When my wife and I were dating, we’d sometimes go to the drive-in theater to catch a double-feature. I recall numerous times looking up and out the window, asking, “What are we here for, anyway?” This, my friends, was the inspiration for What’re We Here For? Cal Common, also known as Steam Beer.
What’re We Here For? Cal Common
Recipe Details
| Batch Size | Boil Time | IBU | SRM | Est. OG | Est. FG | ABV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.5 gal | 60 min | 60.4 | 11.1 SRM | 1.052 | 1.012 | 5.25 % |
| Actuals | 1.052 | 1.012 | 5.25 % | |||
Fermentables
| Name | Amount | % |
|---|---|---|
| Pale 2-Row Malt | 8 lbs | 76.19 |
| Munich I | 1.25 lbs | 11.9 |
| Caramel Malt 60L | 12 oz | 7.14 |
| Victory Malt | 6 oz | 3.57 |
| Pale Chocolate | 2 oz | 1.19 |
Hops
| Name | Amount | Time | Use | Form | Alpha % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Brewer | 33 g | 60 min | Boil | Pellet | 8.5 |
| Northern Brewer | 26 g | 15 min | Boil | Pellet | 8.5 |
| Northern Brewer | 26 g | 15 min | Aroma | Pellet | 8.5 |
Yeast
| Name | Lab | Attenuation | Temperature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cablecar (L05) | Imperial Yeast | 75% | 55°F - 64.9°F |
Notes
| Water Profile: Ca 64 | Mg 1 | Na 10 | SO4 94 | Cl 43 |
Download
| Download this recipe's BeerXML file |
7 thoughts on “What’re We Here For? Cal Common”
Just tapped this today. Fantastic! Also used gelatin for the first time and that worked like a charm. Love the site. I’m changing a lot of my old ways of doing things since becoming a regular reader. Thanks for all the inspiration!
Can I ask what water profile you aim for with this beer? Thanks so much for your site, it has been super useful!
Also interested in water profile. After many years using tap, giving building water a go. Thanks.
I would love to know which water profile you recommend also. Thanks!
A great recipe, I love very drinkable, a style nothing diffused here in Spain. With yeast Mangrove M54, very clean. To repeat for sure. Very balanced hops and malt.
+1 for favourite Water Profile Target. Cheers for all the good work!
I know Marshall has said on a recent podcast that he uses filtered water (due to chlorine in his tap water) and adds a fair amount of Gypsum for an approx. ratio of 3:1 sulphate:chloride. He didn’t go into too much detail on the water profile but hopefully this is at least an indication for those asking. Cheers, Steve 😀