brew and Swap - American Cream Ale

[Alastair70]

Thats a nice looking beer, how long has that been kegged now? I bottled mine today, it looks terrible, really cloudy, i took a pic because I also bottled a bitter and the difference in clarity is night and day. I didn't even cold crash the bitter but it's crystal clear. I'll post it later but I did mention on my brewthread that I was having a problem with clarity with my pale ales. Pilsner and darker beers always good. I'm perplexed!!

It’s been in keg for a week, I hit it with 45 psi for 12 hrs then it’s been sitting at 15 since.

 

[RichardM]

I'm brewing mine tomorrow. I hope I have long enough for it to condition.
Do we know how many bottles each brewer will be sending?

 

[Alastair70]

I'm brewing mine tomorrow. I hope I have long enough for it to condition.
Do we know how many bottles each brewer will be sending?

It will depend on how many have beer to share, the plan is to split into groups of 4 or 5 to keep a lid on postage.

 

[Nottsbeer]

I think it would do if you overfilled the airlock, I tend to use the minimum amount and it never reaches that far. I also put starsan in my airlock so it doesn't matter if a little goes back into the beer.

Cheers for that. I may just leave it and hope it clears as normal.

 

[Nottsbeer]

My recipe for my Cream Ale is:
For a 12l batch.

2.5kg Pilsner Malt
115g Cane sugar
19g Crystal hops (3.6AA) @ 60
18g Crystal @ 10
Prorofloc @ 15 (0.5 tablet)

Yeast - CML Kentucky

IBU - 20
OG - 1.051

Mash - c.64oC for 60 min.
Yeast was pitched @ 17oC. Temp was set to 15.5 oC for 2 days then raised to 16.5 oC for 2 days, then to 18oC for rest of time. I finally coldcrashed at 3oC for 3 days.

Note - this is a recipe I found online from beerandbrewing. I was initially going to go with the recipe in the GH book but due to a lack of planning and not wanting more random grain etc left over I went with this simpler recipe.

 

[Nottsbeer]

My final query regarding this beer...honest . What levels of carbonation are people aiming for? I've seen ranges varying from 2.4 - 3.3. most seem to suggest somewhere around 2.6. is this a good level to aim for? Thx.

 

[Alastair70]

I’m going somewhere round the 2.5-2.8 range.

 

[Broken Toe]

I'm aiming for the upper end, I like a higher carb in all my beers than advertised. And so in theory should bottle from keg at the right level as well

 

[pilgrimhudd]

Yes me too, upper end.

 

[Broken Toe]

Oh also I think we had some similar influences on the recipe front as well. I've attached mine for reference.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

This was mine though I only put 100g wheat in and added 100g pilsner 100g sugar to dry it out a bit. Yeast was cml kolsch its going to end up around 5.3%.

 

[RichardM]

I brewed mine today. I used the GH recipe, but with Hallertau Mittelfrueh because I had some to use up

 

[pilgrimhudd]

I brewed mine today. I used the GH recipe, but with Hallertau Mittelfrueh because I had some to use up

Ahh didnt see there was a GH recipe, good to see some other hops used!

 

[Broken Toe]

This was mine though I only put 100g wheat in and added 100g pilsner 100g sugar to dry it out a bit. Yeast was cml kolsch its going to end up around 5.3%.
View attachment 61284

I now wish I had put a few more hops into mine. Just did first tastings on transfer to keg and it's a little lacking for my taste. Could well be to style mind. Not really drunk this before

 

[pilgrimhudd]

I now wish I had put a few more hops into mine. Just did first tastings on transfer to keg and it's a little lacking for my taste. Could well be to style mind. Not really drunk this before

I know, it's a tricky one, I read up about the history and went for a pre prohibition cream ale which was supposedly stronger and hoppier but like you, have no idea about it really. I think mine will still be a bit bland.

 

[Broken Toe]

a bit bland

I get the impression that is this the style. Early American beer tend is a lot like this. Not saying it's a bad thing at all and it certainly has its place. I normally have a Kölsch as a permanent tap in the garage. But this could be a challenger if all goes well

 

[Nottsbeer]

Oh also I think we had some similar influences on the recipe front as well. I've attached mine for reference.

I can't open the attachment, can you do a screen shot of it?

 

[Broken Toe]

Sorry.
Here it is.

 

[Stu's Brews]

Will be brewing mine on Tuesday evening. Single malt (pilsner) with some corn sugar to help dry it out. Using Willamette for bittering and some Cascade for flavour/aroma.

 

[Nottsbeer]

Sorry.
Here it is. View attachment 61297

Cool, will be interesting to see how ours compare.