Hop Substitute for a Steam Beer?

[gruversm]

Everything I've read says that I should use Northern Brewer hops for an Anchor Steam copy. Knowing that NB Hops are not available this year, is there an appropriate hops that I could use in its replacement or should I not brew this style?

 

[BierMuncher]

Hallertau or Mt. Hood would be suitable.

Not exacts...but suitable to be sure.

 

[Soulive]

I posted a link to NB hops in your other thread. If you need to substitute, I'd go Tettnanger or Hallertauer...

 

[reshp1]

Midwest has NB at a reasonable price right now.

 

[BigEd]

Everything I've read says that I should use Northern Brewer hops for an Anchor Steam copy. Knowing that NB Hops are not available this year, is there an appropriate hops that I could use in its replacement or should I not brew this style?

If you want to do an Anchor Steam and can't get Northern Brewer hops look for Perle. They are related to NB and have a similar if somewhat softer flavor. Although Anchor Brewing has copyrighted the term "Steam Beer" there were other breweries in the San Francisco area brewing beers in that general style over the last 150 years. And since Northern Brewer hops didn't come into existence until the 1930s it's a certainty that other hops have been employed. Cluster was the general purpose American hop for many decades so it wouldn't be a bad choice for bittering. English and German hops were used by some of the old American brewers so a traditional type like Goldings, Fuggles, Hallertau (or a modern equivalent like Mt. Hood or Liberty) could be mixed in to make a beer with Cal Common style numbers.

 

[kaptain_karma]

I make a beer using Wyeast 2112 (California Lager) that finishes a bit dryer than Anchor. I hop it with NB for bittering, but use Cascade for flavor and dry hopping. It doesn't quite fit into the BJCP guidlines for California Common or for American Pale, but it's a delightful mix than even BMC friends like. As far as a substitution for NB bittering hops, I would reccomend Mt. Hood or Perle.

 

[jacksonbrown]

I'm drinking a Steam at this very moment that I brewed with Perle hops. It's pretty darn delish!
edit: I think I'll have me another.

 

[Scotty_g]

In much haste when I ordered parts for my california common (supposed to be an anchor steam clone) I got my mitts on a bunch of Chinook and used that. We did a couple other things (late DME addition, largish boil) and came out with a very hoppy beer...I forget what the calculated IBU's were, but it must have been in the mid 40's. I've made a lot of mid-20's English Milds and Bitters, Belgians, stuff like that--so this was a departure in style for sure.

I thought it was a good beer...the bitterness was fairly well-balanced between up-front and lingering. I recall Anchor Steam being plenty bitter so this wasn't a surprise. I didn't hop it enough to get the harshness that Chinook is known for when used in excess, but I don't know that I'd have wanted more. I was surprised to find that one of my friends who normally likes less hoppy or flavorful beers actually enjoyed this one very much. He's a budding beer snob

I don't have the recipe; my brewpartner (Gedvondur) worked this one up on his PC. He didn't like it as much, but he also didn't like AS as much either.

 

[EinGutesBier]

Hallertau or Mt. Hood would be suitable.

Not exacts...but suitable to be sure.

What he said. I can vouch for the Mt. Hood being pretty good. Though I believe I used Cascade at 30 minutes as suggested by one of my books.

 

[gruversm]

You guys are great! Should I use the WLP810 San Francisco Lager yeast for my Anchor Steam recipie? Also, will I be in trouble if I ferment around 68F?

 

[EinGutesBier]

You guys are great! Should I use the WLP810 San Francisco Lager yeast for my Anchor Steam recipie? Also, will I be in trouble if I ferment around 68F?

I'd try to keep it around 64 or 66.