Anchor Steam Beer – Who’s Tried? Who Likes it?

I’ve never had one but it sounds good.

I’d read where the Anchor is a bit more malty than SNPA and I’m looking for something like that to brew. I have the BYO recipe for Anchor and it looks pretty simple.

Is it reasonable to say this beer falls somewhere between a hoppy APA and an Oktoberfest? Or am I whacked? The only difference (probably a big one) is that I would pitch a California Ale yeast instead of a lager.

Here’s a base recipe:


Batch Size: 11.00 gal
Boil Size: 12.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.053 SG
Estimated Color: 9.4 SRM
Estimated IBU: 32.7 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 73.0 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
20.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 90.9 %
2.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 9.1 %
2.00 oz Northern Brewer [7.50%] (60 min) Hops 24.3 IBU
1.00 oz Northern Brewer [8.50%] (20 min) Hops 8.3 IBU
0.50 oz Northern Brewer [8.50%] (0 min) Hops -


Mashed at the higher range (156-158) for the maltier profile.

This one was up for discussion April 2006 as a beer of the week.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?p=74426#post74426

NB, NB, NB and some more NB.

I'm not really sure how to describe it exactly, but I know that I didn't care for it all that much. I guess it's been too long since I've had one (probably 3 months) to give you an accurate description. I do remember what seemed like an off flavor in the finish that I can best describe as some kind of 'twang" (ya, real helpful, I know).

It's something that I'd have one or two of once in a while, but not something that I'd brew and drink 2 cases of.

It's a little harsher than I had expected. I'm not a huge fan of Northern Brewer hops, they tend to be a bit aggressive.

anchor steam is great!

Bready, toasty, slighty nutty(very slightly).

nice medium mouth feel.

Ummm, wish i had one right now.

It varies more than one would think for a flagship beer, but it's your basic California Common. Nothing outstanding. (Ten years ago, it was one of the few craft beers around, so I thought better of it.) I find it amusing that by trademarking "steam beer" and forcing everyone else to use CC, they moved themselves from the leadership position, to a style of one.

Eh it's ok...I'm with Ohiobrewtus on this one. It's got a certain funk

pitching ale yeast will totally ruin this beer (it will still be good but not to style). The steam beer is a lost style. I believe that Anchor is the only brewery left that produces it. The twang mentioned above is from the lager yeast fermented at ale temps and is indicative of the style.

Steam beer originated in San Fran during the gold rush. brewed out of necessity using lager yeast with no way to chill during fermentation.

I consider steam beers or Cali commons a great lawnmower beer or a beer that has the drinkability and twangy aftertaste of a lager with the complexity of an Ale.

Enjoyed this one last night - not quite what I expected, like bird i was (pleasantly) surprised by the assertiveness.

I was also expecting a more unique flavor from the supposed nonstandard yeast/ferm temp combination.

I'd buy again

-PoB

Semi , has anyone tried Anchor's Small Beer? It's the second runnings from their barleywine, I was really looking forward to it, as I (like you, BM) tend to like beers that are fairly low in alcohol. But, it was extraordinarily thin, even moreso than I would have expected, and had a very unbalanced bitterness to it.

I'm a big fan of Anchor Steam personally. It's not a complex or overly hoppy beer (which may be why some here don't like it), but I find it more interesting than a pale ale. For me I think it is a great Spring or Fall brew.

I'm more of a fan of what Anchor Steam represents than the actual product. I be lying if I said I was anything short of disappointed when I finally tasted their beer.

krispy d said:

…The twang mentioned above is from the lager yeast fermented at ale temps and is indicative of the style…

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Or will pitching and ale yeast make it better?….

Sounds like the twang may be the main “complaint” of the beer.

I’m modifying the recipe a bit:

21# 2-row instead of 20 and instead of 2-Oz of NB at 60, 1-Oz at 60 min and 1-Oz at 40 min. (everything else the same)

This should give me a 1.055 OG and an IBU of 29.6 (53% hop to gravity ratio, VS 62%). This should “malt-it-up” a bit.

I really like Anchor Steam. I think you should try the beer first. I don't think it is as malty as you are trying to make it. It is malty, but has a firm bitterness. Use the Wyeast California Lager or White Labs San Francisco Lager yeast and ferment around 60-62F. I would bump the bittering to gravity ratio up and you also need something to add some toasty flavor to your beer.

Sticking my Hand out of the dirt!

I am drinking my first Anchor Steam Beer It is Wonderful!

I may have to try and brew something like this.

It is one of my favorites from back when I lived in Calif, I brew a clone about 3 times per year. Mine always seems to turn out a little lighter in body than theirs but still very good.

It's nice... Good flavor with balanced maltiness and bitterness..

I would like to do a clone at some point.

I enjoy it as well and am thinking of brewing a CC soon, though it won't be patterned directly after Anchor (I'm going to shoot for more complexity through the use of crystal and different hops).

krispy d said:

.... I believe that Anchor is the only brewery left that produces it. ....

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There are a couple steam beers made by Utah breweries, one Park City Steamer and Merrimack Steamer ...although I'm not 100% sure that they are different beers.

Sierra Nevada and Linden Street both make this style.

I really like Anchor Steam, and my personal experience with the commercial brand has been that it's a fairly unique flavor. I've found mild variations in taste from batch to batch are to be expected and enjoyed.

My batches turn out pretty consistent and tasty, and I brew more of my steam-style (with Wyeast 2112 and Cascade hops) than any other type. It's different enough from mainstream beers to be noticeable but not "extreme" in any way, and as such it's a great way to get friends and relatives to take a chance on your homebrew. At the same time it's darker than the Buds and Coors many are used to, so it makes them feel adventurous and serves to set up a little bit of a "challenge" people feel comfortable taking on. In these situations the style (for me at least) always fetches numerous compliments and demands for more beer! It also creates craft/micro/home-brew converts and makes everyone more willing to try other styles I brew. Plus, I really enjoy it.

I'll have to look for the other commercial examples listed above to give them a try.

The Brewing Classic Styles recipe is good, just not nearly as sessionable.

IMHO, Anchor Steam is OK...
Not anything to get excited about. Now that being said, I'll have to say that the Anchor Bock is truly awesome! Pretty hoppy for a bock & I'm not a hophead, but that is one extra tasty brew! Regards, GF.

gratus fermentatio said:

IMHO, Anchor Steam is OK...
Not anything to get excited about. Now that being said, I'll have to say that the Anchor Bock is truly awesome! Pretty hoppy for a bock & I'm not a hophead, but that is one extra tasty brew! Regards, GF.

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It doesn't really travel well, it's much better on draft locally.

True story - Anchor Steam was the first American craft beer I drank, in 1985 in Iowa City, Iowa, at Bushnell's Turtle.

I can't remember my youngest's birth year, but I can remember this . . .

I think Anchor Steam is delicious. It's the perfect case for brisk days, or a hot day painting your house, especially with food. It's pretty highly carbed, a little caramel, firmly hoppy with that sulphur edge of a lager. Personally, it's one of my favorites. Years ago, it was groundbreaking much like SNPA, now it's a nice easy drinking beer when you aren't looking for 100+ ibus.

BM I'd be curious to know if you made this and a review. Anchor's a favorite, and I've never tasted a twang. Really thinking of brewing a clone, experimenting with the 'steam' yeast.

I like Anchor Steam but some bottles I've bought tasted much more bitter than the last. Still a really good beer.

I honestly thing this beer, being 'common' now, sits on the shelves too long. I've picked up warm six packs with dust on them.

I agree. Just bought a six pack the other day and it tastes a little oxidized. I checked for a "best by" date when I purchased but didn't find one. Overall though, pretty decent. I'm second guessing myself now if that oxidized flavor isn't just what it's supposed to taste like!

Anchor Steam is pretty damn good by me. It's hopped a little lighter than an IPA, but a lot more aggressively than a Marzen. Color is closer to an IPA as well. I assume you know about the California Common style generally - it's made with lager yeast (California Lager), but fermented at higher (~65F) temps. I just made one, but I didn't make it an Anchor clone - I hopped it like an IPA - Amarillo, Simcoe, and Citra hops.

It's got a decent malt backbone but I wouldnt really call it "malty". It's actually hoppier and more bitter than I had expected before drinking it.

...see my sig. I've had it and enjoyed it.

Checking hbt from the phone, you don't get signatures. I've mentioned I love the stuff.

Best had in SF on tap while watching the fascinating mix of people. Buying it off the shelf here in Portland or elsewhere is hit or miss. I really enjoyed the Cal Common in SN's beer camp release this year and would love to brew that - never did find enough info to clone it.

Like the beer; love the style.

Basically a slightly amber American Pale Ale grist pitched with a very forgiving lager yeast (2112 I find does well from 50F to 70F). Jamil's BCS recipe with a touch of pale chocolate (2 oz/5 gal) makes a very distinctive steam beer. I find the 2112 yeast settles slowly - still a touch hazy at bottling 3 weeks into fermentation - but then clears brilliantly and very clean, which is a key difference for me from using an ale yeast, even 1056. I've also used a pound of flaked maize in steam grist bills, and mixed up Cluster and Northern Brewer hops - both are quite "rustic" compared to today's Hallertau varietal and C or Amarillo aroma varieties.

It's definitely a change of pace brew from the usual American IPA and citrusy hopped pale ales. Five gallons is never enough...

Generally I aim for OG 1048-1052 and 30-40 ibus with an ounce of Northern Brewers at knock out. I've never dry hopped it (yet). Hope this is helpful.

Dynachrome said:

...see my sig. I've had it and enjoyed it.

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I had no idea that Anchor Steam used open fermentation bins. Thanks for the link!

Pappers_ said:

I had no idea that Anchor Steam used open fermentation bins. Thanks for the link!

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I learned it here, but its kinf nice to be able to show one of the old guard something once-in-e-while.



EDIT- ? I've been here longer than you? (Not by much...)

I was out in San Fran from Jan to June this year and it is "the" beer to drink there. There's a lot of other breweries in San Fran besides Anchor but it seems like this is the beer most enjoyed on tap in the San Fran bars. At first try I was not the biggest fan. But after having it a few times I was making sure to keep the fridge stocked with it. It definitely has an off taste that I don't know how to describe but after drinking a few times you grow to love it. I just picked up a 6-pack 2 weeks ago back here in Chicago and I think I need to start all over with growing to like it again. Maybe it's the weather, I dont know.