| Amount | Fermentable | % |
|---|---|---|
| 6.00 pounds | LME - Light | 70.6% |
| 1.00 pounds | German Light Munich Malt | 11.8% |
| 1.00 pounds | British Carastan Malt | 11.8% |
| 0.50 pounds | Crystal Malt 40L | 5.9% |
| 8.50 pounds | Total Fermentable Weight | 100% |
| Amount | Hop | Time | Use | Form | AA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.00 ounces | Northern Brewer | 60 minutes | Boil | Pellets | 8.2% | |
| 0.75 ounces | Northern Brewer | 15 minutes | Boil | Pellets | 8.2% | |
| 0.25 ounces | Northern Brewer | 3 minutes | Boil | Pellets | 8.2% | |
| 2.00 ounces | Total Hop Weight | |||||
| Amount | Non-Fermentable | Type | Use | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 tsp. | Gypsum | Water Agent | Boil | 45 minutes |
| 1/8 tsp. | Super Irish Moss | Other | 15 minutes |
This is the second attempt at a California Common for me. Based upon the success of the previous batch, I thought that this would be the perfect summer sipper. Malty with a nice hop flavor and just the right amount of bitterness.
This time, I increased the hop amounts to boost the bitterness up to within style. The last time, the beer was a bit on the sweet side, although it was very good. To fit into this style, the bitterness needed to be between 30 and 45 IBUs. It stands at 36.
To complement the added hops, I increased the specialty grains a tad and added some German Light Munich to lend some body with nod towards European amber ales.
White Labs’ San Francisco Lager yeast was used this time instead of the California Ale. According to White Labs, this strain "is used to produce the ’California Common’ style beer. A unique lager strain which has the ability to ferment up to 65 degrees while retaining lager characteristics."