Jamil's California Common Recipe

I need to swing by my LHBS this afternoon to brew tomorrow. Does anyone have Jamil's "Brewing Classic Styles" handy or can tell me what specialty grains and yeast I need to get for his California Common? In an effort to get my kids into the car this morning without freezing, I forgot my copy.

For yeast, WLP810 or Wyeast 2112. Use three packages if you're not doing a starter.

7 pounds LME
1.1 pound Munich LME
1 pound crystal 40L
.5 pound Victory
2.0 ounces pale chocolate

10 lb 2row
1.25 lb munich
1lb crystal 40
.5lb victory 28
2oz pale chocolate 200

WL 810 or Wyeast 2112

damn, you are fast Yooper

Thanks, Yooper. I'm brewing AG. Do you happen to know how much Munich malt is equivalent to the Munich LME?

I'm getting home a little early today and thought I'd start a starter. Do you think I can propagate enough yeast from one package in 24 hours? Maybe I should make the starter with two.

Thanks for the quick responses.

Buffman said:

Thanks, Yooper. I'm brewing AG. Do you happen to know how much Munich malt is equivalent to the Munich LME?

I'm getting home a little early today and thought I'd start a starter. Do you think I can propagate enough yeast from one package in 24 hours? Maybe I should make the starter with two.

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No, not from today to tomorrow. I like this fermented cool, like in the 62 degree range, and I don't think your starter will be ready by tomorrow. You can probably get by with two packages, though.

This is a fairly low gravity beer. I would have no problem using one vial with 24 hours of starter.

Buffman said:

Thanks, Yooper. I'm brewing AG. Do you happen to know how much Munich malt is equivalent to the Munich LME?

I'm getting home a little early today and thought I'd start a starter. Do you think I can propagate enough yeast from one package in 24 hours? Maybe I should make the starter with two.

Click to expand...

Don't want to contradict the great Yooper, but I thought that starters reach there full cell density in 12 to 18 hours.

Scroll down to the middle of this page:
http://www.mrmalty.com/pitching.php

fifelee said:

Don't want to contradict the great Yooper, but I thought that starters reach there full cell density in 12 to 18 hours.

Scroll down to the middle of this page:
http://www.mrmalty.com/pitching.php

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Not in my experience with lager or hybrid yeast, they take a bit longer. It also depends on how old the yeast is, I just did a lager starter that took 4 days to ferment out.

fifelee said:

Don't want to contradict the great Yooper, but I thought that starters reach there full cell density in 12 to 18 hours.

Scroll down to the middle of this page:
http://www.mrmalty.com/pitching.php

Click to expand...

That seems about right. I was thinking that from this evening until tomorrow morning wouldn't be enough time, but it could be if the starter took off right away, especially with a stir plate.

I saw that too, Fifelee. Mr. Malty indicates 211 billion cells needed for 1.055 OG. If Mr. M is to be believed, a 2L starter with one 100-billion cell pack should get me close to that number by late tomorrow. I typically pitch late afternoon, so the starter will have almost a full 24 hours.

Maybe I shouldn't be cheap and just get two packs to make sure I have 200 billion cells.

Buffman said:

I saw that too, Fifelee. Mr. Malty indicates 211 billion cells needed for 1.055 OG. If Mr. M is to be believed, a 2L starter with one 100-billion cell pack should get me close to that number by late tomorrow. I typically pitch late afternoon, so the starter will have almost a full 24 hours.

Maybe I shouldn't be cheap and just get two packs to make sure I have 200 billion cells.

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I would get the two packs- it's quite possible that it MIGHT be ok with a starter now. But, I like to ferment that yeast in the low 60s, and it might not get going all that well. Like Fifelee linked to, it's possible to get high krausen with most ale yeast by 12-18 hours, and possibly with lager yeast, too.

I would buy two packs, and start the starter when I got home. Then you know it would be ready for tomorrow.

Sage advice, Yooper. Two packs with a 2L starter is the plan.

Update: Two Wyeast packs and a 2L starter (~18 hours) did the trick. I pitched it this afternoon and had rapid bubbling inside 3 hours. Overall, a good brewday. I overcame a stuck sparge and hit my preboil gravity and OG right on. It didn't get above 15 degrees outside, so my wort cooled in record time (10 minutes).

Anyway, thanks again for all the input. I just wish you could all share in the final product. I'll have one for each of you.

This may help in the future

http://beerdujour.com/JamilsRecipes.htm

Super old bump I know, but I just made Jamil's common and it is fantastic. Best beer I've done, very happy with it.

241 said:

Super old bump I know, but I just made Jamil's common and it is fantastic. Best beer I've done, very happy with it.

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I know it's been a while since you brewed this but do you recall your fermentation temp and schedule? I'm about to try this one tomorrow and it's my first "lager" attempt. Any info is appreciated, thanks.

iamperplexed said:

I know it's been a while since you brewed this but do you recall your fermentation temp and schedule? I'm about to try this one tomorrow and it's my first "lager" attempt. Any info is appreciated, thanks.

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I'll tell you how I did mine. Fermented at 62F for 10 days. Cold-crashed for 4 days. Bottled. BTW, I used Saflager S-23 yeast.

I won a medal with this beer back in 2010.

I got a first place ribbon with this recipe.

passedpawn said:

I'll tell you how I did mine. Fermented at 62F for 10 days. Cold-crashed for 4 days. Bottled. BTW, I used Saflager S-23 yeast.

I won a medal with this beer back in 2010.

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Perfect, thanks for the info.