---
title: "Anchor Steam Beer Recipe: An All-Time American Classic"
description: "In the late 19th century, Anchor Brewing Company began brewing its famous Steam Beer, using local ingredients and giving up the lager brewing techniques popular at the time."
url: https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/anchor-steam-beer-clone-recipe/
date: 2025-01-03
modified: 2026-11-01
author: "Carlos Uhart M."
image: https://www.thebeertimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Receta-de-Anchor-Steam.jpg
categories: ["Recipes"]
tags: ["Anchor Brewing", "Beer Recipes", "Homebrewers Association"]
type: post
lang: en
---

# Anchor Steam Beer Recipe: An All-Time American Classic

In the late 19th century, Anchor Brewing Company began brewing its famous Steam Beer, using local ingredients and giving up the lager techniques that were popular at the time.

![Anchor Steam recipe](https://www.thebeertimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Receta-de-Anchor-Steam.jpg)*Anchor Steam recipe*

As a result, Anchor Steam was very affordable compared to other commercial lagers, which made it a favorite among San Francisco’s working class.

Contenido

- [Anchor Steam Beer Recipe (Clone)](#Anchor_Steam_Beer_Recipe_Clone)
- [Specifications](#Specifications)
- [Ingredients](#Ingredients)
- [Water Profile](#Water_Profile)
- [Instructions](#Instructions)
- [Recommended](#Recommended)

## Anchor Steam Beer Recipe (Clone)

This recipe originally appeared in the July/August 2003 issue of Zymurgy and was created by Marc Sedam.

![Guía Práctica Catar Cerveza Amazon](https://www.thebeertimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Catar-cerveza-300x300.jpg)

[Guía práctica para catar cerveza: Cómo apreciar correctamente todas las cervezas del mundo](https://amzn.to/3LddZmQ)

[Comprar en Amazon](https://amzn.to/3LddZmQ)

## Specifications

- **Yield:** 19 liters
- **Original Gravity:** 1.050
- **Final Gravity:** 1.014
- **ABV:** 4.70%
- **IBU:** 35
- **SRM:** 9
- **Boil:** 60 minutes
- **Efficiency:** 70%
- **Total time:** about 6 weeks (3 hours of brewing, 1 week of primary fermentation, 1 week of secondary, 2 weeks of bottle conditioning and 2 weeks cold)

## Ingredients

- 4.1 kg (9.0 lb) German Pils malt
- 0.45 kg (1.0 lb) 40°L Crystal malt
- 227 g (0.5 lb) Special Roast malt
- 28 g (1.0 oz) Northern Brewer hops, 7.4% a.a. (FWH)
- 21 g (0.75 oz) Northern Brewer hops, 7.4% a.a. (20 minutes)
- 28 g (1.0 oz) Northern Brewer hops, 7.4% a.a. (knockout)
- 1 Whirlfloc tablet or 1 teaspoon of [Irish moss](https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/irish-moss-brewing-beer-clarity-stability/) (20 min)
- 1 pack of White Labs WLP810 or Wyeast 2112 lager yeast

## Water Profile

The water profile for an Anchor Steam balances the minerals to bring out both the maltiness and the hop character, which are essential in this hybrid lager-ale style.

Sulfates enhance hop bitterness while chlorides soften the maltiness. A moderate level of bicarbonates helps stabilize the pH in amber beers, ensuring an optimal mash and a clean flavor.

- **Calcium (Ca):** 50–100 ppm
- **Magnesium (Mg):** 5–15 ppm
- **Sodium (Na):** 10–25 ppm
- **Sulfates (SO₄²⁻):** 50–80 ppm
- **Chlorides (Cl⁻):** 40–60 ppm
- **Bicarbonates (HCO₃⁻):** 50–100 ppm

## Instructions

1. Heat the mash water to about 71°C (160°F) and mix the malts (German Pils, 40°L Crystal and Special Roast) in the mash tun. Hold the mash at 64°C (148°F) for 60 minutes to maximize the extraction of fermentable sugars and achieve a balanced body. Check the mash pH, making sure it stays between 5.2 and 5.4, and adjust with lactic or phosphoric acid if necessary. After the mash, raise the wort temperature to 79°C (175°F) and sparge the grains, collecting about 6.5 gallons (24.6 liters) of wort.
2. Bring the collected wort to a boil for 60 minutes. During this time, make the hop additions according to the schedule: first add 28 grams of Northern Brewer to the wort before it starts to boil (first wort hop) for a smooth bitterness. With 20 minutes remaining, add another 21 grams of the same hop to develop flavor, and at the end of the boil add 28 grams more for aroma. With 20 minutes left in the boil, add one Whirlfloc tablet or one teaspoon of Irish moss to help clarify the wort.
3. Cool the wort quickly after the boil to 16°C (60°F) using an immersion or counterflow chiller. This step is essential to prevent contamination and prepare the wort for fermentation. Aerate the wort properly with an air pump or oxygen diffuser to ensure an optimal environment for the yeast. Once cooled, add the San Francisco Lager (WLP810) or California Lager (Wyeast 2112) yeast. Ferment the wort at 16°C (60°F) for 7 to 10 days in the primary fermenter. When the expected attenuation and a final gravity of about 1.014 are reached, transfer the beer to a secondary fermenter to allow it to mature.
4. When secondary fermentation is complete, prepare the beer for bottling. Add priming sugar to reach the desired carbonation level, about 2.4 volumes of CO₂, bottle and let the bottles condition at room temperature for about two weeks. Finally, refrigerate the bottles for another two weeks to round out and stabilize the flavors before enjoying this classic California Common beer.

## Recommended

- [Courage Russian Imperial Stout Recipe: The Legitimate Heir of the Original Style](https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/courage-russian-imperial-stout-recipe-legitimate-heir-original-style/)
- [Orval Belgian Pale Ale Recipe: The Holy Grail of Trappist Beers](https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/orval-belgian-pale-ale-recipe-the-holy-grail-of-trappist-beers/)