Steam Beer

[VillageBrew]

After a lot of faffing around, finally got my Steam Beer going (recipe from Jon Finch's Kindle book on BIAB):

19 litres

3kg Lager malt
1.5kg Maris Otter

40g Halletauer Hersbrucker - 60 mins
15g Halletauer Hersbrucker - 10 mins
15g Halletauer Hersbrucker - flame out, steep for 60 mins

1 packet Saflager S23

For reasons of space and marital peace I have moved the brewing setup from the utility room out to the garage. Prep and mashing has gone much better than normal - less tripping over mops, washing basket, dogs etc.

Reckon I'll be finished by 11pm...

 

[Hoddy]

That's an interesting grain bill to try and replicate a steam beer? I assume your not trying to make a clone? I've never tried a steam not made with northern brewer. Surely that going to be more of a lager than anything else?

 

[VillageBrew]

It's the recipe from Jon Finch's book, so definitely not trying to clone anything else. The exact recipe is for Halletauer Mittelfrueh, but I had the Hersbrucker pellets in the freezer. To be honest, I'm expecting it to end up more of a lager so I'm going to ferment it a bit cooler than normal.

:pray:

 

[VillageBrew]

Ended up losing a lot more volume during boil, so added 7 litres of water into FV to bring it back to 19 litres, and finished a couple of points up on my target OG.

 

[MickDundee]

It's the recipe from Jon Finch's book, so definitely not trying to clone anything else. The exact recipe is for Halletauer Mittelfrueh, but I had the Hersbrucker pellets in the freezer. To be honest, I'm expecting it to end up more of a lager so I'm going to ferment it a bit cooler than normal.

:pray:

with that grain bill it probably will - all of the Anchor Steam Beer clones I've seen have 10-15% crystal, and one was 10% crystal 2.5% special roast. I'm not an expert, it's just its one of my favourite beers and I've been researching it with a view to it being one of my first AGs!

 

[mike77]

Not that it really matters but should you not be using Californian lager yeast for a steam beer and fermenting at room temp? I've used Wyeast 2112 California Lager to create a hybrid Steam IPA which I fermented at room temp.

 

[VillageBrew]

Well, if it ends up lager-ish, then that's fine (as long as it doesn't end up as a 'Harp clone'! :sick:)

I'll report back progress - it's currently sat at around 17°C and bubbling away (slowly). Before I test any more recipes from books I shall test the forum to see what the mood-music is. :wink:

 

[Hoddy]

Ok I've seen a few "odd" steam beer recipes so I guess I should share the recipe that I've developed over the last few years.

78% MO
10% Munich
6% 60L crystal
6% victory malt

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!!

 

[VillageBrew]

Ok I've seen a few "odd" steam beer recipes so I guess I should share the recipe that I've developed over the last few years.

78% MO
10% Munich
6% 60L crystal
6% victory malt

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!!

Thanks Hoddy - much more detailed than the recipe I was working from!
I suppose my only query is about the fermentation temperature - I thought that Steam Beer used lager yeast, fermented at ale temperatures (as Mike77 mentioned above)? Anyway I think I'll be testing your recipe soon - I don't seem to be able to keep up with my mates' thirsts at the moment :lol:

 

[Hoddy]

No no no don't ferment larger at ale temps!!!! That will give you a taste/smell you'll never forget. [emoji43][emoji43][emoji43][emoji43][emoji43]

Basically if you don't have the ability to control temp to 13-15 oC then don't use those yeasts. You can get an alright clone if you just use #1052 or WLP001 and then cold condition for a good 3-4 weeks.

The thing with a steam beer is it uses a very specific yeast. Lager yeast works at about 9-11oC, kolch/steam works at 13-15oC, Ale works at 18-21oC and Belgian saison work from 17 - 30oC.

Exact for my steam is 21 litres.
78% MO - 4Kg
10% Munich - 0.5Kg
6% 60L crystal - 0.3Kg
6% victory malt - 0.3Kg

You won't keep up if your mates taste this.

 

[mike77]

No no no don't ferment larger at ale temps!!!! That will give you a taste/smell you'll never forget.

I was thinking that too and is why I mentioned the Californian lager yeast which is sutable for higher temp brewing. However I just looked up Saflager S23 and you can brew anywhere between 9ºC-21ºC with it. Higher temp would I imagine be more appropriate for Steam Beer.

 

[MickDundee]

Thanks Hoddy - much more detailed than the recipe I was working from!
I suppose my only query is about the fermentation temperature - I thought that Steam Beer used lager yeast, fermented at ale temperatures (as Mike77 mentioned above)? Anyway I think I'll be testing your recipe soon - I don't seem to be able to keep up with my mates' thirsts at the moment :lol:

That's where its origins are, but Anchor Brewing Co have some kind of US trademark over the term "Steam beer" so only Anchor Steam Beer is proper steam beer (and it is a slightly darker beer hence my comments and the recipe posted). Any other beer fermented with lager yeast at ale temp is strictly speaking just a "California Common".

Edit- actually I've just spotted the post you were referring to, oops!

 

[VillageBrew]

Happy to take any and all advice.

I definitely wasn't thinking of cloning anything when I set out and was thinking more along the lines of the Wikipedia description of steam beer:

"Steam beer is a highly effervescent beer made by brewing lager yeasts at warmer fermentation temperatures."
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_beer

Anyway, I managed to hoover up some new recipes from this thread, so all's good as far as I'm concerned :wink: :drink:

 

[Hoddy]

That's the idea.

It's all good [emoji106]