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California Common

From the BrewBlog of Stoopsitters Brewing – Hastings, Minnesota USA
Printed April 27, 2024

Specifics
Style: California Common Beer
Brewer: Dustin Zastera
Brew Date: December 26, 2011
Yield: 5 gallons
Color (SRM/EBC): 9.4/18.4
Bitterness (Calc): 63.8 IBU (Tinseth)
BU/GU: 1.18
Calories: 177 (12 ounces)
Conditioning: Keg
ABV: 5.7%
ABW: 4.5%
Batch No: 77
OG: 1.054
OG (Plato): 13.33° P
Target OG: 1.049
FG: 1.011
FG (Plato): 2.81° P
Target FG: 1.012
Real Extract: 4.72° P
App. Atten.: 78.9%
Real Atten.: 64.6%
BJCP Style Info: California Common Beer
O.G.: 1.048 - 1.054
F.G.: 1.011 - 1.014
ABV: 4.5 - 5.5%
Bitterness: 30 - 45 IBUs
Color: 10 - 14 SRM
Info: A lightly fruity beer with firm, grainy maltiness, interesting toasty and caramel flavors, and showcasing the signature Northern Brewer varietal hop character.

Commercial Examples: Anchor Steam, Southampton Steem Beer, Flying Dog Old Scratch Amber Lager.

General Information
Method: All Grain

Middle of the road Cali Common
Comments

Tasting vs. Anchor Steam

Appearance:
Mine is maybe a shade dark and has a slight haze, otherwise very close.  Head retention is better on mine.

Aroma:
Anchor - Malty, some caramel and roast, but not a lot.  Light ester note.
Mine - Hops and malt.  Same kinds of malt aroma, but overpowered by hops.

Flavor:
Anchor - Some light roast and caramel, fairly dry.  Just a little more bitterness than would be needed to offset the malt.  More fruity than I recall.
Mine - Creamier, not as much roast and a little more sweetness.  Quite a lot of hop bitterness initially.

Mouthfeel:
Anchor - Dry; not thin, but not peristant.
Mine - Heavier, more sweetness - more of everything.

Overall:
The grainbill is pretty close; I might have to swap out some of the caramel malt for something roastier or mash a bit lower to get the dryness in there.  Back off on the bittering hops; decide on the rest of the hop additions at game time.  Anchor may just be a smaller beer than exists in my memory. 
Malts and Grains
7.75 pounds Rahr Pale Malt (2-Row) 86.1% of grist
0.50 pounds Dingemans Biscuit Malt 5.6% of grist
0.50 pounds Simpsons Caramalt 5.6% of grist
0.25 pounds Weyermann CaraMunich Malt II 2.8% of grist
9.00 pounds Total Grain Weight 100% of grist
Hops
1.00 ounces Northern Brewer 9.1% Leaf @ 60 minutes
Type: Bittering
Use: Boil 		9.1 AAUs
1.00 ounces Northern Brewer 9.1% Leaf @ 30 minutes
Type: Flavor
Use: Boil 		9.1 AAUs
1.00 ounces Northern Brewer 9.1% Leaf @ 10 minutes
Type: Aroma
Use: Aroma 		9.1 AAUs
3.00 ounces Total Hop Weight 27.3 AAUs
Boil
Total Boil Time: 60 minutes
Yeast
Name: California Lager
Manufacturer: Wyeast
Product ID: 2112
Type: Lager
Flocculation: High
Attenuation: 69%
Temperature Range: 58–68°F
Amount: 125 ml
Procedure

1. Mash in with 3 gallons of water at 168F to hit a mash temp of 154F.  Mash for 60 minutes.

2. Mash out with 1.25 gallons boiling water to hit a mash temp of 168F.  Rest 10 minutes.

3. Drain the tun into the kettle and onto the fist hops.  Continue sparging with an additional 3 gallons at 168F.

4. Boil 60 minutes, with 1 oz additions at 30 min and 10 min.  Add Whilfloc and nutrient with the 10 minute addition.

5. At the end of the boil, let the hops settle and begin cooling.

6. Pitch yeast when the temperature has cooled to 64F.

Fermentation
Primary: 12 days @ 62° F
California Common
Date Brewed:  
Brewer/Assistant:  
Brew Day Data
  Target Actual
Strike Water Amount: 3  
Strike Water Temperature:    
Mash Temperature:    
Mash Time:    
Sparge Water Amount: 5.4  
Sparge Water Temperature:    
Pre-Boil Gravity:    
Pre-Boil Amount: 6  
Post-Boil Amount: 5  
Boil Time: 60  
Original Gravity: 1.054 / 13.3° P  
     
     
     
     
Brew Day Notes
 

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