California Common California Common- HBT Comp winner 1st place

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I haven't tried it but I have heard S-23 dry yeast makes a decent steam beer.

I made a California Common with S-23 and it came out great. I've never used the White Labs yeast, so I can't compare.

In general, I prefer dry yeasts for simplicity. Sometimes I end up sitting on ingredients for weeks before I get a chance to brew.

Yoop, I'm going to try your recipe for my next batch!
 
i tasted my beer the other night and it was slightly sweet (which i assume is from not being done fermenting) but i'm approaching my two weeks at 62. i'm going to be traveling for the next week. Should i go ahead and put the temp down to 56 or leave it at the higher temp for an additional week.

I've never used a lager yeast before and i don't know when the proper time to drop the temp is, during fermentation or after it's all done. Thanks for the help
 
Fairly hoppy, and certainly not as malty as I thought. I'm sure it will still be a great beer. Not sure why it attenuated so much, other than a big starter.
 
Out of curiosity what temp did you ferment at? Was this with WLP810?

With WLP810 I usually shoot for 60-62 for the first four-five days of active fermentation and then let it rise to 68-70 for another week or two. If the weather is cool then I secondary around 60-64 for another few weeks (I often dry hop with NB during this stage as well).
 
I fermented at 60 for about 10 days, and then raised the temp to 68 for 3 days, and then returned to 60. I didn't detect any diacetyl when I sampled it, but now that it's almost carbed up it has distinct butterscotch on the finish. Not entirely unpleasant, but I would like it minimized for sure. I've taken it out and left it at room temp.
 
Ok.. so after some more aging I pulled a pint and the diacetyl is gone.. but this beer is awful. I'm terrible at describing it, but it's not at all what I thought. Seems like some weird esters from the yeast, and the hops don't smell good at all. It has to have something to do with finishing out so low.. I'm wondering if I didn't get an infection of some sort.

This thing is 6 weeks old, and I don't need the keg yet so I'm going to leave it be, but if it doesn't get any better I may dump it. There is no way I would get through 5 gallons of this. Would I be better to drag it out, and let the keg warm up.. or keep it in the fridge?

I'm sure the recipe is great, but I think I just screwed it up. I have never had a California Common before, but after reading descriptions I don't seem to be anywhere close.
 
Brewed this one last weekend.

I don't keg yet. When I bottle this beer seems like I should leave it in the basement at 60F instead of putting them upstairs at closer to 70F.

Right?
 
Here she sits at 1.011 after 2 weeks at 58, then I did (a screwed up ?)d rest at 65 for the last three days.

Clear. Taste is oooo. Nice. No butterscotch.

image-687008180.jpg
 
Brewed this one last weekend.

I don't keg yet. When I bottle this beer seems like I should leave it in the basement at 60F instead of putting them upstairs at closer to 70F.

Right?

Not if you want them carbonated! ;)

Put them at room temperature for several weeks until they are completely carbed up, and then you can store them wherever you wish.
 
Yooper said:
Not if you want them carbonated! ;)

Put them at room temperature for several weeks until they are completely carbed up, and then you can store them wherever you wish.

You answered me on another thread for this one. Thanks for being thorough and for the recipe!!
 
I've been offered some WLP830 (German Lager yeast), would this work for a recipe similar to this? The temp range is listed as 50-55f whereas the SanFran Lager is listed as 58F-65F. Realistically I can only get down to the low 60's.

Would using the WLP830 make an estery sulphur bomb? I've got no experience with lager yeasts, closest I've done is a Kolsch.
 
I've been offered some WLP830 (German Lager yeast), would this work for a recipe similar to this? The temp range is listed as 50-55f whereas the SanFran Lager is listed as 58F-65F. Realistically I can only get down to the low 60's.

Would using the WLP830 make an estery sulphur bomb? I've got no experience with lager yeasts, closest I've done is a Kolsch.

I don't know. I've never used a "real" lager yeast at ale temperatures. It's possible that there would be some off flavors, that's why I've never done it.
 
It's also why I've never done it :p

I think I'll make a starter tonight at work and see what that's like, then if I brew with it make a post about using WLP830 at ale temps as I'm struggling to find any results of it being used other than people saying, "should be fine for a steam beer" but definitive, "I've used it for a steam beer and the result was ......"

Production manager seems to think it should be ok, hopefully the higher temps will stop CO2 produced being absorbed and allow it to strip out the various sulphur compounds. Maybe diacetyl will be a problem?

Oh well, all in the name of random experimentation (note how I didn't use the term science).
 
Well I pitched the wlp830 Sunday afternoon at around 60f, it had krausen the next morning and I've kept the temp 63-65f so far.

Faint wiff of sulphur, but I'm not concerned about that... shall gravity check and taste in a few days to see how it's coming along.
 
I know its a little out of season maybe, but I'm making this tonight per the all grain recipe. California Common is on of my absolute favorite styles but somehow this one has eluded me for a while. I have high hopes! My "fermentation closet" is in the high 50's now so I figured, why not? Smelled absolutely amazing at dough-in :D

Thanks for the recipe Yooper! :mug:
 
I know its a little out of season maybe, but I'm making this tonight per the all grain recipe. California Common is on of my absolute favorite styles but somehow this one has eluded me for a while. I have high hopes! My "fermentation closet" is in the high 50's now so I figured, why not? Smelled absolutely amazing at dough-in :D

Thanks for the recipe Yooper! :mug:

I just bought a pound of northern brewer hops so I'm going to make again in a week or two myself! I really like this beer, and I hope you do also.
 
Thanks Yooper! :rockin:

The wort and the fermentation smell amazing on this one. I brewed it up on Sunday and hit all the numbers right on the head, so I'm pretty excited. Fresh 2012 Norther Brewer smells amazing! I might end up a little more hoppy than the original recipe, but I don't really mind. I'm really getting confident with my all grain process now that its predictable. I'm jealous of your NB haul! I wish I brewed enough to justify the bulk purchases :p

Unfortunately we've had an unseasonably strange heat wave recently, last 2 days have hit 88-90° so my fermentation temp crept up to about 68° and its not dropping back down. Yeast is 2112, do you think this will cause problems? I can try to throw my carboy in a cooler with a couple of ice bottles, or I can let it go. Not sure if I should worry about it or not seeing as Wyeast lists this strain at 58-68°F. I'm within, but at the top of the range. I'm not super familiar with this strain, what say you?
 
Quick questions about fermentation.

1. Is fermentation a total of 8 weeks.
2. If so, for the 4 weeks of lagering do i just leave it in the primary and move it to colder location.
3. And then go to a secondary for 2 more weeks.
4. What about just 2 weeks of lagering if im in a hurry.

sorry if these are noob questions
Thanks
 
I'm still new at this, so $0.02:

The first time I did a common, it took FOR EVER to finish fermentation. It stuck at 1.038 and it just sat there for weeks. I raised the temp an bit and then added a bit of nutrient & DAP and it finally finished out at 1.014. I plan on taking gravity readings to confirm progress with this one. Once its done, I plan to rack it to a keg and stick it in the keezer for a couple of weeks to clear and/or lager. If it takes longer than a month to finish, I *might* secondary it, but I doubt it.

My first common lasted about 3 weeks in the keg before we drank it all. I didn't plan to lager it on purpose between fermenter and serving, unless you count the time it took to carb-up or the 3 weeks it took us to drink it down. It DID get progressively better the longer it sat in the keg, so this time I plan to be patient and give it a couple of weeks to sit in there and lager before I tap it. Maybe :p

Its supposed to be a lager-type yeast, so lagering it does make sense!
 
Quick questions about fermentation.

1. Is fermentation a total of 8 weeks.
2. If so, for the 4 weeks of lagering do i just leave it in the primary and move it to colder location.
3. And then go to a secondary for 2 more weeks.
4. What about just 2 weeks of lagering if im in a hurry.

sorry if these are noob questions
Thanks

I keep it in primary for two weeks or so, and then rack and lager. I wouldn't keep a beer on the yeast cake for 4+ weeks.

If you only want to lager it for 2 weeks, that's better than not doing it at all but it might not give you the crispest finish or the "cleanest" result.
 
Looking at the fermentation schedule you have listed Yooper, it seems to be about 6-8 weeks.

Is this beer reaching its peak at around the 8 week mark or will it be better after sitting in a keg in my keezer for a few more weeks? I am thinking about brewing this beer and trying to work it into the schedule so it would be peaking around the 3-4th week of February. With the holidays and life in general being busy, I am trying to get a better handle on my brewing calendar and when I should brew this beer so it peaks at the right time.
 
Looking at the fermentation schedule you have listed Yooper, it seems to be about 6-8 weeks.

Is this beer reaching its peak at around the 8 week mark or will it be better after sitting in a keg in my keezer for a few more weeks? I am thinking about brewing this beer and trying to work it into the schedule so it would be peaking around the 3-4th week of February. With the holidays and life in general being busy, I am trying to get a better handle on my brewing calendar and when I should brew this beer so it peaks at the right time.

I really don't know when it would be at peak. I lager it, and then put it on tap and drink it till it's gone. I haven't noticed any changes in that time, positive or negative.
 
Just started brewing 6 weeks ago on my 5th 5 gallon batch so far, trying to make this stuff this time because I live in CA and sounds like a lager I can do with my basic equipment and I like Anchor steam). all grain so far so good, got this recipe from brew your own magazine and i rounded off the numbers up a little

10 lb 2 row pale
1 lb crystal 60
northern hop pellets 1 oz 60 min
northern hop pelets .5 oz 15 min
cascade pellets( had them left over from last batch) 1 oz end of boil soak for 10 min
liquid 2112 cal lager yeast


OG of 154

bubblin away day 3 at temp between 55 and 65 in a 6.5 gallon plastic bucket, I am planning on secondary a few days after bubbles stop( a week total of primary?)

cant wait to see how it turns out, but I have a feeling it will be good beer
 
Well, its been about 3 weeks and I'm down to 1.020. I bumped my fermentation temp up to 65°F and roused the yeast about a week ago, but its still not moving. I've had 2112 stick on me in the past, I solved that with a little bit of DAP and Fermaid-K.

Not sure if I should rack it, feed it, warm it or move on and lager it. :confused:
 
Well, I roused it and left it on the yeast for another week and it hit 1019, so I figured it was done. Its been in the keg "lagering" in the keezer for about 2 weeks now. It smells simply incredible! Good thing I'll be out of town till the 26th because its going to be tough to keep my hands off this one :cross:
 
I brewed this one three weeks ago and pulled a sample during transfer to the keg today... it's freaking delicious and hasn't even lagered yet.

The only modification I made was to the hop schedule:

0.25 oz Northern Brewer [10.30 %] - First Wort 60.0 min
0.25 oz Northern Brewer [10.30 %] - Boil 30.0 min
0.50 oz Northern Brewer [10.30 %] - Boil 15.0 min
0.50 oz Northern Brewer [10.30 %] - Boil 20.0 min
0.50 oz Northern Brewer [10.30 %] - Boil 10.0 min
0.50 oz Northern Brewer [10.30 %] - Boil 5.0 min
0.50 oz Northern Brewer [10.30 %] - Aroma Steep 15.0 min

Thanks for sharing this fantastic recipe!
 
I have a question regarding your d-rest, I just pulled a sample after 5 days and I am sitting at 1.022 I didn't detect any off flavors but want to do a D rest to be safe. Should I bump it up now and what temp do you recommend? It is fermenting at 61 degrees at the moment should I ramp it up to 68 for a day or two? Oh the OG was 1.054 if anyone wanted to know.
 
I have a question regarding your d-rest, I just pulled a sample after 5 days and I am sitting at 1.022 I didn't detect any off flavors but want to do a D rest to be safe. Should I bump it up now and what temp do you recommend? It is fermenting at 61 degrees at the moment should I ramp it up to 68 for a day or two? Oh the OG was 1.054 if anyone wanted to know.

Yes, that would be fine to do it now.
 
I plan on giving this a whirl this weekend.

Yooper Common! Somehow when I say that in my head it comes out sounding like Chupacabra!

EDIT

Here we are about a month later. I made Yooper Common Amber with minor mods. (I don't have much capacity to lager right now so I made it as a straight ale.)

FG came out at 1.012, down from 1.056

This beer surprised me in how smooth and light it tastes. It does have a very nice finish. The color is a beautiful light copper. I'm force-carbing it in the keg and it won't be ready for the real world for some time yet, but first impressions are that this is an excellent beer, even when done as an ale.

Thanks Yooper!
 
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