California Common Two time gold winning Cali Common

Recipe Specifications
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Boil Size: 6.85 gal
Post Boil Volume: 6.24 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.00 gal
Bottling Volume: 5.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.056 SG
Estimated Color: 9.4 SRM
Estimated IBU: 20.5 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 90.0 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
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Amt Name Type # %/IBU
8 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 78.0 %
1 lbs 4.0 oz Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 2 12.2 %
1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 3 9.8 %
0.75 oz Liberty [4.30 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 4 10.3 IBUs
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 5 -
1.50 oz Liberty [4.30 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 6 10.2 IBUs
1.00 oz Liberty [4.30 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 7 0.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg California Lager (Wyeast Labs #2112) [12 Yeast 8 -


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body
Total Grain Weight: 10 lbs 4.0 oz
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Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash In Add 12.81 qt of water at 163.7 F 152.0 F 60 min
Mash Out Add 7.17 qt of water at 200.7 F 168.0 F 10 min

Sparge: Fly sparge with 3.89 gal water at 168.0 F
Notes:
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I didn't have any NB hops so I subbed in Liberty instead so its not a true cali common in that sense.

coyote68 said:

sfgoat's cali common
View attachment 203012
wow this is tasty. again the use of liberty hops is a pleasant addition. i think your version has lots more character than any other C.C. that i've tried. i must confess that i had an anchor steam beer right after sampling yours and i honestly would rather had another of yours.

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Here is a short review from a fellow HBTer if anyone is interested.

What was your fermentation temp?

2 time gold? what were the scores, this just seems like a ton of caramel to me.

postalroger said:

what was your fermentation temp?

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62℉

poptarts said:

2 time gold? what were the scores, this just seems like a ton of caramel to me.

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The average scores from the two comps were 43 and 41.

Wow nice, this one is going on the brew list then. thanks for the recipe.

poptarts said:

Wow nice, this one is going on the brew list then. thanks for the recipe.

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No problem. Be sure to update us with your results.

Going to brew this up next Saturday, this looks like an interesting twist. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Sounds like this may be my first Cali Common...


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

So to report back, this is a great Cali common. Great balance and full of flavor. The hops are perfect for it. Three thumbs up!

Brewsit said:

So to report back, this is a great Cali common. Great balance and full of flavor. The hops are perfect for it. Three thumbs up!

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Glad you liked it. I really feel like it's a pretty basic California steam recipe. What makes it I think is the different hops and cooler fermentation temp.

have to give this a try ,all i need is the hops/yeast

Is this a style that requires the secondary?
I haven't done a secondary in a while...

I didn't do one. I left in primary for about 3 weeks then just cold crashed for another week or two and went straight to bottling.

I really like this beer. I was worried. life got in the way and i went from primary to bottles in 5 weeks. it's great. i'll keep this recipe around... thanks.

sounds yummy never brewed with Liberty Hops

I have been wanting to brew this for about a year and finally did last weekend. The amount of caramel still scares me but seems to be in with all the other commons so. Brewed exactly to recipe, and brewday went textbook so excited to see how it tastes here a couple of weeks.

poptarts said:

I have been wanting to brew this for about a year and finally did last weekend. The amount of caramel still scares me but seems to be in with all the other commons so. Brewed exactly to recipe, and brewday went textbook so excited to see how it tastes here a couple of weeks.

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Wow. I forgot this recipe had even been posted that long. Be sure to update us on the finished product.

poptarts said:

I have been wanting to brew this for about a year and finally did last weekend. The amount of caramel still scares me but seems to be in with all the other commons so. Brewed exactly to recipe, and brewday went textbook so excited to see how it tastes here a couple of weeks.

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Haven't heard how this turned out for you yet. Be sure to keep us updated.

I'm brewing this today along with the Liberty hops also.

Wow sorry forgot to update. This recipe made me buy a lb bag of liberty. Totally making this again it's fantastic. Mine needed a bit more hop punch but my hops were rather old. Brewing it again as recipe states with fresher hops next round. Thanks op I really enjoyed this one.

It turned out awesome. Thanks for the recipe, think I'll have to add it to the regulars. Had many compliments on it from friends as well.

Yea I keep craving this stuff. Totally need to brew again sooner rather than later.

Took a first place with this one in a local comp with some minor tweaks and rolling on an amber malty water profile.

What tweaks? My work bought us some anchor steam today and it reminded me that this needs to have a permanate spot on tap at my house. I crave this beer more than any others I have made

Hey guys, are you just fermenting for 3 weeks at 62f and then packaging? Instructions are a little confusing to me..

Brew Day 7/26/2015
Notes:
5.5 gallons of 1.059
Brew day went smooth. Used slurry from La Foliesh (California lager yeast), Used O2 for the for 30 seconds. fermenting at 60-61
8/10/2015
Began cold crashing, after it spent the previous week at 65
8/13/2015
On tap and its awesome, nice and caramel toffee rich malt, mid pallet changes to crisp lager with earthy spicey woody hops, followed up with a firm but smooth bitterness.
11/2015
Recommended tweaks are more aroma and flavor hops and higher carbonation. solid.

Looks like I did 1 week at 60 then 1 week at 65 then a couple day cold crash.

seabrew8 said:

Hey guys, are you just fermenting for 3 weeks at 62f and then packaging? Instructions are a little confusing to me..

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I do about 3 weeks at 62F then cold crash for about 3-5 days then bottle. I almost never secondary because I'm lazy.

Brewed this tonight. Came a tiny bit shy of OG at about 1.053 - could be temp or could be tun. LHBS ran outa 2112 so I had to use WLP810 instead.

Hoping I can keep this around 16 degrees - might be a notch or two high.
Will report back!

I couldn't get Liberty hops in, so giving this a go with some saaz, perle, and hallertauer.

I want to brew a light color beer and want to try this one but with Hallertauer Tradition and US05. Bad idea?

Alex4mula said:

I want to brew a light color beer and want to try this one but with Hallertauer Tradition and US05. Bad idea?

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Go for it