Anchor California Lager Profile

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ijustride

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Hey all, I'm planning to attempt my first lager and I was hoping to make something like Anchor's California Lager. I'm planning to use WLP810 San Francisco Lager Yeast in a 1.050 all two row wort, and cluster hops, of course. I was wondering if anyone might have some insight to what kind of temperature profile one would use to get a beer that tastes close to what Anchor is making.
Thanks!
 
San fran lager is an odd strain, it ferments warmer than other lager strains (other strains want 48-54) Id ferment it at 58-60 to get it like anchor. (it can go colder if you want it cleaner.) When fermentation is 75% complete or so, raise the temp to 68, to finish out.

I thought anchor used northern brewer hops.
 
Just to clarify, I'm trying to make California Lager, not Anchor Steam.

From their site:
"Anchor Steam's® roots go back to the Gold Rush, long before icehouses and modern refrigeration made traditional lagers a viable California option. In 1876, thanks to an ice pond in the mountains and a belief that anything is possible in the Golden State, a little brewery named Boca created California's first genuine lager. Anchor California Lager® is our re-creation of this historic American beer.

Made in San Francisco with two-row California barley, Cluster hops (the premier hop in 19th-century California), and our own lager yeast, this all-malt brew is kräusened and lagered in our cellars. Its golden color, distinctive aroma, creamy head, balanced depth of flavor, and smooth finish make Anchor California Lager® a delicious celebration of California’s unique craft brewing heritage.

- See more at: http://www.anchorbrewing.com/beer/california_lager#.dpuf
 
Ah, well, that makes more sense on the hops. Its the same yeast strain, so the fermentation advice holds. If you want it a touch cleaner, you can go down to the mid 50s for the initial fermentation.
 
Since you are making a true lager, then ferment it around 50-52 for 7-10 days, do a diacetyl rest in low 60's for 2 days, then bring it down from 60's to low 30's over course of a few days and then hold at lager temps for at least a month.

If you ferment warmer with that yeast, then you will get more of the fruit notes that it brings out in Anchor Steam.
 
Thanks for the advise, guys. So, the folks at Anchor just emailed me back this:
"Thanks for emailing, and we're honored to hear you're taking a stab at brewing your own version of our California Lager! We keep Cal Lager at 58 degrees F (give or take a degree or two) for about three days in primary fermentation, after which we crash it to 35 degrees F and let it ferment at this temperature for three weeks.

We also krausen the beer before we crash it. We aren't entirely sure how this would work on a homebrew scale, but a few of us did kick around the idea of approximating our process by fermenting a small amount of malt extract for 12 hours or so to introduce before crashing the rest. We're not sure that you'd need to do any krauesening to re-create the Cal Lager taste, though, so you should be fine even if you skip it.

Happy brewing, and let us know how the beer turns out!

Cheers,
Anchor Brewing Company"

I'm pretty excited to brew this now!
 
Interesting fermentation schedule. I wonder if they lager it further after that 3 weeks at 35 or just bottle it?
 
Thanks for the advise, guys. So, the folks at Anchor just emailed me back this:
"Thanks for emailing, and we're honored to hear you're taking a stab at brewing your own version of our California Lager! We keep Cal Lager at 58 degrees F (give or take a degree or two) for about three days in primary fermentation, after which we crash it to 35 degrees F and let it ferment at this temperature for three weeks.

We also krausen the beer before we crash it. We aren't entirely sure how this would work on a homebrew scale, but a few of us did kick around the idea of approximating our process by fermenting a small amount of malt extract for 12 hours or so to introduce before crashing the rest. We're not sure that you'd need to do any krauesening to re-create the Cal Lager taste, though, so you should be fine even if you skip it.

Happy brewing, and let us know how the beer turns out!

Cheers,
Anchor Brewing Company"

I'm pretty excited to brew this now!

How are you ijustride,
GDay from down under, I've made about 12 achor steam clones and am really keen to try this as I nearly prefer their Californian lager! I really really good! How did this turn out? Do you have an AG recipe mate? Much appreciated if you do as I'm keen as mustard to give this one a crack.
Cheers,
Hodgo (simon)
 
It turned out pretty great! Made 3 batches of it and people are always asking me for more. Mine didn't taste quite like Anchor's, but it was quite delicious. I think the biggest difference is their hop schedule and water content. Theirs has a much sharper bitter that is more pronounced than in mine. The recipe is simple because they only use ingredients that where available to California Brewers way back, meaning American two row, and cluster hops.
So for 5 gal:
9.5 lbs Two Row
.75 oz Cluster 60 min
.25 oz Cluster flameout
WLP810 San Francisco Lager

I mash at 150° F for 60
Pitch starter at 55° F then ramp up to 68 over the course of three days after activity slows. Crash to 31°F in keg.
I think it could use a bit more hops to taste like Anchors, but I like mine more.
 
Have a look at Brewing Classic Styles Uncommonly Lucky California Common recipe. I just made this for the first time and it came out great, IMHO. Fermented for 2 weeks at 63 F.
 
Have a look at Brewing Classic Styles Uncommonly Lucky California Common recipe. I just made this for the first time and it came out great, IMHO. Fermented for 2 weeks at 63 F.

Right, but this recipe is a California Lager, not cal common. Pretty much the same, but not. California Lager is Anchors version of what they think would've been the first lager brewed in California.
 
And it seems the difference is cluster hops to northern brewer hey, ijustride?

I've been doing quite a few anchor steam clones but now there appears to be a shortage of USA northern brewer hops??! I've tried the German version and it's not the same beer that's for sure.
I'm keen for this lager big time as I love anchors California lager! I reckon its nearly better than the steam.
 
Done. Brewed and cubed. I'll wait and see what you guys reckon about the yeast. As I said I have a healthy slurry of 2112 but if the WLP is better I'll go with that for sure!
 
Right, but this recipe is a California Lager, not cal common. Pretty much the same, but not. California Lager is Anchors version of what they think would've been the first lager brewed in California.

Yeah, I realized that after I sent my post. I was kinda fixated on the lager yeast being used at ale fermentation temps.
 
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