Hop Til You Drop California Common Beer

five gallons, all-grain; OG = 1.053; FG = 1.015; IBU =  59  

Ingredients

• 6 lbs. Klages malt
• 1 lb. Vienna malt
• 3/4 lb. crystal malt (60° Lovibond)
• 1 lb. toasted pale malt
• 15 AAU of Northern Brewer hops (2 ounces of 7.5% alpha acid)
• 3 AAUs Cascade hops (0.50 ounce of 6% alpha acid)
• 3 AAUs Cascade hops (0.50 ounce of 6% alpha acid)
• Wyeast 2112 (California Lager)
• 0.50 ounce Willamette hops (homegrown)
• 3/4 cup corn sugar for priming    

Step by Step

Toast pale malt for 10 minutes at 350° F. Cool and crush. Add malts to 3 gallons 130° F water, stabilize at 122° F and hold for 30 minutes. Add 1.5 gallons 180° F water, stabilize at 158° F and hold for 60 minutes. Raise to 170° F. Sparge with 4.5 gallons of 170° F water. Collect 6 gallons runoff. Add Northern Brewer and boil 60 minutes. Add Cascade, boil 20 minutes. Turn off heat, add Cascade and steep 5 minutes. Strain out hops, cool to 68° F, and pitch yeast.