Batch #13: Steam Beer #2

A second, more conventional attempt at an Anchor Steam-like brew. I attempted to darken it a bit using some German dark crystal malt, and used a more standard hopping schedule (60 min - 30 min - 5 min). It's all Northern Brewer, of course.

Recipe

Grain Bill

7 lbs. Schreier 2-row
3/4 lb. Briess Crystal 40L
1/4 lb. Durst Dark Crystal (90L)

Hops

1 oz Northern Brewer (7.7% AA) @60 min
1 oz Northern Brewer (7.7% AA) @30 min
1 oz Northern Brewer (7.7% AA) @5 min

Yeast

Wyeast 2112 (California Lager) with 1.5 quart starter.

Mash

Botched single infusion -- 10 minutes at 145F, 60 minutes at 150F.

Vitals

OG: 1.045
FG: 1.013
Calculated IBUs: 55
Carbonation: 12 PSI @45F

Timeline

Brew day: January 25, 2003

11:35 am: Mash-in @145-147F
11:45 am: Raise temp to 150-152F with about 1 gallon of boiling water. Mash is rather thin, around 2 quarts per pound.
12:46 pm: Begin recirculation and runoff.
12:55 pm: Add 4 gallons of 180F sparge water.
1:20 pm: Finish sparge. Collected about 7 gallons.
2:30 pm: Rolling boil observed.
3:00 pm: Add bittering hops.
3:30 pm: Add flavor hops, irish moss, and chiller.
3:55 pm: Add aroma hops.
4:00 pm: Begin chill.
4:20 pm: Chilled to 59F, whirlpool by stirring.
4:30 pm: Begin racking to fermenter.
4:55 pm: Finished clean-up.

Fermented at 53-54F, had about a 24 hour wait for high krausen.

Racked to secondary February 7, SG 1.016. moved to 50F basement.

Kegged March 12. Patiently force-carbed (waiting for rootbeer to get out of the way).

Put on-line March 25.

Tasting notes

3/25/2003

Aroma is soft, but assertively spicy. High, almost bracing bitterness gives way to a woody hop flavor, with a clean, smooth medium-dark caramel foundation from the malt. There is a somewhat unpleasant grassy/woody bitter aftertaste that will hopefully mellow with more time. The last one was a better beer at this point. Three cheers for FWH!

5/24/2003

Aroma soft, spicy, with slight minty notes. High, clean bitterness keeps the considerable maltiness from being perceived as sweet. Very clean, smooth, and bitter beer. Could use a little less hops next time -- most Anchor Steam clones seem to use 1/2 oz Northern Brewer for bittering instead of a full ounce.

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