Stikks Vanilla Cream Ale

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Gday all I'm gearing up to brew Sikks Vanilla Cream Ale this weekend. Has anyone one here brewed this or something close to a Cream Ale? I've no idea what one really is but going by what I've heard it's a light bodied ale brewed with adjuncts especially Corn.
The recipe calls for over 1 kg of adjuncts to be used in this brew. I was thinking of doing a step mash for this baby protein, then mid beta/alpha amelase mash then mash out. I've been wanting to brew this intriguing brew for some time along with the Vanilla and honey it sure sounds good enough. The yeast I'm going with on this is WLP090 that's clean as I'll ferment that as cool as it will go 18c any one went lower? Results? The mash specks are copied from sticks recipe. I have added accidulated malt for ph 200g will bring it to 5.2ish. Well looking forward to your critique.:)
3.3 kg American - Pale 2-Row 37 1.8 58.9%
0.9 kg Flaked Wheat - (late addition) 34 2 16.1%
0.25 kg Flaked Corn 40 0.5 4.5%
0.25 kg American - Caramel / Crystal 20L 35 20 4.5%
0.25 kg American - Carapils (Dextrine Malt) 33 1.8 4.5%
0.1 kg Flaked Barley 32 2.2 1.8%
0.35 kg Honey - (late addition) 42 2 6.3%
0.2 kg German - Acidulated Malt 27 3.4 3.6%
5.6 kg Total
Hops
Amount Variety Type AA Use Time IBU
14 g Cascade Pellet 6.2 Boil 60 min 11.83
14 g Cascade Pellet 6.2 Boil 20 min 7.17
14 g saaz Pellet 3 Boil 5 min 1.14
Show Summary View

Mash Guidelines
Amount Description Type Temp Time

14.2 L rest at 150 Infusion 65 C 75 min
6.6 L stir and rest at 165 - mashout Infusion 100 C 15 min
17 L to volume-7.5 gal. Fly Sparge 77 C 45 min
 
how much vanilla are you using?

i've got some vanilla beans that have been sitting in some sugar for a few months now, can't wait to try that as priming sugar
 
how much vanilla are you using?

i've got some vanilla beans that have been sitting in some sugar for a few months now, can't wait to try that as priming sugar


yum..... i love adding vanilla and cutting the beans open then using the seeds for extra flavour. once i filter they dissapear thats the only thing.
 
Sorry I don't know how to link to recipe so this is the other half cheers for your inputs definitely taking this on board because uncharted territory for me adjuncts and extract vanilla type thing.
Hops
Amount Variety Type AA Use Time IBU
14 g Cascade Pellet 6.2 Boil 60 min 11.83
14 g Cascade Pellet 6.2 Boil 20 min 7.17
14 g saaz Pellet 3 Boil 5 min 1.14
Show Summary View

Mash Guidelines
Amount Description Type Temp Time
14.2 L rest at 150 Infusion 65 C 75 min
6.6 L stir and rest at 165 - mashout Infusion 100 C 15 mi
17 L to volume-7.5 gal. Fly Sparge 77 C 45 min
Other Ingredients
Amount Name Type Use Time
56.5 g pure vanilla extract Flavor Boil --
28.5 g pure vanilla extract Flavor Bottling --
1 tsp yeast nutrient Other Boil 15 min.
1 each whirlfloc Fining Boil 15 min.
4 each Vanilla beans - in 2oz Vodka Other Secondary --
Yeast
White Labs - San Diego Super Yeast WLP090
Attenuation (custom):
76%
Flocculation:
Med-High
Optimum Temp:
18.3 - 20 °C
Starter:
Yes
Fermentation Temp:
18 °C
Pitch Rate:
-
Yeast Pitch Rate and Starter Calculator
Priming
Method: corn sugar Amount: 4.5 oz CO2 Level: 2.65 Volumes
Target Water Profile: bottled spring water
Ca+2 Mg+2 Na+ Cl- SO4-2 HCO3-
0 0 0 0 0 0
3468D93 Is my light hoppy adjustment.
Mash Chemistry and Brewing Water Calculator
Notes
 
I've got three vanilla pods that I am going to chop up and wack that in a cup of vodka to stew as brewer rick suggested now till week 2 once active fermentation has ceased.mthe vanilla extract that's added to boil I'll pop that in at flame out I think? I'll use natural vanilla extract from the shop for this and for secondary pop in the home made vodka vanilla extract? Sound like I on the right track.
My other concern was the adjunct mash I'll prob go for 90min mash 30 at 56c protein rest then 60 at middle range 65c mash then 76c mash out and sparge temp grain rinse. Then boil 60 hops as per recipe. If you view stikks recipe you'll see he has been crafting this brew specifically for some time so I'll leave the tweaking to him. As they say if it ain't broke don't fix it.:)
 
Pretty much any spice or flavoring should be added at 10 mins or less, or its just for the neighbors, eh? You don't want those flavors and aromas being thrown out by the boiling wort.

That seems like a lot of vanilla extract to me, but I'm not going to question someones recipe that's been worked on quite a bit

Good luck!
 
Pretty much any spice or flavoring should be added at 10 mins or less, or its just for the neighbors, eh? You don't want those flavors and aromas being thrown out by the boiling wort.

That seems like a lot of vanilla extract to me, but I'm not going to question someones recipe that's been worked on quite a bit

Good luck!
Yea that's what I thought Macca a lot of vanilla like you said it's tried and tested he said his missus loves it and the lady's seem to have a delicate pallet. I'll brew as is adding vanilla extract 1 min to go and the vanilla beans soaked into secondary for 2nd week fermentation so as not to drive of aroma and flavour through active fermentation.

You ever brewed this "cream ale" style?
It's definitely not a thing in Aus.
 
ive brewed with corn before, but nothing intentionally "cream ale" about it

i did dabble in a cream IPA i had at a local irish pub, but that turned out kind of bad and really boozy
 
ive brewed with corn before, but nothing intentionally "cream ale" about it

i did dabble in a cream IPA i had at a local irish pub, but that turned out kind of bad and really boozy
Yea I think that's what's got me wanting to brew it because it's off the scale of normal brews I've done.

How would you go on the mash?
 
I just did a single infusion with everything else. Used flaked corn. Forget how much and at what exact temp, but I can look if you want.
There were a lot of things goingredients against that beer, so buyer beware on my info
 
Cheers Macca is that what people call ya prob not eh?:oops:. Yep I think I'll just mash longer that way more,conversion of un modified starches. Cheers for your help mate
 
Cheers Macca is that what people call ya prob not eh?:oops:. Yep I think I'll just mash longer that way more,conversion of un modified starches. Cheers for your help mate
Ha, I've been called worse. Just don't call me Shirley

I had worked the math out a bit ago, but I think if at least a third of the grist is 6row, the rest can have 0 diastactic power and you'll still be fine.
But yeah I typically mash for 90 since that's what you're supposed to do with biab. But I've read where conversion can be done in 60 or even 30 minutes
 
I should add it was using briess specs I did the calculation
 
Well to follow up this brew it was bloody successful!
I mashed in at 56c for 30 min at 25lts.
Then ramped to 62c for 30min
Then ramped to 69c for 60 min I forgot to get vanilla so had to wait till wollies opened :rolleyes:.
I mashed out at 76c and sparged 5 liters of equal temp water through grain bed.
30lt total mash liquor pre boil grav = 1.046 99.3% conversion best so far!
End boil =1.064 included 350g honey addition 5 min 78% brew house efficiency.

Nice straw coloured wort will be interesting to see how this one turns out
To 4 vanilla pods soaking in 1 cup of vodka will throw that in secondary.
Mmmm vanilla :).
 
Ok. So primary fermentation has slowed pretty much completely.
Big question should I pitch in my vanilla bean concoction all now or pitch most of it and leave a bit of liquid for the keg?

Eg when racked to keg add in about 50 ml of this extract.
 

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..... ahhhh!...... i see now there buddy! My mexican side says do it all now!
To late Joshua I pitched 3/4 of it and will add the remainder once I keg that way the vanilla won't be left behind I just hope it ain't too overwhelming :rolleyes:. That gravity ended 1.012 81% attenuation sweet
 
So I took a sample yesterday just to see how flavour is going yep nice vanilla aroma on nose nice yellow colour to it on the taste all I think is alcohol like vodka alcohol I hope this mellows in because it's a little too strong for my liking overpowering strong its is dry no residual sweetness well I'm gunna keg this probably this arvo then leave it for a couple weeks and cross my fingers and hope it all blends together more. Wish me luck :rolleyes:.


I wish I mashed higher now.
Final grav is 1.010 from a start of 1.064 7% abv
 

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