The story
During the California Gold Rush of the mid-1800s, San Francisco was full of thirsty miners, but it lacked the ice and cold cellars needed for proper lager brewing. Brewers improvised: they used lager yeast but fermented at warmer, ale-like temperatures, often in wide, shallow open vessels. The result was a lively, amber beer nicknamed “steam beer.”
Nobody knows for sure where the “steam” name came from. Theories include the vapour rising from warm wort cooling on rooftops, or the high carbonation that hissed out of casks when tapped. Most of these breweries disappeared over time, but one — Anchor Brewing in San Francisco — survived. When Fritz Maytag bought the struggling brewery in 1965 and revitalised it, he helped kick-start America’s craft beer revolution.
What it tastes like
California common pours a clear light amber to copper with a creamy off-white head. The aroma features toasted malt, a little caramel and a distinctive woody, minty or rustic hop note. On the palate it is medium-bodied and crisp, with rich malt balanced by firm bitterness. The finish is dry and fairly clean, with a slight fruity edge from the warm fermentation.
How it’s made
The recipe is built on pale malt with some crystal malt for colour and caramel sweetness. The hop of choice is Northern Brewer, which contributes that classic woody, minty character. The key is fermenting a special lager yeast strain at warmer temperatures than usual — this yields a beer with some ale-like fruitiness but lager-like cleanliness. Traditionally, shallow open fermenters helped the warm beer cool.
Fun fact
Anchor trademarked the term “Steam Beer,” so other brewers must use the name “California Common” for the style. That legal twist is why one of America’s few indigenous beer styles is known by such an unglamorous name.