Anchor Steam clone recipe
Anchor Steam is the oldest American craft beer still produced — first brewed in 1896, revived in 1965 by Fritz Maytag, and produced continuously since. Steam beer (California Common) is the only beer style indigenous to the United States. The name 'steam' comes from the brewing process — fermenting lager yeast at warm ale temperatures in shallow, broad fermenters that released steam visible from miles away in 19th-century San Francisco.
About this beer
Anchor Steam is a beer of historical importance and current relevance. Copper-colored, lightly toasty, with woody Northern Brewer hops and a clean lager-like finish despite warm-fermentation. It's neither ale nor pure lager — a hybrid style created by 19th-century San Francisco brewers improvising without refrigeration. The flavor is restrained, drinkable, and unmistakably American. Important note: as of 2026, Anchor Brewing is closed pending revival by Hamdi Ulukaya — this clone keeps the style alive while the brewery sits dormant.
Grain bill (5-gallon batch)
| Grain | Weight | % | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-row pale malt | 10.5 lb | 85% | Standard pale base. |
| Caramel/Crystal 60L | 1.25 lb | 10% | Provides the copper color and light caramel. |
| Munich malt | 0.6 lb | 5% | Adds slight toasty depth — important to the Steam character. |
Hop schedule
| Hop | Amount | When | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Brewer | 1.0 oz | 60 min boil | Bittering — Northern Brewer is THE Steam hop |
| Northern Brewer | 0.5 oz | 30 min boil | Flavor |
| Northern Brewer | 0.5 oz | 5 min boil | Flavor and gentle aroma |
Yeast
California Lager / San Francisco Lager (Wyeast 2112 / White Labs WLP810)
The defining ingredient. This is a lager yeast that ferments cleanly at warmer (ale) temperatures, 60-65°F instead of the usual 50-55°F. Without this yeast, you can't make true California Common.
Water profile
Moderate, slightly sulfate-leaning. ~120 ppm sulfate, ~60 ppm chloride.
Process notes
- Mash at 152°F for 60 min — balanced
- Boil 60 min
- Ferment at 60-62°F — warmer than lager yeast usually wants, cooler than ale fermentation. This is the 'steam' technique.
- After primary fermentation completes (~10 days), drop to 35°F for 3 weeks of cold conditioning — the lagering step
- Carbonate to 2.6 volumes — slightly higher than ale for the crisp finish
- Total time: ~5 weeks. Steam takes time.
Why it tastes like that
The interesting part of a clone recipe is understanding why each ingredient choice matters. Here's what each element of the recipe contributes:
- California Lager yeast ferments at warm temps producing slight ester complexity that pure lagers don't have, while still drinking 'cleaner' than typical ales.
- Northern Brewer is the hop of California Common. Its distinctive evergreen / minty / slightly woody character is the most identifiable taste in Anchor Steam — substituting another hop will give you something else.
- Crystal 60L + Munich combination gives the copper color and just-enough malt depth without being sweet.
- Warm fermentation + cold conditioning is the technique — it's neither ale (warm only) nor lager (cold only). The hybrid creates the unique character.
- Light carbonation isn't part of the style — Steam is highly carbonated, which gives it crispness and helps lift the malt and hop character.
Sources & references
- Anchor Brewing — Steam (archive) anchorbrewing.com
- BYO: Anchor Steam clone byo.com