California Common / Steam Beer

spook123_uk · Jan 29, 2016

Hi all,

For my next recipe, I'm thinking about doing a California Common beer... More or less Anchor Steam. Here's what I've got so far.

23L Batch, mash at 65.5 (or I may go for 60) for 90 min. 60 min boil

Grain Bill:

4.9Kg 2 Row Pilsner Malt
.7Kg Crystal Malt (or Caramunich Type 3)

Hop Bill:

28g Northern Brewer - 60 mins
15g Northern Brewer - 15 mins
15g Northern Brewer - 5 mins
30g Northern Brewer - 0 mins / Steep for 5 - 10 mins

Ferment with Wyeast 2112 California Lager Yeast at 16 degrees

Expected results:
OG - 1.048
FG - 1.013
IBU - 39.6
EBC - 20.2
ABV - 4.6%

What do you reckon?

duncans · Jan 29, 2016

Can't offer much, haven't used northern Brewer or the yeast but that looks like 15% crystal? Is that a little high?

mike77 · Jan 30, 2016

I used this yeast recently. It floculates very well and clears quickly as soon as fermentation is done. Huge flakes of yeast at the bottom of the fermenter. It was fairly neutral in the taste department but that's the point of a lager yeast I guess. Mine was a heavily hopped beer so was more of an indian pale steam beer. I believe anchor do an IPSB style beer as well but I've not tried it.

MyQul · Jan 30, 2016

This style is definately on my list to try brewing. Never even tasted a steam beer, I just like the name and the sound of some of the yeast properteis

spook123_uk · Jan 30, 2016

It's 12.5% Crystal. I did worry about that. after a bit more research, It seems to be that up to 10% or even 15% in some cases is accepted for this style.
I'm tempted to swap out for Cara Munich Type 3 and reduce the percentage a little.

Hoddy · Jan 30, 2016

I have a recipe for this. I tend to find if you get much above 10% crystal (60L) the steam beer gets a bit chewy. The yeast style naturally brings out malty'ness so you have to design your grain bill around that in conjunction with your saccrifaction temp to balance that with getting the crispness right. I tend to find using a different bittering hop adds a bit more depth to the beer. Something like a Styrian or EKG. And I ferment mine at 15 degrees so I really bring out that lager style, but from a beer recipe.

Love a bit of steam.

Hoddy · Jan 30, 2016

It's on my list to do IPSB. I'm planning on using some of the geterbrewed hops competition in it [emoji1303]

spook123_uk · Jan 30, 2016

If you wouldn't mind sharing the recipe, it would be appreciated!

spook123_uk · Feb 9, 2016

Based on some research, I'm going for the following now. Hopefully, I'll get this done in the next couple of days.

"Malibu Hillbilly" (California Common) 23L Batch, mash at 66 degrees for 60 mins . 60 min boil

Grain Bill:

4.5Kg 2 Row Pilsner Malt
650g Munich Malt
600g Crystal Malt 60L

Hop Bill:

22g Northern Brewer - 60 mins
35g Northern Brewer - 15 mins
35g Northern Brewer - 1 mins

Ferment with White Labs WLP810 San Fransisco Lager Yeast at 17 degrees (using a 2L starter).

Expected results:
OG - 1.050
FG - 1.015
IBU - 35.1
EBC - 19.6
ABV - 4.6%

Hoddy · Mar 6, 2016

Sorry I missed this. Here is my recipe. For a 21litre batch.

78% MO - 4Kg
10% Munich - 0.5Kg
6% 60L crystal - 0.3Kg
6% victory malt - 0.3Kg

25g Northern brewer - 60 mins
35g Northern brewer - 15 mins
10g Cascade - 2 mins
10g Columbus - 2 mins

WLP 810 ( I find the white labs to be loads better than the wyeast 2112)

Multi step mash
40oC - dough in
50oC - 20 mins
66oC - 70 mins
76oC - 10 mins

Boil 70 mins

Pre boil OG 1.045
Post boil OG 1.052
Final OG 1.015

IBU 42
EBC 19

Ferment at about 15oC (no higher, and about 13 is best) until hit FG and then do a rest for at least 7 days. Rack off and the bottle. I find doing secondary for a few days at about 5oC drops most of the trub out before bottling.

Allow 1 week at room temp to carbonate and the put in 7oC (garage at this time of year) for 2-3 weeks to cold condition.

Makes all the difference with this style and ends up pretty near to the original.

Enjoy!!

spook123_uk · Mar 7, 2016

Thanks Hoddy.

My recipe above is pretty much ready to keg so I'll report back on how it tastes.

Will definitely bear this in mind for the next one!

California Common / Steam Beer

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