Beer Forum

I want (need to) brew a proper american cream ale - a lager mimicking effort - without lagering.

Now, I am struggling to get rice syrup to test brew this on my sabco type system - before I scale up.

Can I use flaked rice, or a blend of flaked rice and rolled maize, with some lager malt to get the same flavour - but are there any doo's and don'ts

what yeast? 05/001/1056?

Hops? Magnum? hallertau Tradition?

In 2008 a Cream Ale won our National Hombrew Competiton. I've brewed this recipe several times with great success.

I pulled this from the American Homebrewers Association Recipe site:

KARI'S CREAM ALE NHC08

Category 6: Light Hybrid Beer
2008 AHA National Homebrew Competition Gold Medal
Sponsored by Cargill World Select c/o Cargill Malt
David Anderson, Northglenn, CO, Cream Ale, Hop Barley & the Alers
2008 Homebrewer of the Year
"Kari's Cream Ale"
Cream Ale

Ingredients for 11 U.S. gallons (41.64 liters)

8.0 lb (3.63 kg) Pilsner malt
8.0 lb (3.63 kg) American 2-row pale malt
1.0 lb (0.45 kg) flaked corn
1.0 lb (0.45 kg) cane sugar
2.0 oz (56 g) Hallertau whole hops, 3.6% alpha acid (60 min.)
1.0 oz (28 g) Hallertau whole hops, 3.6% alpha acid (1 min.)
White Labs WLP001 California ale yeast
White Labs Servomyces yeast nutrient (2 capsules)
Forced CO2 to carbonate

Original Specific Gravity: 1.051
Final Specific Gravity: 1.008
Boiling Time: 70 min.
Primary Fermentation: 12 days at 64° F (18° C) in glass.
Plate filtered

Directions
Mash grains at 149° (64° C) for 60 minutes.

Phil_L wrote:Can I use flaked rice, or a blend of flaked rice and rolled maize, with some lager malt to get the same flavour - but are there any doo's and don'ts

I think that any/all would work fine but when I do adjunct lagers or cream ales, I just take the proper amount of whatever white rice I have on hand (usually Basmati or jasmine) and cook it in a big pot per package instructions as though I were going to eat it. I do this the night before and just leave it out with the lid on so no nasties can get to it. In the morning, as I'm heating strike water, I'll add some water to cover the cooked rice, stir and bring it up to mash temp on the stove. I'll hit it good with a stick blender and then add it to my mash. Has always converted completely for me and gives me the expected efficiency. Cheaper and more convenient than making a trip to the brew store for flaked rice or rice syrup.

For Corn, use hominy grits or polenta (check the label for non-grain ingredients, though)

I've also had good success with generic instant rice from the grocery. No need to cook, I just run it through my grain mill to make it uniform and dough in with the rest of my grain bill. Quick and easy!

Alan

alan_marks wrote:I've also had good success with generic instant rice from the grocery. No need to cook, I just run it through my grain mill to make it uniform and dough in with the rest of my grain bill. Quick and easy!

Alan

Aha! Thanks for the tip.

FWIW, I use flaked rice or flaked corn, since it has already been gelantized. It can go straight into the mash.

There is a cream ale yeast WLP080.

MikeB wrote:In 2008 a Cream Ale won our National Hombrew Competiton. I've brewed this recipe several times with great success.

I had the opportunity to meet Karl shortly after that and have a sample of that beer. You definitely want to brew that recipe!

Wayne

Thanks all!

nothing too complicated there

*rubs hands and rolls up sleeves*