I really like the simplicity of this extract-only recipe, which uses only four ingredients to produce an easy drinking but delicious beer.

Briess CBW® Golden Light LME is a nice choice for this almost single-malt beer. This extract, which Briess has been producing for almost 30 years, is made from 99% base malt and 1% Carapils® Malt.It has a nice malty flavor and, because it’s made in a 500bbl brewhouse, is a true brewer’s quality malt extract. In this recipe, it works together with Corn Sugar and a While Labs ale and lager yeast strain to create a clean, crisp, light American lager-style ale.

If you’re a Brew Your Own magazine subscriber, you’ll find this recipe on the Briess/White Labs recipe tear out recipe card in the latest (September 2014) issue. Or visit the Briess recipe Database for a printer-friendly version.

Simple Cream Ale

  • Type: Ale
  • Style: Cream Ale
  • Batch Size: 5 gallons
  • Recipe Type: Extract only
  • Recipe Contributed By: Briess Technical Services Team

Ingredients

  • 6.6 lbs—Briess CBW® Golden Light LME
  • 0.75 lbs—Corn Sugar
  • 0.75 oz—Cascade (5.0% AA hop)—60 minute boil
  • 0.5 oz—Cascade (5.0% AA hop)—20 minute boil
  • 1 vial—WLP080 Cream Ale Yeast Blend

Procedures

  1. Bring water to boil
  2. Remove from heat, add extract, sugar and the first hop addition
  3. Boil 40 minutes, add final hop addition
  4. Boil 20 minutes
  5. Remove from heat, cool to 66ºF, oxygenate wort
  6. Pitch 1 vial WLP080 Cream Ale Yeast Blend

Fermentation

  • Primary Fermentation: 1-2 weeks at 66ºF
  • Secondary Fermentation: 2-4 weeks
  • Fermentation Notes: Bottle condition or force carbinate

Stats

  • Original Gravity: 1.052º Plato
  • Final Gravity: 1.011º Plato
  • ABW: 4.3%
  • ABV: 5.3%
  • IBU: 16
  • Color: 7º Lovibond