Steamacularly Common

In the summer of 2023, after 127 years of brewing beer, Anchor Brewing Company decided to shut down.

This was, of course, sad for craft beer fans.

Not living in California, I never drank a lot of Anchor beer, but after visiting San Francisco, I brewed Bridge Fog California Common in honor of Anchor's most iconic beer "Anchor Steam".

I thought I would brew another "Steam" beer in honor of this brewery.

The American Homebrewers Association published an Anchor Steam Clone that I used as a starting point for my recipe.

Of course, my recipe ended up different based on ingredients I have more available to me.

One huge difference is that rather than using traditional "California Common" yeast, I used harvested Altbier yeast from my recently brewed Gypsy Magic Bière de Garde.

I honestly don't think this yeast choice makes a noticeable difference, but who knows, really?

The name "Steamacularly Common" was originally Spectacularly Common, but I wanted the word "Steam" in there somewhere. Maybe sort of dumb, but if you brew a beer like this, you can name it whatever you want.

It is sad that the brewery is closing, but at least I have this recipe to help remember Anchor Steam.

On untappd: Steamacularly Common 

For more information on this beer, see Sheppy's Blog: Steamacularly

Steamacularly Common --- Batch 1 (341)

Style		California Common		Batch Size		5.50 gal
Type		All Grain		Boil Size		6.60 gal
Brewhouse Efficiency		68.00		Boil Time		60 minutes

Recipe Characteristics

Recipe Gravity		1.050 SG		Estimated FG		1.013 SG
Recipe Bitterness		33.5 IBUs (Rager)		Alcohol by Volume		4.8 %
BU : GU		0.676
Recipe Color		12.0 SRM		Color
Measured OG:		1.050		Measured FG:		1.010
ADF:		79		Measured ABV:		5.3

Ingredients

Ingredients

Amt	Name	Type	#	%/IBU	Volume
7.91 gal	Denver, Colorado	Water	1	-	-
6.00 g	Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash)	Water Agent	2	-	-
5.00 g	Calcium Chloride (Mash)	Water Agent	3	-	-
3.00 g	Epsom Salt (MgSO4) (Mash)	Water Agent	4	-	-
1.00 tsp	Lactic Acid (Mash)	Water Agent	5	-	-
10 lbs	Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM)	Grain	6	89.9 %	0.78 gal
12.0 oz	Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM)	Grain	7	6.7 %	0.06 gal
6.0 oz	Pale Chocolate Malt (200.0 SRM)	Grain	8	3.4 %	0.03 gal
1.000 oz	Northern Brewer [8.50 %] - Boil 40.0 min	Hop	9	26.5 IBUs	-
1.00 Items	Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins)	Fining	10	-	-
1.000 oz	Northern Brewer [8.50 %] - Boil 10.0 min	Hop	11	7.0 IBUs	-
1.00 tsp	Yeast Nutrient (Boil 10.0 mins)	Other	12	-	-
1.000 oz	Northern Brewer [8.50 %] - Boil 0.0 min	Hop	13	0.0 IBUs	-
1.0 pkg	Dusseldorf Alt Yeast (White Labs #WLP036) [35.49 ml]	Yeast	14	-	-
0.50 tsp	Gelatin (Bottling 1.0 days)	Fining	15	-	-

Mash Profile

Mash Steps

Name	Description	Step Temperature	Step Time
Saccharification	Add 31.66 qt of water at 156.3 F	150.0 F	45 min
Heat	Heat to 156.0 F over 10 min	156.0 F	20 min

If steeping, remove grains, and prepare to boil wort

Recipe Notes
Brewed in honor of Anchor Steam upon news that Anchor is closing down.
Started with AHA Clone recipe ... https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/homebrew-recipe/anchor-steam-clone/
Make small yeast starter a day or two before brew day.
Water salts bring Denver water profile (as defined by BeerSmith) to
Ca=124,Mg=18,Na=21,SO4=202,Cl=104,HCO3=104
Acid to bring water pH to around 5.3
Mash as directed.
Boil as directed.
Cool wort to as close to 60F as possible.
Ferment in low 60's for a day or two then let the fermentation rise to ambient temp.
Keg after one to two weeks in fermentor.
Add gelatin to keg after the beer has chilled one or two days.
Force carbonate to taste.
Enjoy!

Brewing Record

Brew Date:				Strike Temp:
Mash Temps:
Pre-boil OG		(1.045 SG)		Pre-boil Vol		(6.60 gal)
Actual Mash Efficiency				Pitch Temp
Fermentation
Day 1:
Day ...
Day ...