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+ | the most important ingredient in a steam beer is the yeast- you must use a California common yeast, otherwise the characteristics of a steam beer will not be produced. For a hop bill, [[Northern Brewer]] is the recommended hop to use, for all additions. This is because steam beers are characterised by the 'woody' flavours that come with [[Northern Brewer]]. | ||
==Competition Styles== | ==Competition Styles== |
Revision as of 02:02, 28 November 2008
Steam Beer was a style of beer popular in the area around San Francisco in the nineteenth century, brewed with bottom-fermenting yeasts but at higher than ordinary lager fermentation temperatures.
Today, the only surviving example of the style is Anchor Steam, and it is not clear how closely the modern beer relates to the original nineteenth-century product. Because Anchor claims a trademark on the name "Steam Beer", modern commercial examples must be referred to as California Common instead. However, the historical examples are still properly referred to as Steam Beer.
Most modern examples of this style are really more like Anchor Steam clones, usually copying Anchor's trademark Northern Brewer hops as well as potentially using a yeast strain most likely derived from Anchor's own brewery.
Contents
History of Steam Beer
There are many theories surrounding the name Steam Beer; for example, some say that the high carbonation of this style created a whistling sound in the kegs, or that the coolships used by the breweries gave off clouds of steam on brewing days.
However, many early American brewers were German, and a separate German regional beer style named Dampfbier, literally "steam beer", existed. Dampfbier, like American steam beer, was fermented at unusually high temperatures with a nontraditional yeast; in that case, a Weizen yeast used for an entirely barley-based beer. The result was an extremely active fermentation, which reportedly made the fermenting wort appear to be steaming or boiling. This is the most likely explanation for the American name.
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Brewing Steam Beer
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the most important ingredient in a steam beer is the yeast- you must use a California common yeast, otherwise the characteristics of a steam beer will not be produced. For a hop bill, Northern Brewer is the recommended hop to use, for all additions. This is because steam beers are characterised by the 'woody' flavours that come with Northern Brewer.
Competition Styles
Both the BJCP and the GABF style guidelines recognize this style, each referring to it for legal reasons as California Common.
BJCP Style Guidelines
California Common Beer
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GABF Style Listings
California Common Beer
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California common beer is light amber to dark amber in color, and is medium bodied. There is a noticeable degree of caramel-type malt character in flavor and often in aroma. Hop bitterness impression is medium to medium high, and is balanced with a low to medium-low degree of fruity esters and malt character to give an impression of balance and drinkability. Hop flavor and aroma is low to medium-low. California common beer is a style of beer brewed with lager yeasts but at ale fermentation temperatures. Diacetyl, and chill haze should be absent. |
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External Links
- California Steaming - Brewing Techniques Magazine