Steam beer started

Last weekend we had a group brew, as a daytime activity during Bockfest. We made a clone of Anchor Steam, which is a lager brewed like an ale. The basic story I have read indicates that back in the mid 1800s in California the goldminers needed beer, so the Germans setup shop in California. At the time, and still today, the most popular style of beer was lager, which used a special bottom fermenting yeast and is fermented at lower temperatures. In the midwest and east coast, brewers used caves, frozen rivers and ponds, or they harvested ice to ferment the beer at lower temperatures. In California the brewers did not have access to cold caves, frozen rivers, frozen ponds, or ice, so they were forced to brew at warmer temperatures more typical for ales. When a lager is brewed at warmer temperatures there are some strange off flavors that are produced, so the brewers experimented with the recipe and found the proper types and amount of hops to balance the taste. This beer will be my next keg beer, once I finish the Pale Ale, so make sure you stop by to try one.