Here’s a little beer that’s a little confusing: Upstream San Fran Lager from a little brewery called Little Harpeth, in Nashville, Tennessee. The brewery, named for the Little Harpeth River, calls this beer a woody amber lager on their website, though the can calls it a San Fran Lager. When I think San Fran Lager, I think Anchor Steam Beer. Steam beer is an American classic style, a hybrid style dating back to the 19th century.
It's a style that originated in California, where the warm weather promoted the use of lager yeast at ale temperatures. This method produced a lot of carbonation, so much so that casks of the beer seemed to "steam", hence the name. The end result is a malty beer with notes of fruit; a more than balancing bitterness is often employed. Anchor has a trademark on the name “Steam”, so when other brewers produce a beer ion the style it is referred to as California Common.
Let’s see what Little Harpeth says about Upstream.
Upstream is an amber-colored beer that derives its flavor from American base and color malts and its flavor is offset by the use of Northern Brewer hops. In the tradition of San Francisco lagers, the hops lend a resinous woody character that adds to a clean hoppy finish.
I’m confused about the reference to woody hops. I’m sure they mean “piney”, which is a tree and trees are made of wood, but woody generally refers to character lent from aging on wood. Piney notes are made in reference to resiny pitch from a fir tree, not from the actual wood.
Ingredients from the website:
Yeast: California Common
Bittering Hops: Northern Brewer
Finishing Hops: Northern Brewer
Malts: Pilsner, British Caramels
Northern Brewer hops are used in Anchor Steam beer, it should be noted.
Little Harpeth Upstream San Fran Lager has an alcohol content of 5.5% by volume with 26 IBUs. It sells for $8.99 a six-pack at Total Wine, quite reasonable. I picked up a can at Wild Hare Beer Company in Spring Hill, Tennessee in early October. It is stamped as canned on 06/08/18 and I drank it on October 29th. Steam beer is fragile in my experience, but this was bought refrigerated and kept that way until I drank it. This style is not done enough and kudos to Little Harpeth for brewing one.
Little Harpeth Upstream San Fran Lager pours to a rich amber color with a thick frothy head and an inviting malty nose. Taking a sip, the beer is full in body and malty with caramel and a soft fruitiness. The latter is what distinguishes steam beer from other lagers. It finishes balanced with gentle hop bitterness.
An excellent example of the style, well done Little Harpeth! I already want to drink it again.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled, canned
(D)=Draft