California Common

Did my first batch in several years, and can't wait to do another! I decided that since I have the equipment and already do a partial mash, I might as well do a full-grain beer and stop making excuses since it will take the same amount of time.

Next up: A California Common (It's the perfect temperature to secondary in my garage right now.) What do you think?

7# Pale Malt
1# Crystal Malt
1# Rye Malt
.5# Munich Malt
.5# Victory Malt
1 oz Northern Brewer @ 60
.75 oz Northern Brewer @ 15
1 oz Cascade @ 2
1 oz Cascade (Dry Hop)
Wyeast California Lager

EST: 1.053 OG, 1.016 FG, 10.5 SRM, 43.2 IBU (as per Beersmith)

My plan is to ferment at about 58 degrees (my root cellar) for 1 week then secondary in my garage (around 45-50) for two weeks before bottling. Should be ready for New Years!

-- T.

Are you using steam to heat your mash? I've been very interested in the whole "steam beer" concept since reading an article on it. I know california commons are the new name for steam beers, but I'm not really sure how one would go about brewing with steam.

A California Common (aka Steam Beer) is (VERY simply put) a lager fermented at ale temperatures. There is no "steam" involved, that is just the name used by Anchor Brewing that they patented for their particular brand of California Common.

More Info: Here.

-- T.

I would probably only use Northern Brewer, especially if you're trying to match Anchor's version. I've put cascade in mine before, and found too much citrus for my liking to this style.

tlarham said:

A California Common (aka Steam Beer) is (VERY simply put) a lager fermented at ale temperatures. There is no "steam" involved, that is just the name used by Anchor Brewing that they patented for their particular brand of California Common.

More Info: Here.
-- T.

Click to expand...

the rumor goes that Anchor brewing use to pump the hot wort to there roof into their cool boats at night after brewing to take advantage of the cool San Fransisco night air, and the steam coming off the cool boats on the roof of the brewery is where the name "steam beer" comes from.

as for the recipe, why Rye?

also for my hop schedule, I also use norther brewer for bittering, and have used Mt. hood, Cluster and Chinook as late hop additions, and found Chinook is my favorite, but in vary small amounts.

Looks like a pretty good beer.

From the 1908 book, American handy-book of the brewing, malting and auxiliary trades By Robert Wahl, Max Henius.

CALIFORNIA STEAM BEER.

This beer is largely consumed throughout the state of California. It is called steam beer on account of its high effervescing properties and the amount of pressure (”steam&#8221 it has in the packages. The pressure ranges from 40 to 70 pounds in each trade package, according to the amount of Krausen added, ternperatures, and time it takes before being consumed and the distance it travels from saloon rack to faucet, etc. Usually SO to 60 pounds’ pressure is siifficient for general use.

More on California Common from that book here:
http://www.surrealstudio.net/ODanielsBlog/?cat=18