California Common from Extract, Safale US-05 Yeast - Ferm Temps?

[callmebruce]

I'm doing a California Common beer from an extract kit. I'm using safale us-05 yeast. It's in the fermentation bucket and in a room off my garage. Temps in the garage are right around 70 today. (should be getting a little cooler later in the week, but the room off the garage will probably be in the mid 60's to low '70s).

What temperature should I ferment the California Common at? I bought a big bucket and ice packs to save a Pilsner when it got warm earlier than I expected here. Should I try to pack ice around the California Common to try and keep it in the lower 60's? Am I good in the low 70's?

 

[callmebruce]

Shoulda just searched before posting.
Looks like I can bring it down to 62 if I want to, or leave it at 70 if I want to. Think I'll try to lower the temps a little.

(dang been here long enough to know to hit the search button!)

 

[ayoungrad]

Isn't a California Common supposed to be fermented with lager (NOT ale) yeast at about 55?

 

[Yooper]

Isn't a California Common supposed to be fermented with lager (NOT ale) yeast at about 55?

You can ferment it in the 60s, but yes, a "real" steam beer needs a lager yeast.

With the s05, it will still be a good beer but it will be missing the fruity crispness from the lager yeast at ale temperatures.

I'd try my best to keep S05 at about 65-66 degrees if possible.

 

[callmebruce]

You can ferment it in the 60s, but yes, a "real" steam beer needs a lager yeast.

With the s05, it will still be a good beer but it will be missing the fruity crispness from the lager yeast at ale temperatures.

I'd try my best to keep S05 at about 65-66 degrees if possible.

Hmmmm. Read Charlie Papazian. Ordered John Palmer's book. Should have it tomorrow. Looking forward to stepping away from kits and brewing to style - or at least knowing what's in the kits.

Anyway - it smelled nice cooking and going into the bucket. A good beer sounds just fine to me, even if I can't call it Steam beer.

(as an aside, I've been going through the ingredient lists of the first 5 batches I've done - trying to figure out what the different hops, different malts and different yeast strains provide as far as taste, smell and head).

 

[Yooper]

(as an aside, I've been going through the ingredient lists of the first 5 batches I've done - trying to figure out what the different hops, different malts and different yeast strains provide as far as taste, smell and head).

I love doing that, even now! Yesterday while I was brewing, I had three ounces of hops divided up and mixed together (amarillo, ahtanum, and simcoe) and ran out and told my husband, "Hey! Come smell this!!!" It was great!

 

[C-Rider]

I love doing that, even now! Yesterday while I was brewing, I had three ounces of hops divided up and mixed together (amarillo, ahtanum, and simcoe) and ran out and told my husband, "Hey! Come smell this!!!" It was great!

Yooper, you were a great "catch". You cook, I'm sure, and you BREW!!!

 

[Yooper]

Yooper, you were a great "catch". You cook, I'm sure, and you BREW!!!

Off-topic- but no I don't cook. Not really. Once in a while, maybe once a month, I'll get inspired to make something unusual. But I don't cook much for "everyday" cooking. Bob cooks. When I do cook, it's usually some intricate complicated dish like homemade pasta or osso bucco or something.

It started years ago. The House Rule was always "the first one home cooks dinner" since Bob loves eating early. He always got home from work first, so he cooked. Then he retired, and he just kept it up!

 

[C-Rider]

Off-topic- but no I don't cook. Not really. Once in a while, maybe once a month, I'll get inspired to make something unusual. But I don't cook much for "everyday" cooking. Bob cooks. When I do cook, it's usually some intricate complicated dish like homemade pasta or osso bucco or something.

It started years ago. The House Rule was always "the first one home cooks dinner" since Bob loves eating early. He always got home from work first, so he cooked. Then he retired, and he just kept it up!

I'm a believer that food is just fuel that makes the body go. Don't care if it takes 30 min to fix or 3 hours. As long as it tastes good I'm happy. So years ago I convinced the SWMBO no need take a lot of time to prepare dinner. We don't even have a stove or oven after the latest rebuildof the kitchen. One hotplate and a microwave is all we need.

Now beer, that has to be GOOD or BETTER!

 

[Wakadaka]

Would this be considered a California Common? I'm sure you will end up with tasty beer, but I am pretty sure you are brewing some sort of ale and not a true California Common.
I am not a stickler for sticking to style or anything, I really don't care at all, but AFAIK the California Common flavor is based on the yeast used.

 

[callmebruce]

Yep - it isn't a California Common. I thought about it last night. When the person at the LHBS asked if I wanted liquid or dry yeast, I should have asked more questions - rather than simply opting for dry.

I'm taking it as my problem for not asking the difference, and not comparing the kit ingredients to California Common recipes posted here and in books before buying.

But it is happily bubbling away, and I'm sure it will be tasty.
(edited - subbing in Wyeast Labs California Lager yeast would have been the way to go)

 

[naplesbrew]

I am brewing a Cali Common True Brew Extract kit. The lean instructions just say steep grains for 30min and boil for only 20-30 min after that.

My question is most here that talk about the Cali says to boil for 60 minutes but i have read that boiling too long will mess up my brew too.

Should i boil for 30 min or 60 min...brewing today.
Thanks