Lombard Street Swill (California Common)

[philm00x]

JimJohnson and I teamed up again to create another "common" recipe, this time in the form of a steam beer. This one didn't take quite as long to research and draw up the bill as there wasn't any special techniques needed to be employed, nor concern over needing separate equipment due to the possibility of bug innoculation, like the Kentucky Common we did a while back. Nutty/roasty malt flavor with the minty attributes of Northern Brewer hops should make this pretty tasty! Now my LHBS did not have Northern Brewer in pellets, but did have it in whole leaf, but will still work out just as planned.

Recipe: Lombard Street Swill
Brewer: Mr. Rufus Brewing Co.
Asst Brewer:
Style: California Common Beer
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 2.82 gal
Post Boil Volume: 2.60 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 2.50 gal
Bottling Volume: 2.25 gal
Estimated OG: 1.053 SG
Estimated Color: 12.4 SRM
Estimated IBU: 37.5 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 72.0 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
4 lbs Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) Grain 1 80.0 %
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 2 10.0 %
8.0 oz Victory Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 3 10.0 %
0.35 oz Northern Brewer [9.90 %] - First Wort 60 Hop 4 26.9 IBUs
0.25 oz Northern Brewer [9.90 %] - Boil 17.0 min Hop 5 9.5 IBUs
0.50 oz Cluster [6.90 %] - Boil 1.0 min Hop 6 1.2 IBUs
1.0 pkg California Lager (Wyeast Labs #2112) [12 Yeast 7 -


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 5 lbs
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash In Add 7.50 qt of water at 162.8 F 152.0 F 75 min

Sparge: Batch sparge with 2 steps (Drain mash tun, , 1.55gal) of 168.0 F water

[philm00x]

22 minutes into the mash. The grains had a very toasted, nutty smell to them. Different from any other beer I've brewed to date.

[philm00x]

Didn't expect to find whole hop cones in the bag of leaf hops I bought. Pretty awesome. Smells amazing.

[mashani]

Never thought about using Maris Otter as the base for a Steam beer, but I bet it will turn out great!

I've made all Northern Brewer versions, and all Cluster versions, but never tried a mix of them. I think the cluster is the more "old world" hop that was used (because that's what grew here) and Northern Brewer is more of a modern hop choice, and if used back then wasn't likely to be as readily available.

I like both variations, although I do think I like Northern Brewer ones better, mainly because I like the woody/minty flavors it brings.

I've considered making one with all Perle just to see how that works.

[philm00x]

That was the consensus in my head when developing the recipe... mixing old school and new school. As I mentioned before, it smells completely different from any other beer I've ever made, so I'm hoping that will translate into a flavor not like anything I've brewed before (hopefully good flavor, of course).

[philm00x]

Alright, the yeast is pitched! 1.056 OG I wanted to chomp on a hop cone after pouring the wort into the LBK but I decided it probably would be better if I didn't.

[FedoraDave]

I predict good things from this, Phil. Cali Commons are nice, and this looks like an impressive recipe.

I like the name, too, given the infamy of San Francisco's Lombard Street. I took a more ironic twist when naming my steam beer. When we were kids, our family would always vacation on Shelter Island, which lies between Long Island's North and South forks. It's accessible only by ferry; there's no bridge. Well, we always took the South Ferry, because my dad's cousin John ran the South Ferry (and we probably rode for free; although that didn't occur to me when I was a kid). So I named my Cali Common South Ferry Steam Beer, because what could be better than naming the signature West Coast beer after an East Coast icon?

[philm00x]

I predict good things from this, Phil. Cali Commons are nice, and this looks like an impressive recipe.

I like the name, too, given the infamy of San Francisco's Lombard Street. I took a more ironic twist when naming my steam beer. When we were kids, our family would always vacation on Shelter Island, which lies between Long Island's North and South forks. It's accessible only by ferry; there's no bridge. Well, we always took the South Ferry, because my dad's cousin John ran the South Ferry (and we probably rode for free; although that didn't occur to me when I was a kid). So I named my Cali Common South Ferry Steam Beer, because what could be better than naming the signature West Coast beer after an East Coast icon?

Lol! I particularly like the name of yours.

Also, thanks for the generously kind words, Hat! I've certainly got high hopes for this brew, and I hope it turns out as good. I've got it fermenting at 62*F. Should I be bringing it lower, or am I in a good range?

[FedoraDave]

Temp should be perfect. You could even go to 64/65, but you're in the Happy Zone, for sure. I expect a review and a First Pour photo when the time comes.

BTW, I print custom labels for all my original AG beers, and I put a photo of the South Ferry on this one. When my brother saw it, he was delighted that I'd done it!

[philm00x]

Sampled this today and I'm ecstatic with preliminary results! It has a soft brown sugar, caramelly flavor, with a little herbal/woody note from the hops that is very clean, and still balanced. Cold conditioning will definitely give this beer crispness of a lager, and hopefully that malt flavor still persists.

[Kealia]

Keep posting updates. I'm thinking my next beer will be brewing a Common again. I'm interested to see how the Maris Otter turns out in the final product.

[philm00x]

Bottled this up today. 1.014 FG for 5.5% ABV. The smell from this one is just amazing! Fantastic coppery brown color.

[jimjohson]

got the 2112 yeast in( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tv4KQbDaCfM ) so i'll be pickin the grains up wednesday to brew the LSS sat. the 21st.

[philm00x]

Glad to hear it, JJ! For now my bottles will sit at room temp for 2 weeks to carb, and then it's into the fridge, gradually dropping to a finishing temp of 50*F over the course of 3 weeks.

[jimjohson]

been wondering since it's lager yeast will it really need room temp to carb?