Cream Ale Review thread

[Alastair70]

In the interests of tidiness, I’ve started a separate review thread.
Post your thoughts on the style itself, the beers received and if they’ve influenced your recipe ideas for future brews.

 

[Nottsbeer]

So....have found the review thread.

Opened my first Cream Ale today...Greenbow Cream Ale by Lodinisr.

Upon opening I was initially surprised by a lack of any hissing sound, then noticed the bottle was full to the cap (bottled from a barrel?). After realising all was good, it poured nicely, having a foamy head which quickly dissipated. A nice floral smell.

This tastes good, a nice selection of hops for my tastes. I'm guessing it may not be as gassey as the style requires, but perfect for my tastes again - I'm not a fan of very gassey beers which I took this style to be.

A very easy beer to drink, definitely one for summer drinking. I like this and could drink a few quite quickly on a summers eve . Thanks for sharing this.

 

[Nottsbeer]

So....have found the review thread.

Opened my first Cream Ale today...Greenbow Cream Ale by Lodinisr.

Upon opening I was initially surprised by a lack of any hissing sound, then noticed the bottle was full to the cap (bottled from a barrel?). After realising all was good, it poured nicely, having a foamy head which quickly dissipated. A nice floral smell.

This tastes good, a nice selection of hops for my tastes. I'm guessing it may not be as gassey as the style requires, but perfect for my tastes again - I'm not a fan of very gassey beers which I took this style to be.

A very easy beer to drink, definitely one for summer drinking. I like this and could drink a few quite quickly on a summers eve . Thanks for sharing this.

I should add....my MIL also tried this beer. She is not a drinker but likes this alot, so you get a double .

 

[Broken Toe]

I too started with @Lodinisr greenbow

Got to love someone who fills right to the brim +1 for that.

This is very nice indeed, very clean with a delicate floral nose to it. The hops packed more of a punch than I was expecting but not to the detriment of the drinkablity of this beer. It was refreshing and gone in single digit minutes. The body of the beer was strong enough to hold up against this and the bready backbone balanced it nicely.

Personally I would have a little less florality for my preference, but I'm not the primary drinker of this so that's not really that important.

A really nice beer. Thank you.

 

[Broken Toe]

@pilgrimhudd aptly named cream ale.

Darker than I was expecting but wonderfully clear. Had a slightly boozy touch too it and a really refreshing grassy note coming off of the hops balanced by a slight touch of sweetness. Another easy drinker for a Friday night.

I would guess it was a crossmyloof hells yeast at play here. There was something familiar about it but I could be completely wrong. Either way a tidy finish to the night.

 

[Alastair70]

After another bonkers day, I’ve finally got a moment to get round to trying these.
First up, “Spring Break” froom @Stu's Brews.

Pours clear as a bell and is perfectly carbonated. I’m excited already.
Aroma is of bready malts but the taste is lighter and biscuity. Great mouthfeel and washes off the palate with dry finish. Bittering level is spot on with any hop character balanced and in the background.

I think you’ve really nailed the style. This is a delicious crisp thirst quencher, I could see my self drinking a tonne of it on a sunny afternoon.

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

whoops, sorry wrong thread!

I've too many windows open lol

 

[Alastair70]

@RichardM up next. A bit bigger and boozier than the last one, and I fully expect the head to last to the very end of the pint. Its got a lovely creamy mouthfeel, and a strong malt backbone balanced with subtle noble hop flavours and aromas.
It’s a cracking brew, and it’s really interesting to see two different interpretations of the same style back to back. I’m looking forward to seeing the different recipes and if they match up to my expectations of how they were made.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

@pilgrimhudd aptly named cream ale.

Darker than I was expecting but wonderfully clear. Had a slightly boozy touch too it and a really refreshing grassy note coming off of the hops balanced by a slight touch of sweetness. Another easy drinker for a Friday night.

I would guess it was a crossmyloof hells yeast at play here. There was something familiar about it but I could be completely wrong. Either way a tidy finish to the night.

View attachment 64082

Glad you liked it! It was a Cross My Loof yeast but it wasn't hell it was Kolsch!

 

[Stu's Brews]

After another bonkers day, I’ve finally got a moment to get round to trying these.
First up, “Spring Break” froom @Stu's Brews.

Pours clear as a bell and is perfectly carbonated. I’m excited already.
Aroma is of bready malts but the taste is lighter and biscuity. Great mouthfeel and washes off the palate with dry finish. Bittering level is spot on with any hop character balanced and in the background.

I think you’ve really nailed the style. This is a delicious crisp thirst quencher, I could see my self drinking a tonne of it on a sunny afternoon.

View attachment 64083

Glad you enjoyed it. I've been pleasantly surprised with this brew as on paper it looks very 'simple' but it's actually pretty tasty.

 

[Broken Toe]

Glad you liked it! It was a Cross My Loof yeast but it wasn't hell it was Kolsch!

Sorry. Just checked my brew notes and that's the one I used as well, not the hell. It's really distinctive!

 

[Broken Toe]

@Nottsbeer.

Very similar to my own attempt, a few shades darker but very very similar, in all fairness it's the same yeast and hops...

It's great. Has a touch of the caramel that stays with you and that lovely twang you get from the Kentucky yeast. The hops meld really nicely into the base of this beer. I do enjoy the mystery of alcohol in this which adds to those Saturday afternoon drinking vibes. A bit of the who knows where this afternoon could lead kinda feeling.

Of the three I've had this one feels most familiar in flavour.

 

[RichardM]

@Broken Toe

An excellent beer, meets the BJCP style guide closely, although maybe needs a bit more head retention and possibly more carbonation. But I'm not complaining, I like it as it is.
Definitely one to brew for summer instead of lager.
One query. The brew sheet says 10 min hopstand at 80 c but doesn't say what hops or how much.

 

[Broken Toe]

80 c but doesn't say what hops or how much.

Ah yes. One of two errors in the sheet I'm afraid. It's part of my setup template that I work from. Also the yeast was CML Kentucky.

Thank you for the kind words. I'm trying to maintain carbonation while bottling from keg which is still not fully there.

 

[RichardM]

Ah yes. One of two errors in the sheet I'm afraid. It's part of my setup template that I work from. Also the yeast was CML Kentucky.

Thank you for the kind words. I'm trying to maintain carbonation while bottling from keg which is still not fully there.

I though the hopstand was probably 0 grammes and although the carbonation should have been higher to be true to style it didn't bother me, I prefer less carbonation.

I am wondering how much different it would have been without the table sugar and the Carahell.

 

[Broken Toe]

I was hoping the carahell might give something for the head to hold onto and the sugar to give it a bit of a crisp. But the amounts I used it was likely insignificant.

I though the hopstand was probably 0 grammes and although the carbonation should have been higher to be true to style it didn't bother me, I prefer less carbonation.

I am wondering how much different it would have been without the table sugar and the Carahell.

 

[Nottsbeer]

@Nottsbeer.

Very similar to my own attempt, a few shades darker but very very similar, in all fairness it's the same yeast and hops...

It's great. Has a touch of the caramel that stays with you and that lovely twang you get from the Kentucky yeast. The hops meld really nicely into the base of this beer. I do enjoy the mystery of alcohol in this which adds to those Saturday afternoon drinking vibes. A bit of the who knows where this afternoon could lead kinda feeling.

Of the three I've had this one feels most familiar in flavour.

View attachment 64117

Glad you enjoyed it. I haven't drunk my beer for a couple of weeks, but I'm not that keen on it TBH. Not sure if it's the hops I've used or the yeast thanks for the positive feedback

 

[RichardM]

@

@pilgrimhudd aptly named cream ale.

Darker than I was expecting but wonderfully clear. Had a slightly boozy touch too it and a really refreshing grassy note coming off of the hops balanced by a slight touch of sweetness. Another easy drinker for a Friday night.

I would guess it was a crossmyloof hells yeast at play here. There was something familiar about it but I could be completely wrong. Either way a tidy finish to the night.

View attachment 64082

Just poured my bottle from @pilgrimhudd

No head and very little carbonation. I must have been unlucky.
I'd like to see the brew sheet. The aroma and taste are quite different to mine and @Broken Toe 's. Ours were very different recipes, but had some similarities in flavour and aroma.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

Starting with @Lodinisr version of the cream ale. It's very different to mine for starters.

Slight hiss on opening and pours with a thin head which has lasted. Bready floral aroma, really nice, not to strong but it's there. Very clear, golden colour. Taste, lightly bittered, leaves a sweet aftertaste, a bit like cake icing! You can definitely get the centennial hop in this. Medium bodied, malty enough to give it some backbone yet is really refreshing.

I really like it.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

@

Just poured my bottle from @pilgrimhudd
View attachment 64157

No head and very little carbonation. I must have been unlucky.
I'd like to see the brew sheet. The aroma and taste are quite different to mine and @Broken Toe 's. Ours were very different recipes, but had some similarities in flavour and aroma.

Ahh bugger I'm sorry, although all have been undercarbed, there should at least have been something there.