Last month we hosted the monthly group brew for the homebrew club for which I brewed ten gallons of an American cream ale. Because I use a batch sparging method, I can only brew five gallons at a time, which when you’re brewing identical recipes back to back, offers some interesting possibilities for variation and experimentation. In this case, I ended up using two different strains of yeast: Wyeast 2565 Kölsch, and Wyeast 1007 German Ale.

(Confession: my original plan was to use Kölsch for both, for consistency. But the Brew Shop only had one packet of Kölsch left, so I opted for German Ale and realized it would make for a good test.)

I’ll do a deep dive on the cream ale style in an upcoming post, but suffice to say my homebrewing approach to it has simplified over the years. Back in 2009 I posted an extract based cream ale recipe, which I remember being quite decent. Looking back over it nine years later, I would opt for a full 60-minute boil (I had suggested 30 to avoid excessive possible kettle caramelization with the extract) and I’d cut back the corn sugar. Still, if you’re brewing extract, this recipe should work nicely.

The recipe I brewed last month is simpler, and all grain. Going for more of a pre-Prohibition, historic version, I used only three grains: American 6-row (53%), American 2-row (27%), and flaked corn (20%). Hops were East Kent Goldings for bittering (60 minutes), and Cascade for aroma (at knockout). Target OG in the mid-1.040s, target IBUs of 20.

(And in the previous recipe to this one, I had the same grain bill but also added one pound of cane sugar. I decided to do away with the sugar, since I didn’t really need or want the alcohol boost.)

I did a standard infusion mash for 60 minutes, and there is a slight variation in my two batches here: the first I hit my intended target of 150°F, and the second was two degrees lower at 148°F. Otherwise, my numbers came out identical on them, both hitting an OG of 1.048. I pitched the Kölsch yeast into the first batch (the 150° mash) and the German Ale yeast into the second.

Both beers have finished fermenting, and are in kegs, but aren’t ready to drink yet. But I have tasted each, and the difference in the yeasts is quite noticeable. The Kölsch yeast is much more fruity/estery that the German Ale, which has a cleaner, mellower profile. Side by side, the German Ale yeast version of the beer is more in line with what I personally would prefer for the style (though there is certainly nothing wrong with the Kölsch). I’ll be interested to see how they present under carbonation.

And, if anyone is attending Homebrew Con in Portland later this month, you might even get a chance to taste my cream ale. I’m submitting the German Ale yeast version with COHO to pour on Club Night. Hopefully everyone else will like it!