Amazingly Drinkable Cream Ale

In this summer heat, this modern take on an old historical style is a winner.  The best way to discribe this beer is Lagerish and Sessionable but utilising recognisbale crafty hops to make it interesting, refreshing and never boring!

MALT

3.9kg Gladfield American

200g Munich

400g  Malted Maize

HOPS

15g Hallertau Trad (60 min)

15g  Hallertau Trad (15 min)

25g  Centennial (Flameout for 10 minutes)

25g  Centennial (Dry Hop for 3 days)

YEAST

Safale 05 American Ale

PROCESS

Mash at 64 degrees for 60 minutes, then mashout at 70 degrees for 10 minutes.

60 minute boil with hop additions as per the recipe.

Ferment at 18 to 20 degrees C

Vol 23L

EST OG 1.045

EST FG  1.011

EST ABV  4.5%

History of the American Cream Ale

Up until the mid 19th century most brewing in America found its roots in English ale styles; porters, stouts, and milds. But this all changed with an influx of German migrants during the 1830s and 40s.

They came to escape military service and economic hardship. German brewing knowledge made the journey with them, and no sooner had they landed and gotten settled then they started brewing and selling their native lager beers. These light, crisp, thirst-
quenching libations were a big hit, and by the mid 1870s were outselling ales.

Ale brewers needed to come up with something new to stay in the game. It would have to be something that could be brewed on their current systems, but be more lager-like then anything they were currently producing. Their answer: a broadly defined ale built around a flexible grist of ale malt and different adjuncts; fermented at slightly cooler temperatures with either ale or lager yeast — or perhaps both; and possibly aged for a short time, also at a cooler temperature.

The result was a beer resembling a kölsch; a young-drinking, lighter, crisper ale with low fruitiness. It also helped the ale brewers that
their newfound contender could be produced significantly quicker than the lagers.

The populace responded well to this new creation and cream ale found a comfortable place in the American beer scene up until
Prohibition. Post-prohibition brought a shift toward lagers conforming to a watered-down, mindless drinkability.

Today, Cream Ales have made a small comeback, especially amongst American Home Brewers. The cream ale is a thirst
quenching summer drink that is lager-like but brewed faster with an ale yeast so time in the fermenter is reduced.

The perfect lawnmower beer that you enjoy several of them after the lawns are mowed.