Cluster **** Cream Ale

Dry crisp summer beer in pre-prohibition strength and using Cluster hops for native authenticity.

Brewer:	Christo		Email:	-
Beer:	Cluster **** Cream Ale		Style:	Cream Ale
Type:	All grain		Size:	5.4 gallons
Color:	3 HCU (~3 SRM)		Bitterness:	20 IBU
OG:	1.056		FG:	1.008
Alcohol:	6.3% v/v (4.9% w/w)
Grain:	2 lb. American 6-row 6 lb. American 2-row 2 lb. Flaked corn
Mash:	82% efficiency
	Batch sparge 4.0 gallons initial for 60 minutes at 152°F. Drain quickly. Add 3.0 more gallons for 10 minutes at 170°F. Drain quickly. Collected 6 gallons. Efficiency higher than expected (+), so added 0.5 gallons of water to boil.
Boil:	60 minutes	SG 1.047	6.5 gallons
	SuperMoss at 15 min.
Hops:	.75 oz. Cluster (6.4% AA, 50 min.) .25 oz. Cluster (6.4% AA, 45 min.)
Yeast:	S-05
Log:	16 days primary @ 66-68F. 10 days secondary @ 74-76F.
Carbonation:	2.6 volumes	Keg: 17.7 psi @ 48°F
	medium-high carbonation
Tasting:	@ rack, very cloudy from S-05 yeast, and a lot of acetaldehyde. Bitter start, followed by corny sweet, then back dry and lingering on bitter side in finish. By kegging time, it had smoothed out well with the Clusters calming down. Approximately balanced sweet corn to the sharp bitterness from Clusters that will most likely continue to smooth out as it ages (if it ages). Pretty pale straw color with large-bubbled white head. Crisp dry finish that begs for another fill from the tap. Initially thought to add some additional hops as the strength was a little higher than planned, but with low finish gravity I'm glad I didn't as it is a true thirst quencher.

Recipe posted 05/03/10.