San Diego Session Ale

General Homebrew Discussion
1

So I brewed up my rendition of the SD Session style yesterday and realized that there’s really no clear definition for this style. The recent BYO article shed some light on Stone’s Levitation, but the style hasn’t (at least in Northern California) grown enough for there to be a clear definition… and my take on it may not have much in common with other brewers’ approaches. So I am wondering what other interpretations of this style are like. I have only had Levitation - and never fresh. Also, I am heading to SD this weekend and would like to know which brewers produce excellent renditions of this style so I can try them.

As far as my SDSA, basically, I made the wort of a mid-stength bitter (1.044, though I was shooting for 1.042), added a bit of roasted malt (Carafa Special II) for color, and a ton of west coast hops (Cascade, Centennial, and Citra). I opted to go 100% late hop/hopbursted, and got 46 paper IBU’s with the 15 min Cascade addition along with 5 and 0 min additions of Centennial and Citra. I expect to dry hop it with Cascade and Centennial. I mashed at 152F for 60 min and then mashed out at 167F for 10 min. I pitched a decanted 2L stir-plate starter of WLP051 and will try to ferment around 62F (this morning it was at 60F and I hadn’t seen any bubbling, but I didn’t bother popping the lid, because I was in a hurry). Does this sound right to everyone?

2

Never heard of it
but you are making me thirsty.

3

There is a recipe in the latest Zymurgy in honor of the NHC being there is June.  I am hoping to brew it up this weekend.  It looks to be fairly tasty.  Although, if you wanted to categorize it it may fit in the American amber of brown category depending on the color of the beer.

San Diego Dark Session Ale

A ProMash Recipe Report

BJCP Style and Style Guidelines

23-A  Specialty Beer, Specialty Beer

Min OG:  1.010  Max OG:  1.200
Min IBU:    0  Max IBU:  100
Min Clr:    0  Max Clr:    90  Color in SRM, Lovibond

Recipe Specifics

Batch Size (Gal):        6.00    Wort Size (Gal):    6.00
Total Grain (kg):        4.31
Anticipated OG:          1.040    Plato:            10.09
Anticipated SRM:          18.9
Anticipated IBU:          28.5
Brewhouse Efficiency:      70 %
Wort Boil Time:            60    Minutes

Pre-Boil Amounts

Evaporation Rate:      15.00    Percent Per Hour
Pre-Boil Wort Size:    7.06    Gal
Pre-Boil Gravity:      1.034    SG          8.62  Plato

Formulas Used

Brewhouse Efficiency and Predicted Gravity based on Method #1, Potential Used.
Final Gravity Calculation Based on Points.
Hard Value of Sucrose applied. Value for recipe: 46.2100 ppppg
Yield Type used in Gravity Prediction: Fine Grind Dry Basis.

Color Formula Used:  Morey
Hop IBU Formula Used: Rager

Additional Utilization Used For Plug Hops:        2 %
Additional Utilization Used For Pellet Hops:      10 %

Grain/Extract/Sugar

%    Amount    Name                          Origin        Potential SRM

73.4    3.17 kg.  Pale Malt(2-row)              Great Britain  1.038      3
  8.3    0.36 kg.  Crystal 45L                  UK            1.030    45
  4.1    0.18 kg.  Biscuit Malt                  Great Britain  1.035    35
  4.1    0.18 kg.  Crystal 120L                  UK            1.030    120
  4.1    0.18 kg.  Crystal 75L                  Great Britian  1.034    75
  4.1    0.18 kg.  Melanoidin Malt                              1.033    35
  1.8    0.08 kg.  Chocolate Malt                Great Britain  1.034    475

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.

Hops

Amount    Name                              Form    Alpha  IBU  Boil Time

6.00 g.    Simcoe                            Pellet  12.00  10.4  60 min.
  6.00 g.    Warrior                          Whole  17.00  13.4  60 min.
  6.00 g.    Simcoe                            Pellet  13.00  3.0  15 min.
  4.00 g.    Amarillo Gold                    Pellet  10.00  1.2  10 min.
  4.00 g.    Cascade                          Pellet  5.50  0.5  5 min.
12.00 g.    Cascade                          Pellet  5.75  0.0  Dry Hop
  6.00 g.    Amarillo Gold                    Pellet  10.00  0.0  Dry Hop
  6.00 g.    Simcoe                            Pellet  13.00  0.0  Dry Hop

Yeast

White Labs WLP002 English Ale

Water Profile

Profile:          Stone
Profile known for:  hoppy beers!

Calcium(Ca):          87.0 ppm
Magnesium(Mg):        15.0 ppm
Sodium(Na):          18.0 ppm
Sulfate(SO4):        141.0 ppm
Chloride(Cl):        58.0 ppm
biCarbonate(HCO3):    95.0 ppm

pH: 8.00

Mash Schedule

Mash Type: Single Step

Grain Lbs:    9.51
Water Qts:  10.54 - Before Additional Infusions
Water Gal:    2.63 - Before Additional Infusions

Qts Water Per Lbs Grain: 1.11 - Before Additional Infusions

Saccharification Rest Temp : 152  Time:  60
Mash-out Rest Temp :        168  Time:  15
Sparge Temp :                168  Time:  30

Total Mash Volume Gal: 3.40 - Dough-In Infusion Only

All temperature measurements are degrees Fahrenheit.

Notes

Pitch 66F, free rise to 68-69F

4

The Pres. of my homebrew club, who is more familar with the SoCal beer scene than I am, has talked about SDSA’s as “1.040 and 50 IBU’s,” with the implication that they are “Sessionable IPA’s” and that the malt backbone has to be relatively big to stand up to the hops. It seems, from my reading about Levitation, that coloring it up to copper/red with dark malts is done (not sure why)… so I figure the style is something in between a bitter, an American Amber Ale, and an IPA.

I’m not really sure how prevalent this style is in SD, but I get the sense that many or most of the brewpubs down there have one on tap most of the time. I mean, it makes sense, though. They can presumably be turned around really quickly, and they use less malt, so they are probably cheaper to produce than a lot of styles and they provide a smallish brewery with plenty of healthy yeast.

From my perspective, and in making the decision to brew one of these - it came out of a fall and winter spent brewing too many bitters and ESB’s. I mean, I like bitters, but I like IPA’s, too. And I loved a pale 1.044 bitter I made last summer that was bittered to about 38 IBU’s, fairly aggressively late-hopped with Willamette and Nugget and dry hopped with Willamette and Cascade… Back them, the thought occurred to me that I could always just add some domestic hops at 5 min, 0 min and dry to get my bitters where I want them (style guidelines be damned!). But upon reading and hearing about SDSA’s, I figured I would give it a go. I don’t know if I am sold on a beer that small and that bitter, but I have heard good things about them, and it is always fun to brew something and then get to drink it so shortly after it is made.

5

The Brewing Network cloned Stone Levitation ale, that may be a place to start as well?

http://thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/594

6

BTW, I went to SD this last weekend - Ballast Point has an awesome SDSA called Even Keel. That beer is crazy delicious - probably my favorite beer I had in SD after the cask-conditioned 30th St. Pale Ale I had at Green Flash.

7

I am heading to San Diego in about a month.  I will have to check both of those beers out…if I can drag myself away from Stone! ;D

8

I think I liked it better when it was called an XPA.

9

But wasn’t that first developed 10 years ago in Cascadia?

10

;D

11

More like more than 1000 years ago in Cascadia by the Salish peoples, although the tribe cannot be traced.  It was so ingrained in Salish culture that the original word for it, Huchoosedah, came to refer to cultural knowledge and knowledge of self.  It is where the word “hooch” originally came from.  The Salish believed it was a gift from Essit Sqibik, which we know as the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus.

But you can call it what you like. :wink:

12

I LOVE the PNTO!  I thought it was going to be similar to the Flying Spaghetti Monster, but no.  It’s better.

13

are these beers low in carbonation like a bitter or 2.4-2.6 like an APA/AIPA etc?

I have had Levitation before and I thought it was unimpressive, but given my recent leaning toward brewing lower alcohol beers and the positive comments here, maybe I’ll give it another chance.

14

The carbonation at Ballast Point was probably around 2-2.2 - not exactly a bitter, but not an APA, either. The beers I’ve had like this also tend to be on the darker end for a pale ale… I had another hoppy west coast low-gravity beer just last night called Wee Geech Pale Ale from Anderson Valley - basically these beers have altered my perspective on low-gravity pale ales. I never really saw much value in hopping them up and I worried that getting the IBU’s over 40 wouldn’t work, but clearly it does.

Levitation was my least favorite of the bunch because I don’t care for the harsh bitterness (chinook?). Also, I think stone beers are generally a ripoff (mediocre IPA for $3 more per 6-pack than similar beers), but since Levitation is the only one of these beers I know of that is widely available, I guess it would give you a good idea of what the loose non-style is all about. I think just taking a darkish bitter malt bill and hopping it like an extra hoppy pale ale would also get you the right results. Anyway, I have one crash cooling now that I colored up with some carafa, so I’ll see soon if that was the right way to go.

15

The harsh bitterness in Levitation may be CTZ.  At least that is what their website and the clone attempt on the Brewing Network state.  Here is the recipe I have based on the info given from the attempt on the show.  I will definitely have to check things out for myself when I am in San Diego in 1 month.

Levitation Ale

A ProMash Recipe Report

BJCP Style and Style Guidelines

10-B  American Ale, American Amber Ale

Min OG:  1.045  Max OG:  1.060
Min IBU:    25  Max IBU:    48
Min Clr:    10  Max Clr:    17  Color in SRM, Lovibond

Recipe Specifics

Batch Size (Gal):        6.00    Wort Size (Gal):    6.00
Total Grain (kg):        5.02
Anticipated OG:          1.048    Plato:              12.0
Anticipated SRM:          17.5
Anticipated IBU:          66.5
Brewhouse Efficiency:      70 %
Wort Boil Time:            90    Minutes

Pre-Boil Amounts

Evaporation Rate:      15.00    Percent Per Hour
Pre-Boil Wort Size:    7.74    Gal
Pre-Boil Gravity:      1.037    SG          9.35  Plato

Formulas Used

Brewhouse Efficiency and Predicted Gravity based on Method #1, Potential Used.
Final Gravity Calculation Based on Points.
Hard Value of Sucrose applied. Value for recipe: 46.2100 ppppg
Yield Type used in Gravity Prediction: Fine Grind Dry Basis.

Color Formula Used:  Morey
Hop IBU Formula Used: Rager

Additional Utilization Used For Plug Hops:        2 %
Additional Utilization Used For Pellet Hops:      10 %

Grain/Extract/Sugar

%    Amount    Name                          Origin        Potential SRM

84.7    4.25 kg.  Pale Malt(2-row)              Great Britain  1.038      3
10.0    0.50 kg.  Crystal 75L                  Great Britian  1.034    75
  5.0    0.25 kg.  Crystal 150L                  Great Britain  1.033    150
  0.4    0.02 kg.  Black Patent Malt            America        1.028    525

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.

Hops

Amount    Name                              Form    Alpha  IBU  Boil Time

14.00 g.    Columbus                          Pellet  15.00  33.4  90 min.
29.00 g.    Amarillo Gold                    Pellet  10.00  21.4  30 min.
33.00 g.    Crystal                          Pellet  3.25  5.2  20 min.
11.00 g.    Simcoe                            Pellet  11.90  6.4  20 min.
42.00 g.    Amarillo Gold                    Pellet  10.00  0.0  Dry Hop

Yeast

White Labs WLP007 Dry English Ale

Water Profile

Profile:          Escindido
Profile known for: Awesome Hoppy beers

Calcium(Ca):          53.0 ppm
Magnesium(Mg):        21.0 ppm
Sodium(Na):          83.0 ppm
Sulfate(SO4):        158.0 ppm
Chloride(Cl):        80.0 ppm
biCarbonate(HCO3):  264.1 ppm

pH: 7.40

Mash Schedule

Mash Type: Single Step

Grain Lbs:  11.07
Water Qts:  14.94 - Before Additional Infusions
Water Gal:    3.73 - Before Additional Infusions

Qts Water Per Lbs Grain: 1.35 - Before Additional Infusions

Saccharification Rest Temp : 156  Time:  0
Mash-out Rest Temp :          0  Time:  0
Sparge Temp :                  0  Time:  0

Total Mash Volume Gal: 4.62 - Dough-In Infusion Only

All temperature measurements are degrees Fahrenheit.

Notes

Dry Hop @ 65F/18C

Ferment @ 67-68F with a Diacatyl rest

16

Here in my little hamlet at the corner of Columbia and Pacific, it is traditionaly drank with lutefisk just before the wife carry race

17

Pull away from Stone and go check out Ballast Point! Those guys are doing an amazing job. I’m in Diego about twice a month and I hit up Ballast Point 8 out of 10 trips. They have a great little tasting room that fills up with locals every day towards the end of the work day. Always some interesting people in there and great conversation. Sculpin IPA on Nitro is RIDICULOUS!!!

18

Stone was the biggest letdown of our trip. The only stone beers on tap were arrogant bastard, SSR, levitation, IPA, pale ale, and ruination - all beers I can easily get at my local grocery store. While the food was great, the wait (2 hours) wasn’t. Also, the place looks really cool, but feels like a chain restaurant, not a brewpub. Good news, though, if the wait is super-long, Port/Lost Abbey isn’t far away and neither is Green Flash.

Ballast Point, Green Flash, and Alpine Brewing Co. were all really awesome, as was a beer bar/pizza place called “Blind Lady” on Adams Ave. Many (most?) breweries are only open Friday and Saturday, so make sure you check before you go. We didn’t, and ended up unable to visit Hess and Ale Smith.

19

Thanks for the tour tips.  I am super excited to go.  I am most excited about Stone because those are my favorite beers and so it will be somewhat of a pilgrimage for me.  Although your review makes me concerned I am do for a letdown? :'(.  I will definitely check out Green Flash, Port/Abbey, Ballast Point, and Alesmith.

20

Hoser - sounds like you’ve never had Ballast Point, Green Flash, Pizza Port or Lost Abbey beers.  Do yourself a favor - since you can get Stone at home, don’t waste time or your liver tickets on Stone - the aforementioned breweries put Stone TO SHAME.  Don’t get me wrong, I like Stone, but if I could get any of those breweries here especially GF IPA, I don’t think I’d ever buy Stone again.