California Common twist. Recipe help.

[firestem4]

Howdy! I'm hoping some people would chip in a few suggestions or ideas based on a recipe I am trying to come up.

I am doing research to try and build the recipe myself including amounts, but due to my inexperience with a lot of hops and grains since this will be my 2nd brew, I am not sure what would be best (going off of "Descriptions" of each item)

I want to do a California Common (Steam) beer partial extract with a bit of a Cream ale twist which as far as I can tell, is adding corn or rice adjunct.

So far, I have been thinking:
Grain:
Vienna or Pale Ale malt (not sure if 2 or 6 row)
Flaked Corn
Not sure what to do for the Malt extract. I'd love to use more grains less extract, but I am still limited to a 5 gallon brew system.

Hops:
Northern Brewer (seems to be popular for steam beers)
Brewers Gold?

Yeast
Wyeast California Lager 2112


Thank you for taking a look. I'm doing some reading so I can figure out what percentages of each I need, but like I said, due to my inexperience with the different grains and hops I just don't know what would go well with this, so if anyone has any suggestions I'd love to hear it.

 

[estricklin]

I just got in from work, I will take a look at some of my old Cal Common recipes and see if I can offer you some advice later today.

 

[Schumed]

Based on your grain bill it will be just an American Lager

Common has speciality grains to give it color and a slight toast flavor

Northern Brewer is the standard hop for a common

California Lager is a good was to do a lager without a chamber because it will ferment all right at ale temps

My two cents

 

[firestem4]

Thanks for the info.

I'd really like to avoid just an "american lager" (I don't like american lagers). What specialty grains would make it more Steam Beer-ish? I did more research on the cream ale style and it may not be what i'm looking for. (I was being misled by the name). I was thinking more of a creamy steam-beer. If that's possible.

 

[Schumed]

Little bit of crystal like C40 And for toasty notes victory and pale chocolate Look up Jamils Common recipe it's a winner every time Yeah there's nothing creamy about a cream beer

If you want something creamy do a vanilla porter or sweet stout and serve on Nitrogen ... I've actually had a cream ale on nitrogen ...dumb idea

 

[firestem4]

I was hoping to do a steam beer but I'll keep those in mind for later. Although I don't have any way to nitrogenate.

How does this sound. (Based on Jamil's recipe you mentioned but I have trouble just using someone elses recipe. I want to explore/try my own ideas.)

7Lbs Pale LME
1.5 lbs Vienna Malt
1 lbs Crystal 40
8oz Victory
2oz Chocolate

I'd like to use less LME than Jamil's Recipe calls for and more grains, but I'm not sure how to do that.
I don't know what hops, amounts, or boil times to use. I'm going to go to a LHBS and take a few samples of the grains and hops and see what my senses tell me.

 

[Yooper]

I have two different California common recipes posted (one is Jamil's) if you want to see how I put it all together in two different ways.

(Under "recipes" on the left under my avatar).

 

[firestem4]

I have two different California common recipes posted (one is Jamil's) if you want to see how I put it all together in two different ways.

(Under "recipes" on the left under my avatar).

Thanks! I'll take a look.