{"id":738,"date":"2024-11-20T18:53:31","date_gmt":"2024-11-20T18:53:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/2024\/11\/20\/cream-ale-is-the-cream-of-the-crop\/"},"modified":"2024-11-20T18:53:31","modified_gmt":"2024-11-20T18:53:31","slug":"cream-ale-is-the-cream-of-the-crop","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/en\/news\/cream-ale-is-the-cream-of-the-crop\/","title":{"rendered":"Cream ale is the cream of the crop"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\"><i>The cream ale is a bit of a misnomer. No cream was harmed in the making of this beer style. And this ale isn\u2019t just an ale. But it is the cream of the crop when it comes to American-style beers.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\"><i>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.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\"><i>But we do come close when it comes to the cream ale, the Kentucky Common, and the California Common.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\"><i>This is the cream ale story.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:hsl(230,39%,15%);\">By:<\/span><span style=\"background-color:rgb(255,255,255);color:rgb(102,102,102);font-size:16px;\"> <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/livingastoutlife.com\/\">Living a Stout Life<\/a><\/p>\n<figure class=\"image image-style-align-center\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/8cbd57e1-5c55-7b02-ea2b-126ad0d3c6cf-lawnmower beer for cream ale ff 400px.webp\"><\/figure>\n<h3><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">History of the cream ale<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">Brewers take their inspiration from the people that comprise their neighborhoods, and this was especially true in the mid-1800s.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">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.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">Brewers then, like now, were innovative with their ideas. So rather than continuing to lose beer sales, they got crafty &#8211; pun intended. The cream ale was born. A flavorful ale that drank like a lager.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure class=\"image image-style-align-center\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/7a13fdad-ca87-2ebd-6daf-06940e9b93e3-clear beer in curved glassware 400px.webp\"><\/figure>\n<h3><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">What exactly is a cream ale?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">But where is the cream and why does it drink like a lager?&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">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.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">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.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">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.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bjcp.org\/style\/2021\/1\/1C\/cream-ale\/\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#1155cc;\"><u>According to the BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program)<\/u><\/span><\/a><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">, a cream ale is \u201ca clean, well-attenuated, highly carbonated, flavorful American \u2018lawnmower\u2019 beer. Easily drinkable, smooth, and refreshing, with more character than typical American lagers, yet still subtle and restrained.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">Brewed to be an easy-drinking beer with a hint of sweetness, reminiscent of a subtle K\u00f6lsch, the cream ale survived Prohibition. That is quite the feat. One might just say, \u201cIt\u2019s the cream of the crop!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">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.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure class=\"image image-style-align-center\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0a93fc45-7692-07a6-0c2d-9284860f4f1d-USA American splash beer in bottle.webp\"><\/figure>\n<h3><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">MMC Knows Malts<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">In addition to the corn or rice that may be used when brewing a cream ale, you\u2019ll want a quality malt such as our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/en\/mmcmalt\/north-american-malts\/2-row\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#1155cc;\"><u>2-Row<\/u><\/span><\/a><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\"> or <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/en\/mmcmalt\/north-american-malts\/pilsen\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#1155cc;\"><u>Pilsen<\/u><\/span><\/a><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">. Whatever malts you need for your recipes, they\u2019re all exceptional. So when you\u2019re ready to craft the next American-style beer, we\u2019re ready for you!&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\"><i>\u201cMalt should not be something that somebody has to worry about. That\u2019s our job as maltsters. We produce something consistent and to specification every time and take that off of your plate.\u201d&nbsp; (Joel Grosser, Director of Operations for North America)<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\"><strong>Premium grains from field to flavor.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<figure class=\"image image-style-align-center\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2f48d02d-996e-77b9-6206-8abcff593c26-Malteurop Pilsen malt bag square - 400px.webp\"><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;\">&#8211; &#8211; &#8211; &#8211; &#8211;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#434343;\">About Malteurop Malting Company (MMC)<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">Malteurop Malting Company (MMC) is based in North America &#8211; specializing in growing and producing quality malts for the beer, whiskey, and food processing industries.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">With local farms and Malthouses spread across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, Malteurop&#8217;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.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">Visit <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#0000ff;\"><u>www.malteuropmaltingco.com<\/u><\/span><\/a><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\"> to learn how we can support your malting needs.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">Contact us at <\/span><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#0000ff;\">customersuccess@malteurop.com<\/span><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\"> or (844) 546-MALT (6258) for questions or to place your order.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\"><strong>Malting is our passion. Quality is our promise.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;\">&#8211; &#8211; &#8211; &#8211; &#8211;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/beerandbrewing.com\/dictionary\/fHr9zWIBTS\/\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#1155cc;\"><u>https:\/\/beerandbrewing.com\/dictionary\/fHr9zWIBTS\/<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bonappetit.com\/story\/what-is-cream-ale-beer\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#1155cc;\"><u>https:\/\/www.bonappetit.com\/story\/what-is-cream-ale-beer<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hopculture.com\/what-exactly-is-a-cream-ale\/\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#1155cc;\"><u>https:\/\/www.hopculture.com\/what-exactly-is-a-cream-ale\/<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.homebrewhappyhour.com\/understanding-the-refreshing-world-of-the-american-cream-ale\/\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#1155cc;\"><u>https:\/\/www.homebrewhappyhour.com\/understanding-the-refreshing-world-of-the-american-cream-ale\/<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bjcp.org\/style\/2021\/1\/1C\/cream-ale\/\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#1155cc;\"><u>https:\/\/www.bjcp.org\/style\/2021\/1\/1C\/cream-ale\/<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The cream ale is a bit of a misnomer. No cream was harmed in the making of this beer style. A Fun Fact about beer from Malteurop Malting Company.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":684,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_titles_title":"Cream ale is the cream of the crop","_seopress_titles_desc":"The cream ale is a bit of a misnomer. No cream was harmed in the making of this beer style. A Fun Fact about beer from Malteurop Malting Company.","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":0,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","_seopress_news_disabled":"","_seopress_video_disabled":"","_seopress_video":[],"_seopress_pro_schemas_manual":[],"_seopress_pro_rich_snippets_disable_all":"","_seopress_pro_rich_snippets_disable":[],"_seopress_pro_schemas":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-738","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technical-spotlight"],"blocksy_meta":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/738","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=738"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/738\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/684"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=738"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=738"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=738"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}