A recipe for those who love a California Common but want to skip the decoction. This recipe utilizes Briess American Honey™ Malt to achieve a prominent melanoidin character as a stand-in for the flavors developed in decoction brewing.

Ingredients

8.0 lbs - Pale Ale Malt - Mash Grain
1.0 lb - American Honey Malt - Mash Grain
0.6 oz - Northern Brewers Hops (8.0% AAU) - 60 minute boil
1.0 oz - Northern Brewers Hops (8.0% AAU) - 15 minute boil
0.6 oz - Northern Brewers Hops (8.0% AAU) - 5 minute boil
1 pack - WLP810 San Francisco Lager Yeast (plus 1/4 pack for bottle conditioning) - Fermenter

Directions

Mash crushed grains in 3.5 gallons of water at 153-155°F for 60 minutes
Sparge grain with 170°F water to obtain desired pre-boil kettle volume
Bring to boil
Add 0.6 oz Northern Brewer hops
Boil 45 minutes
Add 1.0 oz Northern Brewer hops
Boil for 10 minutes
Add 0.6 oz Northern Brewer hops
Boil for 5 minutes
Turn heat off and cool wort to 62°F
Transfer to fermenter
Pitch one pack of WLP810 San Francisco Lager Yeast