Cream Ale Extract Brew Questions

[cubalz]

I am looking to brew an extract cream ale and found this one on line:

3.3 lb Extra Light LME
2 lb Pilsen DME (15 mins before end of boil)
1 lb Corn Sugar (15 mins before end of boil)
1.25 oz Willamette Hops (60 min for bittering)
1 oz Willamette Hops (10 min for aroma)

Makes 5 gallons

My 2 questions are:

1. Does this sound like a decent recipe? Any input on changes? I was wondering about the use of flaked maize instead of or in addition to the corn sugar.

2. If I was to cut this recipe in 1/2 (2.5 gallons) to make a small batch to see if my wife and I would like this, is it just a simple case of halving the ingredients? Something tells me that I would need to increase the volume of hops but I am not sure. I know that I want to stay true to the cream ale style.

Any help for be appreciated!

Thanks,
John

 

[KeninMN]

I brewed the Cream Ale Extract kit from Northern Brewer, it is simpler and it turned out excellent after allowing it to bottle condition for four weeks.

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/cream-ale-extract-kit.html

Here's the recipe:

SPECIALTY GRAIN
- 0.75 lbs Gambrinus Honey Malt
- 0.25 lbs Belgian Biscuit
FERMENTABLES
- 6 lbs Pilsen malt syrup
HOPS & FLAVORINGS
- 1 oz Cluster (60 min)
YEAST
- DRY YEAST (DEFAULT): Safale US-05 Ale Yeast. Optimum
temp: 59°-75° F
- LIQUID YEAST OPTION: Wyeast 1056 American Ale.
Apparent attenuation: 73–77%. Flocculation: low–medium.
Optimum temp: 60°-72° F.

 

[giraffe]

1. Thats a basic cream ale. With extract, it will always come out with a little more body, but it should still be light and refreshing. I might move the 10 min addition closer to the end of boil. But its debatable.

2. Cutting everything in half will work fine.

 

[MrVix]

When I am pressed for time I brew a similar recipe. It will never be as light colored as a cream ale. The extract darkens too much, but it still tastes fine. I switch it up using Willamette sometimes or East Kent Goldings or Tettnanger or Saaz. Its a simple 2.5 gallon recipe: 3.3 lbs. Pilsner LME and hop schedule of .5 oz at 60 min and .5 oz at 10min. It yields a 4.5%ABV with about 25-28 IBU's. I use 1/2 a pack of US-05 yeast.