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Hi All, 

As always, a huge thanks to all who entered the last competition. 19 entries, but our fantastic judges did a great job and hopefully gave some useful feedback. The brewer in 3rd place, Matt, chose the next style to be California Common. 7B in the BJCP guidelines: Full link here http://www.bjcp.org/2008styles/style07.php

Overall Impression: A lightly fruity beer with firm, grainy maltiness, interesting toasty and caramel flavors, and showcasing the signature Northern Brewer varietal hop character.

Comments: This style is narrowly defined around the prototypical Anchor Steam example. Superficially similar to an American pale or amber ale, yet differs in that the hop flavor/aroma is woody/minty rather than citrusy, malt flavors are toasty and caramelly, the hopping is always assertive, and a warm-fermented lager yeast is used.

Ingredients: Pale ale malt, American hops (usually Northern Brewer, rather than citrusy varieties), small amounts of toasted malt and/or crystal malts. Lager yeast, however some strains (often with the mention of “California” in the name) work better than others at the warmer fermentation temperatures (55 to 60?F) used. Note that some German yeast strains produce inappropriate sulfury character. Water should have relatively low sulfate and low to moderate carbonate levels.

Vital Statistics: OG: 1.048 – 1.054
IBUs: 30 – 45 FG: 1.011 – 1.014
SRM: 10 – 14 ABV: 4.5 – 5.5%

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

Good luck to everyone! I have chosen a date as far from Beervana as possible so I hope everyone can make it out to Hallertau, 3 PM.

Cheers

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Replies to This Discussion

Tell me about it.  I tasted some of the drained beer when I removed a short dry hop, and it tasted like sucking on a freshly cut pine tree.

how long was your short dry hop? They are super pungent! Tilt referred to his as 'tasting like iceblock sticks' :)

I am glad I did this now, would never have just woken up one day and thought mmmm    lets brew a warm larger....

It was only a couple of days.  Hopefully the oils have diluted in the beer somewhat; the stuff I tasted was drained straight out of the hop sock.

I'm considering attempting this one. Does anyone know where you can source northern brewer hops from?

I was just at Brewer's Coop Wednesday and they had some. In fact I bought some (don't worry, they had lots)

thanks barbara, i couldn't see it on the coop website. I did find northern brewer at www.brewshop.co.nz

they've even got a Californian Common recipe pack... too easy!!!

Brewed one this weekend.  Assuming it doesn't go catastrophically wrong, I'll have an entry.

It should have a nice long cold conditioning while I'm away next month, and a good month in the bottle once I'm back.  Looking forward to this.

Hi All, i found this radio mp3 from the brewing network- cheers

Jamil on californian common

I really love this style, great choice Matt!

Would a Kolsch or Alt yeast add to much character? Ive made a few pale ales with kolsch and love the crisp profile but they are always unmistakably kolsch in character.... did I just answer my own question?

 

I reckon you're right with your conclusion there Adam. It's OK to go for a versatile clean ale yeast fermented cool and rely on the malt and hop characters for kolsch/ alt and steam beers but I don't think the style specific yeasts are interchangeable across the styles (i.e. I wouldn't use a Cal Common yeast for a kolsch and vice versa)

Further to this, I honestly can't tell the difference between the California lager strain and a kolsch yeast, the overall impression is pretty much exactly the same, in fact if you subbed out the Northern Brewer for Spalt you'd have an alt beer!

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