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By Jim Wilson
Style 3 C. Cream Ale An adaptation of the American light lager style, chiefly involving fermentation
of the beer as an ale followed by a period of cold conditioning. Grain adjuncts such as corn or rice
can be used and the beer is light-bodied. Pale straw to pale gold color. Low hop bittering and some hop
aroma. Usually well carbonated. COMMERCIAL EXAMPLES: GENNESEE CREAM ALE, LITTLE KINGS CREAM ALE.
And as a reference: 1 D. Classic Lager (Pre-Prohibition CAP) A style of American lager that died out
during Prohibition. Made from American 6-row barley and 20% flaked maize to dilute excessive protein
levels, giving it a slight sweetness that is offset by good hop levels. Medium to high malt and hop
flavor and aroma. As with other American lagers, no fruitiness or diacetyl should be apparent. Color is
light to deep gold. COMMERCIAL EXAMPLES: NONE.
Saturday, June 23 was a very good beer day. It was the last day of the NHC and Tom Nickel talked about
Cream Ale. I've brewed CA, trying to recreate a flavor I think I remember from my childhood, and it was
good. I didn't succeed in finding that elusive flavor, and I really didn't know if the cream ale I brewed
was close to style because I had never tasted a commercial CA. So, this day, at lot of questions would be
answered for me.
Tom talked at 9am on the morning after the LA Brewer's Festival. 18 hearty livers showed up. He planned
ahead and had a case each of Genny and Little Kings air freighted from out of state and also bought a keg of
modern CA brewed at Stuft Pizza, where he is head brewer. We had plenty of CA to taste and think about.
First the history part of the story. 100 years ago, many American brewers had a German background. When
they adapted their German recipes to American ingredients, a beer now called Classic American Pilsner was
created (thanks, Jeff!). Think about Bud with flavor. The grist was 6-row malt and 20-25% corn. Some
brewers fermented ale from the wort and others made ale and blended it with Pilsner. The origin of the
name CA is uncertain, but on this morning, most thought it referred to the cream or best of breed as that
was a common descriptive term at the turn of the century. CAs fought for market position through the 20th
century, but lost ground to the tastless alcohol carrier BudMillerCoors.
Modern recipe variations include grist with 2-row and Vienna malt with no adjuncts and various noble hops.
Yeast is most often American Ale or its equivalent ( WyeYeast 1056). Tom characterizes CA as sweet with a dry
finish and no noticeable hops. Genny and Little Kings certainly fit that profile at 10 and 16 IBU. Stuft
Pizza's California Gold is more flavorful at 25 IBU'S. My homebrewed version has 40 IBU'S.
Tom's interesting quotes included: 1. CA is not Blonde Ale, it's lighter and can be sweeter 2. CA falls
into the general group of "Yellow Beers" that sell best during football season 3. He adjusts mash
temperature 1 degree F at a time to change flavor profile rather than fuss with the grist recipe.
Currently he mashes for 1 hour at 151 degrees F. 4. This is a session beer, 4.4% abv, 1.041 OG, 1.008 FG.
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