Cream ale is the cream of the crop

The cream ale is a bit of a misnomer. No cream was harmed in the making of this beer style. And this ale isn’t just an ale. But it is the cream of the crop when it comes to American-style beers.

Today, in the 21st century, there are almost 10,000 craft breweries in the U.S. And while we pride ourselves on innovation and unique aspirations when it comes to beer and its history, we are rarely the instigators of a style itself.

But we do come close when it comes to the cream ale, the Kentucky Common, and the California Common.

This is the cream ale story.

By: Living a Stout Life

History of the cream ale

Brewers take their inspiration from the people that comprise their neighborhoods, and this was especially true in the mid-1800s.

In the northeastern and mid-Atlantic states, much of the population was of European descent, giving rise to the popularity of German lagers and English-style ales in the U.S. Their love of European beer styles, especially lagers, caused American ale brewers to lose customers. To stay in business, something had to change.

Brewers then, like now, were innovative with their ideas. So rather than continuing to lose beer sales, they got crafty – pun intended. The cream ale was born. A flavorful ale that drank like a lager.

What exactly is a cream ale?

But where is the cream and why does it drink like a lager?

Ales are generally heavier than lagers, but when it came time to craft a beer that could compete with the well-loved German lagers, American brewers realized they could duplicate the crispness of a lager without the time intensity by utilizing a warm fermentation process followed by a cold conditioning process.

Many brewers also used a lager yeast, further blurring the lines of whether this new style was an ale or a lager. Adding corn or rice into the recipe was yet another way to decrease the heaviness of this beer, giving it a smooth finish and slightly sweet taste.

And maybe it was that smooth finish that helped name the cream ale. In reality, though, many believe that using the word cream was more of a marketing tactic than anything else, since there is no actual cream in the cream ale.

According to the BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program), a cream ale is “a clean, well-attenuated, highly carbonated, flavorful American ‘lawnmower’ beer. Easily drinkable, smooth, and refreshing, with more character than typical American lagers, yet still subtle and restrained.”

Brewed to be an easy-drinking beer with a hint of sweetness, reminiscent of a subtle Kölsch, the cream ale survived Prohibition. That is quite the feat. One might just say, “It’s the cream of the crop!”

Credited to being an American-style beer, we must still pay homage to the European brewers who inspired American brewers to craft the cream ale.

MMC Knows Malts

In addition to the corn or rice that may be used when brewing a cream ale, you’ll want a quality malt such as our 2-Row or Pilsen. Whatever malts you need for your recipes, they’re all exceptional. So when you’re ready to craft the next American-style beer, we’re ready for you!

“Malt should not be something that somebody has to worry about. That’s our job as maltsters. We produce something consistent and to specification every time and take that off of your plate.” (Joel Grosser, Director of Operations for North America)

Premium grains from field to flavor.

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About Malteurop Malting Company (MMC)

Malteurop Malting Company (MMC) is based in North America – specializing in growing and producing quality malts for the beer, whiskey, and food processing industries.

With local farms and Malthouses spread across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, Malteurop’s commitment to excellence is fully ingrained into every batch it produces, ensuring businesses of any size can create the finest beverages and food products on the planet.

Visit www.malteuropmaltingco.com to learn how we can support your malting needs.

Malting is our passion. Quality is our promise.

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https://beerandbrewing.com/dictionary/fHr9zWIBTS/

https://www.bonappetit.com/story/what-is-cream-ale-beer

https://www.hopculture.com/what-exactly-is-a-cream-ale/

https://www.homebrewhappyhour.com/understanding-the-refreshing-world-of-the-american-cream-ale/

https://www.bjcp.org/style/2021/1/1C/cream-ale/