Urban People's Common Lager

[Good Ed]

I will be brewing this on Saturday or Monday. The recipe is from Adam at Linden Street Brewery in Oakland, California http://www.lindenbeer.com/ , one of two beers they make, and this is a golden version, rather than the copper Anchor Steam. California Common is arguably the only true style of Ammerican beer; brewed in the Bay Area by German brewmasters to fuel the '49ers in the 1800's. At that time there were up to a hundred breweries in the Bay Area, most of which didn't survive prohibition. They used wide shallow fermenters with a lager yeast in the cool climate of San Francisco to come up with Steam Beer ("the coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco" Mark Twain).

Brew length 23L; 75% efficiency
Adam just gave me times for the hops plus the IBU, so the hopping is flexible

OG 1054
FG1012
IBU 39
3684g Marris Otter Pale Malt (70%)
526g Weyermann Carahell (10%)
526g Weyermann Munich I (10%)
526g Vienna (10%)
Mash 67C 90mins

20g Northern Brewer 9.26%AA 65mins
10g Northern Brewer 9.26%AA 45mins
25g Northern Brewer 9.26%AA 15mins

WLP810 San Francisco Lager yeast at 14C

 

[Aleman]

California Common is arguably the only true style of Ammerican beer; brewed in the Bay Area by German brewmasters to fuel the '49ers in the 1800's.

Sorry Ed, I'll take exception to that. German brewers were brewing beer on teh east coast long before the goldrush of the 1800's. The archetypal US beer is a Pre Prohibition CAP (Classic American Pilsner). California Common was introduced because of the lack of a 'cold' winter for lagering the Pre Pro CAP beers.

Damn fine beer style though, and well worth brewing, I don't think the hops are particularly authentic either

 

[Good Ed]

I stand corrected

doesn't the CAP have a lot of maize (corn) in it because it was plentyful?

 

[Aleman]

Doesn't the CAP have a lot of maize (corn) in it because it was plentyful?

No, Originally the German immigrants that came over were brewing the styles they were used to 'back home', but when used with the ingredients they had available, discovered that they couldn't do so without chill hazes etc despite using decoction mashing, so they started to add low nitrogen adjuncts (rice and corn) to the grist to bring the protein levels under control.

A Pre Pro CAP will have 20-30% Adjunct (Usually corn but Rice is used) along with Cluster Hops . . .Noble Hops or the Modern equivalent Nobles (Liberty, ultra and crystal) are also used . . .The C Hops are not appropriate!!

Interestingly even American Standard Beers of today (like Budweiser) that use 30% rice are not doing it for cheapness, as they actually pay more per tonne for rice than they do for brewing barley . . .which AB have contract grown specifically for them

 

[Good Ed]

Very interesting, thanks, I must add Classic American Pilsener to my list to brew :

 

[Ceejay]

Sounds like a great beer. Have you seen the "Brewing TV" episode with the Linden Street Beer Co?

 

[Good Ed]

Sounds like a great beer. Have you seen the "Brewing TV" episode with the Linden Street Beer Co?

Yes, I watched that and then contacted the brewery and Adam kindly sent me the recipes for their two beers; I'm planning on brewing the other one, a dark lager, in about a weeks time, and will post the recipe here.

 

[Aleman]

I must add Classic American Pilsener to my list to brew :

More people should a proper Pre Pro CAP is a wonderful beer, and nothing like American Standard Beers Like BudMilloors.

The Following Threads May Be Useful

Cereal Mashing
Different Sorts of Corn Adjunct
CAP Thread 1
CAP Thread 2 - The Big One :lol:

 

[Good Ed]

Thanks Aleman, that's really helpful, brill :thumb:

Quite a lot of reading but your CAP thread - the big one, gives a good recipe to start with :

 

[johnnyboy1965]

Northern Brewer definatley not a dual purpose hop. This brew will be really acidic. Yuor grain bill looks OK but I think youll ruin it with those hops
JMHO

 

[pjbiker]

I've always found Northern Brewer to give a harsh bitterness so tend to avoid them now. Just my personal preference though.

 

[Good Ed]

JB & PJ, I appreciate that you wouldn't use NB; however this is the brewery's recipe which they sell commercially. The California Common style should have a fairly malty flavour with a high hop bitterness, and without tasting the beer I believe this will be true to style other than being paler. The NB hops will also give a woody rustic aroma.

The most widley brewed beer of this style "Anchor Steam" from San Francisco has been brewed since 1896, previously using Cluster hops I believe, and now using 100% NB. I've had many a gallon of Anchor Steam so I know what this style tastes like.

I'll let you know how this turns out.

 

[TheMumbler]

I didn't have any problems with the hops. They are what anchor claim to use, which was why I went for them. Early tastings were encouraging, however I had a bottle last night and it was a bit appley which is a worry. Could be something that will ease off with time or a fault...

 

[Good Ed]

I brewed this today and ended up with just under 25L at 1052; I wonder if the cold temperature today meant I didn't lose so much to evaporation :wha:

 

[mysterio]

How did this turn out? They really use Maris Otter?

Brewing an Anchor Clone on Saturday and may pitch this on top of the yeast.

 

[Good Ed]

How did this turn out? They really use Maris Otter?

No, I'm sure they use American pale; however the UPCL is a very nice beer and I would recommend it, the recipe they gave me was as the grain %'s above, with 39IBU of NB at 15 and 45mins of a 60min boil; the last version I brewed was as above and NB 25IBU at 45min and 14IBU at 15min, the sweetness mellows over time and it's ready after about 8 weeks; a nice golden beer with a great balance of sweetness and bitterness.

I've only brewed one Anchor Steam clone; I used 91% Maris Otter and 9% Crystal 130EBC with NB to 38IBU, although only 6 weeks from bottling I feel there is a bit too much crystal, and will try 8% or less for my second attempt; any pointers would be appreciated. :

 

[Good Ed]

Also, I mean't to say that Aleman is correct again; the Classic American Pilsner is a great beer, highly recommended :thumb: :thumb: