Why aren't cream ales more prevalent?

The few I've had just taste like better versions of bud light. I'm not sure if that's how the style is across the board but if so my guess is it's just not an appealing style for many craft beer drinkers.

 

Hardywood Cream Ale is a rock-solid example of the style.

It shouldn't be much trouble asking someone in Richmond to trade it to you in exchange for some of your NY locals unavailable in VA, if you want to trade that is.

 

Summer Solstice by Anderson Valley is okay and readily available.

 

Spotted Cow is pretty popular, but not readily available. It's a pretty boring style.

 

im pretty sure Genny killed the style....did for me.

 

The first and only time I had spotted cow I thought it tasted just like a better made version of bud.

 

By design they are low flavor beers. It's what you can offer a macro drinker at a brewpub when they ask for a Coors.

 

haha, i like it for low end beer actually. and i really like the simple green and white can. i've never tried a quality cream ale. It might ruin the genny version for me.

 

Sweet Action is rated so highly on the cream ale list here because it's very bold for a cream ale - and most people here like that sort of thing. That's also why you don't see much in that style - as stated above, many find it a boring style (I don't). It doesn't help that the style has an identity issue with its odd name and confusion with different beers in the UK.

I don't know where in NY you live, but definitely be on the lookout for Barrier Copernicus on tap.
Newburgh's Cream Ale would be another to try on tap in NY (but Aces Wild is a weird one).
Narragansett's Cream Ale would be a different canned option, but I wouldn't pay too much for it.

 

Blonde ale and Kolsch are now more popular manes for what is essentially the same style of beer: light, low-hopped blonde beers with a cleaner fermentation profile from ale yeast.

 

Here's a pretty good thread on Craft-brewed Cream Ales from a couple of weeks back.

Where I'm from, there are indeed a few renditions that hit the right sweet spot for the style, but finding some of those out your way will be a challenge. Does the Third Street line make it that far yet?

 

I think that about most cream ales, but I have had Sweet Action and thought it was decent.

 

OP you are in new york so please try chemung canal towpath ale by horseheads. I don't get to tout these guys often enough and so today I will. Their cream ale is delicious. However, I have said many times that these guys do not date their bottles so if you don't know how long it's been sitting then, I would not buy it.

 

i dont know...think i'd rather drink Simple Green...but thats just me, cheers

 

Because most of the brewers that do brew cream ales do so as a way of offending the least number of drinkers possible. This leads to forgettable beer.

 

Bocks arent that prevalent either and I think Id rather have more bocks than cream ales.

 

I love cream ales for summertime. Spotted cow and Anderson valley were the best for me this year