Anchor Me | Steam Lager is inspired by the beer that inspired a craft brewing revolution! There are some beers that can truly claim ownership to being a founding influence on the US and global craft beerevolution and Anchor Steam® from San Francisco, CA, USA is one of those beers. Fritz Maytag a famous forefather of Craft Brewing purchased Anchor Brewing Company in 1965 saving it from certain Bankruptcy and importantly saving a famous beer and beer style injecting passion life and soul and character back into a beer style that was otherwise losing its Steam! Steam Ale otherwise known as "California Common" Lager was a beer style widely brewed and enjoyed across the West Coast of the United States in the late 1800s during the Gold Rush. Little did Fritz know back in '65 that he was one of the modern miners in an amber gold rush brewing for a niche of discerning beer drinks that has now become mainstream. Nowadays are great times to be a brewer and a beer drinker and this beer is a style sure to please a broad range of drinkers and brewers alike with its subtle well balanced flavour and full character. Let us know what you think after you brew this BeerCo Recipe Kit - give us a review on the products tab and as always #brewhappy and #drinklocalfreshcraft cheers!
Anchor Me | Steam Lager | BeerCo Recipe Kit
An all grain recipe created by Dermott Dowling in Oct 2016 (rev. Aug 2021)
vital stats:
- 4.40 Kg Joe White Traditional Ale Malt 88%
- 0.60 Kg Crisp Light Crystal 150 12%
- 5.00 Kg Total
Hops:
- 30g Northern Brewer GR Hop Pellets at 60 minutes
- 30g Northern Brewer GR Hop Pellets at 15 minutes
- 40g Northern Brewer GR Hop Pellets at 5 minutes
90g Northern Brewer GR Hop T90 Pellets @5.60% A/A
Yeast:
Liquid: Bluestone Yeast
- BSY-L006 Stuttgart Bluestone Yeast x1 Liquid Pitch
Dry:
- Mangrove Jack's M54 California Lager Yeast x2 Dry 11g sachets
Method:
- Mill the grains and dough-in targeting a mash liquor-to-grist ratio of about 3:1 by weight and a temperature of 66 °C. Hold the mash at 66 °C until enzymatic conversion is complete. Infuse the mash with near boiling water while stirring or with a recirculating mash system raise the temperature to mash out at 76 °C.
- Sparge slowly with 77 °C water, collecting wort until the pre-boil kettle volume is around 25 L and the gravity is 1.044.
- The total wort boil time is 60 minutes. Add the bittering hops as soon as the wort starts boiling. Add the second hop addition and Irish moss or other finings with 15 minutes left. The last hop addition goes in 5 minutes before the end of the boil. Hops: Add 30g Northern Brewer GR Hop Pellets at 60 minutes and second addition of 30g Northern Brewer GR Hop Pellets at 15 minutes and final addition of 40g of Northern Brewer GR hops at 5 minutes.
- Chill the wort rapidly to 17 °C, let the break material settle, rack to the fermenter, pitch the yeast and aerate thoroughly. The proper pitch rate is 2 packages of dry yeast or one liquid pouch.
- Ferment at 17 °C until the beer attenuates fully. With healthy yeast, fermentation should be complete within a week, but do not rush it. Please note it may take 24-48 hours for your yeast to rouse especially if you have not made a starter. Rack to a keg and force carbonate or rack to a bottling bucket, add priming sugar, and bottle. Target a carbonation level of 2.5 to 3 volumes.
- Mature for 7-10 days after carbonating in the keg or 4-6 weeks if bottled at around 10-12C.
- Enjoy with friends year round and raise a glass to Fritz and the team @AnchorBrewing for keeping this wonderful beer style alive and kicking!
Notes & Sources of additional info:
- BYO California Common Style Profile
- American Homebrewers Association - Anchor Steam Clone
- Beer & Brewer Magazine Issue 24 Autumn 2013