How to Brew Cream Ale Beer: Silky Smooth Blueprint to a Classic
Cream Ale, as well as California Common and American pilsner can claim to have indigenous American roots.
All three styles began in the 1800s. Just as the English were accustomed to dark(er) beers, Americans did not shy away from beer styles such as porters, stouts, and milds.
As an influx of German migrants came to America in the 1830s escaping military service and seeking money, the wave of beer influence showed its head in America.
Just as the Germans were transitioning to lighter colored beers and moving away from the darker styles, Americans were looking for a crisp, thirst-quencher to satisfy after a long day of working.
Ales or Lagers
As the Germans fled to America, as did their vast brewing knowledge. By the 1870s the lagers that the Germans began crafting were outselling ales.
The ale brewers had to complete somehow and as the game goes they needed to come up with something new to compete in this now competitive brewing landscape.
The answer was a beer that was created with six-row, two-row, and different adjuncts. It was also fermented cooler with either ale or lager yeast, or both. This beer was also aged for a short amount of time at a cooler temperature. What they created was the American Cream Ale.
A New Style
The aftermath was a kölsch-like beer; light, crisp ale, with a low fruitiness. To assist the brewer’s pockets, these Cream Ales were produced much quicker than any lager.
The American drinker responded well to this new style. It found a cozy place with the American beer drinker until Prohibition. Post-prohibition saw the American palate shift toward lagers. Cream Ales never really took off after prohibition.
Most commercial versions are now closer to ales and less like the pre-prohibition cream ale style. It is a bridge beer when trying to introduce non-craft beer drinkers into the wonderful world of craft beer.
Style Profile for Cream Ale Beer
Appearance
Straw yellow to medium gold in color. Head will be low to moderate with medium retention. Very clear with high carbonation.
Aroma
Aroma is rather subtle and balanced between the hops and malt. Malt aroma of sweet corn-like quality ranges from low to slightly moderate.
Hop aroma can be floral, herbal, or spicy. Diacetyl may be present in low quantities. May have slight fruity esters.
Mouthfeel
Body is medium, but usually has a light and crisp quality with high carbonation. Smooth and usually has high attenuation, which creates thirst quenching qualities.
Taste
Well attenuated with a low to medium malty sweetness. Hop bitterness is low to moderately low. Light diacetyl may be noticeable along with slight corny flavor.
Low fruity esters are also possible. Beer finishes dry to slightly sweet. Hop flavor is low to medium and usually spicy, floral, or herbal.
Food Pairing
Cream Ales pair wonderfully with salads, light shellfish, Monterey Jack cheese, brugers, and bbq.
Tips for Brewing your own Cream Ale Homebrew
Grain
The grain bill for a Cream Ale is pretty simple and straightforward. The base malt is usually 2-row or 6-row or a blend of the two. This will make up around 80-90 percent of your grain bill.
Pilsner malt, as Martin used, could be substituted without much problem. The rest of the grist will be made up of some adjunct. This adjunct can be flaked maze or simple corn sugar.
Hops
With the IBU range being at 20 on the high end, hops really added to balance out the sweet grain.
There are some reports that indicate the pre-prohibition Cream Ale was hoppier than today’s Cream Ales.
Cluster hops would be the most traditional for both bittering and aroma additions. Any low-alpha hop will do such as: Northern Brewer, Cascade, Crystal, Styrian Golding, Mt. Hood, or Liberty.
Yeast
Wyeast California Lager 2272, American Ale 1056
White Labs Cream Ale Blend Yeast WLP080, California Ale WLP001 or San Francisco Lager WLP810
Dry Yeast Safale S-23.
Mash:
If you are using corn sugar, or flaked adjuncts, a single infusion mash will work. Mashing at 150°F(65°C) for 45 minutes to an hour will be just fine.
If you are using an adjunct that has not been gelatinized, such as corn grits or anything not malted, flaked, or torrified, doing a cereal mash is your best bet.
Fermentation:
If you are using an ale yeast or a lager yeast, fermentation temperatures should be at the bottom of your ale range and upper end of the lager yeast range.
This will probably be in the neighborhood of 56-64°F (13-17°C).You can also lager it below 40°F(4°C) for several weeks.
This is a beer style that should be consumed fairly quickly, so drink fresh.
Cream Ale By the Numbers
- Color Range: 2.5 – 5 SRM
- Original Gravity: 1.042 – 1.055 OG
- Final Gravity: 1.006 – 1.012 FG
- IBU Range: 8 – 20
- ABV Range: 4.2 – 5.6%
Cream Ale Homebrew Recipe
Grain
- 96% 11 lbs Pilsner
- 4% 8 ozs Sugar; Corn (Dextrose)
Hops
- 0.75 oz Liberty Pellets – Boil 60.0 min
- 0.50 oz Liberty Pellets – Boil 10.0 min
Yeast
- 1.0 pkg Cream Ale Blend Yeast (WLP080)
Directions
- Mash at 150°F (65°C) for 60 mins
- Boil for 60 mins
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is an American Cream Ale?
An American Cream Ale is a beer that originated in the 1800s in America. It was developed as a response to the popularity of lagers brought by German migrants.
The American Cream Ale is a hybrid beer, created with a mix of six-row, two-row, and different adjuncts. It can be fermented with either ale or lager yeast, or both, and is aged for a short duration at cooler temperatures.
How does the Cream Ale taste and look?
The Cream Ale is light and crisp, with a low fruitiness. It has an appearance ranging from straw yellow to medium gold.
The aroma is a subtle balance between hops and malt, with possible hints of sweet corn-like quality. The taste is well-attenuated with a low to medium malty sweetness, and the hop flavor can be spicy, floral, or herbal.
What are the key ingredients in a Cream Ale recipe?
The primary ingredients for a Cream Ale include base malt (usually 2-row or 6-row or a blend of the two), adjuncts like flaked maize or corn sugar, and hops.
Traditional hops for Cream Ales include Cluster hops, but other low-alpha hops like Northern Brewer, Cascade, and Liberty can also be used. The yeast can be a blend, such as the Cream Ale Blend Yeast (WLP080).
How should Cream Ale be paired with food?
Cream Ales are versatile when it comes to food pairing. They go well with salads, light shellfish, Monterey Jack cheese, burgers, and barbecue.
What is the fermentation process for Cream Ale?
If using ale or lager yeast, the fermentation temperatures should be at the lower end of the ale range and the upper end of the lager yeast range, typically between 56-64°F (13-17°C).
It can also be lagered below 40°F(4°C) for several weeks. Cream Ales are best consumed fresh.