Blonde / Cream Ale Adventure

[haerbob3]

Hey, when I do a hop boil it is never beyond 15 minutes. Even a ten minute boil adds bitterness. I usually do a 1-2 oz boil for 10 minutes, so basically all I ever do is flavor and aroma. You still get IBU. Remember that hop boiling chart is for MAXIMUM utilization, so even in a 10 minute boil I can get 20 IBU's depending on the amount and the alpha %. I am not doing the 60 minute wort boil, I don't need to cause I use extract. It's already been done when they make the extract. I think it is a mis-understanding in brewing to believe that ALL boils must be for 60 minutes. All grain recipes HAVE to be boiled that long, for DMS, hot break, etc., but luckily, us extract doesn't. The only down-side so far that I have found for extract beers is I can't buy already mashed corn, rice or oats extract.


the part I am stating is wrong is that all extract is hopped You will get IBU's by boiling hops in plain water. Also you do not need a 60 min boil for all AG batches either, that is another misconception.

[monsteroyd]

Hey, when I do a hop boil it is never beyond 15 minutes. Even a ten minute boil adds bitterness. I usually do a 1-2 oz boil for 10 minutes, so basically all I ever do is flavor and aroma. You still get IBU. Remember that hop boiling chart is for MAXIMUM utilization, so even in a 10 minute boil I can get 20 IBU's depending on the amount and the alpha %. I am not doing the 60 minute wort boil, I don't need to cause I use extract. It's already been done when they make the extract. I think it is a mis-understanding in brewing to believe that ALL boils must be for 60 minutes. All grain recipes HAVE to be boiled that long, for DMS, hot break, etc., but luckily, us extract doesn't. The only down-side so far that I have found for extract beers is I can't buy already mashed corn, rice or oats extract.


the part I am stating is wrong is that all extract is hopped You will get IBU's by boiling hops in plain water. Also you do not need a 60 min boil for all AG batches either, that is another misconception.

Yeah I didn't put that very well in the original post. I meant I didn't have to boil extract wort for 60 minutes to drive off DMS etc, not that I don't need a hop boil of some type. I was confusing at best, unintelligible at worse.

Monty

[BradyFumbled]

Hey, when I do a hop boil it is never beyond 15 minutes. Even a ten minute boil adds bitterness. I usually do a 1-2 oz boil for 10 minutes, so basically all I ever do is flavor and aroma. You still get IBU. Remember that hop boiling chart is for MAXIMUM utilization, so even in a 10 minute boil I can get 20 IBU's depending on the amount and the alpha %. I am not doing the 60 minute wort boil, I don't need to cause I use extract. It's already been done when they make the extract. I think it is a mis-understanding in brewing to believe that ALL boils must be for 60 minutes. All grain recipes HAVE to be boiled that long, for DMS, hot break, etc., but luckily, us extract doesn't. The only down-side so far that I have found for extract beers is I can't buy already mashed corn, rice or oats extract.


the part I am stating is wrong is that all extract is hopped You will get IBU's by boiling hops in plain water. Also you do not need a 60 min boil for all AG batches either, that is another misconception.

Yeah I didn't put that very well in the original post. I meant I didn't have to boil extract wort for 60 minutes to drive off DMS etc, not that I don't need a hop boil of some type. I was confusing at best, unintelligible at worse.

Monty

That's how I read it. The "it's already been done when they make the extract" line is referring to boiling, not hopping. No cause for anybody to get their feathers ruffled.

In any case, I love a good cream ale and keep one in my rotation. Tough style to find commercially, really wish more micros would brew it. I've found a little bit of biscuit malt in my recipe gives it a great malty character.

[monsteroyd]

hmm.. biscuit malt, I don't have any of that, but I have some munich, you think that would work? I do need to get some corn tho in order to do a cream ale, so maybe I'll get some biscuit too.

Thanks
Monty

[BradyFumbled]

Munich might give a good flavor as well... I've brewed my recipe about five-six times with adjustments and tweaks along the way, I ended up adding less than 5% biscuit malt just to give it that little extra malty/bready flavor. It worked great. Munich might do something similar (especially if you've already got some.... I'm a big fan of using what is already on the shelf, haha).

[monsteroyd]

Ok second Blonde Ale got brewed today. EDIT: Named Blonde Ale 2, I'm getting lazy with the names.

I used a new dry yeast Safale K-97. I re-hydrated and pitched 12 grams. I am very curious about this yeast. Here'e the recipe for this one. I'm trying to use up my Munich and Pale LME.

Brewed: 16 Mar 2014
Bottle: 06 Apr 2014
Drink: 04 May 2014

Batch Size: 2.25 gal
Estimated OG: 1.046 SG
Measured OG: 1.048 SG
Estimated FG: 1.011 SG
Measured FG: 1.011 SG
Estimated ABV: 4.5 %
Measured ABV: 4.8 %
Boil Time: 10 Minutes
Color: 7.6 SRM
Estimated IBU: 18.9 IBUs

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
2.25 gal Atlanta, GA Water 1 -
6.0 oz Carapils (Briess) (1.5 SRM) Grain 2 12.5 %
1.00 oz Sterling [7.00 %] - First Wort 7.0 min Hop 3 18.9 IBUs
1 lbs Light Dry Extract (8.0 SRM) Dry Extract 4 33.3 %
0.50 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 10.0 mins) Fining 5 -
2.00 Items Fermcap-S (Boil 10.0 mins) Other 6 -
2.00 tsp Yeast Nutrient (Boil 0.1 mins) Other 7 -
1.0 pkg SafAle German Ale (DCL/Fermentis #K-97) Yeast 8 -
2.70 oz Malto-Dextrine (Primary 1.0 mins) Other 9 -
12.0 oz Munich Liquid Extract (12.5 SRM) Extract 10 25.0 %
12.0 oz Pale Liquid Extract (8.0 SRM) Extract 11 25.0 %
2.0 oz Honey (1.0 SRM) Sugar 12 4.2 %


Monty

[Dawg LB Steve]

The question I have on this is what is a good base DME or LME for a Cream Ale, found some recipes online that are mostly AG, want to do a gallon batch for a friend that only drink Genesee Cream Ale. The AG's I did see also incorporated Flaked Corn.

[BeerRust]

The question I have on this is what is a good base DME or LME for a Cream Ale, found some recipes online that are mostly AG, want to do a gallon batch for a friend that only drink Genesee Cream Ale. The AG's I did see also incorporated Flaked Corn.

Monty's 2 recipes on here are both extract brews, DME, LME , and are 2.5 gal batches. You can pick the type of DME, LMe , you like. I would think a Light or Extra Light or Pale at about 2-3 lbs would work. Im guessing a steep of flaked corn is what gives the cream ale it's body.

[monsteroyd]

Yes to what BeerRust said. Basically a Blonde ale is just a light colored lightly hopped all barley ale about 4-5%. Cream is basically the same but with corn added. I think though that you would be better off doing a small partial mash with the flaked corn. I've heard that you can use instant grits too, but as people here have pointed out, it could turn into a sticky ball of goo. I was planning on doing a small mash of 1/2 lb of flaked corn with 1/2 lb 6-row for enzymes.

So for a base I am going light dme or lme.

Monty

EDIT: Also Dawg LB ever time I see your handle I thing 'How 'bout them Dawgs!" (as in Georgia) but then I remember the dog pound in Cleveland. Just throws me down here in SEC land.

[Dawg LB Steve]

Thanks guys. Monty, hoping to have Aaron Murray the QB of the future for the Browns. What I am going to do is a 1.5 gal test batch and use:
1.5 lbs Pilsen DME
.5 lbs Flaked Corn steep
3 oz Honey Malt steep
.5 oz Saaz @ 30 mins
For the yeast my local supply store gave me a vial of yeast from a Cream Ale batch he just got out of his primary.

[BeerRust]

Thanks guys. Monty, hoping to have Aaron Murray the QB of the future for the Browns. What I am going to do is a 1.5 gal test batch and use:
1.5 lbs Pilsen DME
.5 lbs Flaked Corn steep
3 oz Honey Malt steep
.5 oz Saaz @ 30 mins
For the yeast my local supply store gave me a vial of yeast from a Cream Ale batch he just got out of his primary.

IMO , you are a little heavy on everything, corn, honey malt, and hops for that small of a batch. And a little light on the DME.

[Dawg LB Steve]

Caught this a little late, 40 mins into the boil, only going 15 mins on the hops. I ran it through QBrew it all fell into range for Cream Ale. I guess I'll see how it comes out in about 7 weeks!

[BeerRust]

Caught this a little late, 40 mins into the boil, only going 15 mins on the hops. I ran it through QBrew it all fell into range for Cream Ale. I guess I'll see how it comes out in about 7 weeks!

What was the ABV calculation?

[Dawg LB Steve]

Calculated out at 4.9%, 1.048 OG I hit 1.045 and finish I think, not nearby the recipe, at 1.011.

[monsteroyd]

Awesome Dawg! Sounds good.

Ok Been under the weather and working on my basement, but I got in a batch this evening.

A simple SMaSH Light DME and Mt Hood hops.
Recipe: Blonde Ale SMaSH Mt Hood
Brewer: Dog Breath
Asst:
Style: Blonde Ale
Type: Extract

Brewed: 23 Mar 2014
Bottle: 13 Apr 2014
Drink: 11 May 2014

Batch Size: 2.25 gal
Estimated OG: 1.046 SG
Measured OG: 1.047 SG
Estimated FG: 1.010 SG
Measured FG: 1.010 SG
Estimated ABV: 4.8 %
Measured ABV: 4.8 %
Boil Time: 10 Minutes
Color: 4.6 SRM
Estimated IBU: 24.8 IBUs

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
2.25 gal Atlanta, GA Water 1 -
1.00 oz Mt. Hood [6.10 %] - First Wort 10.0 min Hop 2 24.8 IBUs
10.0 oz Light Dry Extract (8.0 SRM) Dry Extract 3 26.3 %
0.50 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 10.0 mins) Fining 4 -
2.00 Items Fermcap-S (Boil 10.0 mins) Other 5 -
2.00 tsp Yeast Nutrient (Boil 0.1 mins) Other 6 -
1.0 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) Yeast 7 -
2.70 oz Malto-Dextrine (Primary 1.0 mins) Other 8 -
1 lbs 10.0 oz DME Golden Light (Briess) (4.0 SRM) Dry Extract 9 68.4 %
2.0 oz Honey (1.0 SRM) Sugar 10 5.3 %


Can't wait. It looked really good. The 10 oz at first and then the 26 oz at the end is because I thought the scale said lbs not oz, and I measured 1.0 (actually 1o) exactly, only when I went to measure out the rest I realized the mistake and added more. At least it gave me a couple more IBU.

Anyway looks like May 10th for this one.

Monty