Brew Day: Super Simple Cream Ale

Over many months of brewing, I have developed a certain liking for simple beers. Recipes that don’t involve a lot of ingredients and don’t use complex methods are what I am comfortable with. Of course, I brew a stout or a barley wine in between but there is a certain joy to brewing a simple beer, with low gravity and less bitterness. 

And a beer that fits this bill perfectly is a lawn mover beer that would be light in body, less hoppy and more importantly cold, refreshing and definitely thirst-quenching. Subsequently, the grain bill will be simple, a small amount of hops would be used for low bitterness and the carbonation would be moderate. A lot of beers fit into this category like a Kolsch, Cream Ale or even a Hefeweizen.

With the grains I had at home, I worked out a recipe so I could hit 1.040 OG and then ferment it out completely so I could hit an ABV of 4% or higher but less than 5%. I also added some flaked rice to the mash which would provide starches for conversion and add a light color to the final beer. Northern Brewer was added for a full 45 minute boil with no further hop additions.

Super Simple Cream Ale (Tasting notes here)

Specifics

Batch size (litres): 8 litres
Type: All Grain

IBU: 19

SRM: 3.5

OG: 1.040

Grains and Sugars

1.2 kg Pilsner

200 grams Flaked Rice

Hops

6 grams Northern Brewer @ 45

Yeast

Fermentis S-04 Ale Yeast

Schedules

Mash at 66°C for 60 minutes.

Batch sparged at 80°C.

Boiled for 45 minutes.