Fill a 5-gallon saucepan halfway with water and bring it to 1500F. Put the Pilsner grain malt in a grain bag and knot the top shut. Provide some clearance at the top of the bag to allow for expansion of the grain when it comes into contact with hot water.

Lower the grain bag into the saucepan slowly, making sure the grains are well saturated. Take the saucepan from the heat and seal for 60 minutes to extract the Pilsner grains' smells and flavors.

While there are many other grain options, Pilsner malt is a great choice for cream ale because it is mildly grainy and light in flavor. These characteristics combine to produce a relaxed, low-bitterness, medium-bodied beer that even a novice will enjoy drinking on a regular basis.

When the grains have steeped for 60 minutes, open the pot and press the grain bag to drain all of the liquid from the mash. The resulting liquid is known as wort.

As the wort comes to a boil, add the Crystal hops for 60 minutes, followed by the remainder of the hops 10 minutes before flameout.

Return the wort-containing stock pot to the stovetop and bring to a boil over high heat. After the wort begins to boil, add the first 1 ounce of hops and set the timer for 60 minutes.

Let the wort and hops combination to boil for 50 minutes. In the last 10 minutes, add the remaining ounce of hops to the boiling pot of wort. Let the solution to boil for the remaining 10 minutes, covered.

Turn off the heat and set aside to chill the hop and wort mixture. The liquid should cool to less than 700°F. This is the best temperature for yeast activity. When temperatures are too hot, the yeast dies, and when temperatures are too low, the yeast does not activate properly.

Transfer the wort to a sterilized fermentation bucket first. Avoid disturbing the residue that has settled at the bottom of the stock pot. You want your cream ale to be clear, as opposed to cloudy, which is frequent with homemade beers.

Split the yeast packet in half, pour the contents into the wort, and stir for a few minutes to incorporate the yeast. After sealing the fermenter bucket, insert the airlock into the lid's grommet hole.

Shake the fermenter bucket after adding yeast to the wort to aerate it. This will provide much-needed oxygen to the yeast for cell growth and enhanced fermentation.

The fermenter bucket should then be stored in a moderately warm location where the temperature is normally around 670F. Keep this bucket out of direct sunlight and in a quiet environment.

You will notice bubbles rising in the airlock 48 hours after pitching the yeast. This indicates that fermentation is occurring and that the yeast is converting the liquid into carbon dioxide (the bubbles) and alcohol.

Secondary fermentation takes two to three weeks to complete.

You must carbonate your beer before transferring it to drinking bottles. The resulting beer is flat after fermentation, but carbonation will give zip to your cream ale.

Cane sugar will be used to carbonate your beer. To prepare the sugar, combine 5 oz of cane sugar with two glasses of distilled water. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves. Turn off the heat and let the priming solution cool.

Pour the chilled priming sugar solution into the fermenter bucket with the beer and gently stir. Let this to rest for around 30 minutes before bottling your beer.