All-Grain - Fat Tire Clone, BYO Dec 2010

**Airborneguy** · 12-31-2011, 03:51 AM

Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: Wyeast 1272
Yeast Starter: Yes
Additional Yeast or Yeast Starter: Starter
Batch Size (Gallons): 5.5
Original Gravity: 1.049
Final Gravity: 1.012
IBU: 20
Boiling Time (Minutes): 60
Color: 8.7
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): Your preference
Additional Fermentation: NA
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): Your preference
Tasting Notes: Needs changes...

Fat Tire Clone

This is the recipe given by New Belgium in the Dec 2010 BYO issue. The only difference is that I used .10lbs more of C60 than the recipe because I couldn't measure .40.

70% efficiency:

Maris Otter 8.50lb
Munich 1.0lb
C60 .5lb
Victory .4lb

Single Infusion Mash at 154ºF for 60 min.

UK Target 10.5AA .40oz @60min
Willamette 4.5AA .5oz @10min
UK Golding 5.5AA .5oz @turn off

I fermented this at 68ºF using my typical 3 weeks in the primary. It then conditioned in a corny for approx 3 weeks before being cooled and forced carbed.

Tasting Notes:

This is NOT Fat Tire. It is a good beer though. The nutty/biscuity flavor and aroma of Fat Tire just isn't there. I believe that part of this is the yeast (they gave 1272 in the article but I think that was just to recommend something available that was close). I also think I will up the Victory Malt next time and add some biscuit.

I'm keeping the recipe and will probably brew it again as is, but it is not Fat Tire.

I hope more people comment on this and come up with ways to make this closer to the real thing.

**Airborneguy** · 01-07-2012, 11:33 PM

Now that I have been drinking this beer for a few days, I've decided on my changes for next time.

I'm replacing the C60 with C40 at 3/4lb. I'm also going to toast 2 lbs of the Maris Otter to hopefully eke out a little more of the toasty/nutty flavor.

permo · 04-12-2012, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Airborneguy

Now that I have been drinking this beer for a few days, I've decided on my changes for next time.

I'm replacing the C60 with C40 at 3/4lb. I'm also going to toast 2 lbs of the Maris Otter to hopefully eke out a little more of the toasty/nutty flavor.

New Belgium is not giving a good recipe, and rightly so. The recipe does look ok, but needs to ditch the C60 and replace with 1 # C20 or C40 and also add 3-4 oz chocolate malt...then your toasty/biscuit fat tire flavor will shine.

Sorry to beat a dead horse, but just found this thread.

**Airborneguy** · 04-12-2012, 07:47 PM

I wasn't considering chocolate, but the C40 substitution is exactly what I was planning for next time I get around to this. I'm also fairly certain that it will be very tough to get the proper ester profile as their yeast is certainly propriatary after all of these years.

permo · 04-12-2012, 08:10 PM

This will nail it. If you don't have pale chocolate malt, use 2-3 oz of regular choco malt, pacman, WLP001/1056 or even better, the Leueven Pale Ale yeast from Wyeast.

10.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row)
0.50 lb Pale Chocolate Malt
0.25 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine
0.25 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt 20
0.25 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt 40
0.25 lb Munich Malt
0.25 lb Biscuit Malt
0.25 lb Aromatic

1.00 oz Williamette [5.50 %] (60 min) Hops 16.0 IBU
0.50 oz Williamette [5.50 %] (1 min) Hops 0.3 IBU
Mash at 154 for 60

I know this is a complicated grain bill.....but it is going to be really good. Neutral Yeast is definetly part of it. I will use pacman again

Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.053 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.015 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.42 %
Bitterness: 16.4 IBU Calories: 235 cal/pint

Accidic · 04-19-2012, 11:36 PM

It might hit it dead on for the current iteration of FT but it looks hard to fathom that it would match the FT of half a decade or so ago. The current rendition is sorely lacking the bready flavor it used to bring.

That said, what you can make at home is usually so much better than the current commercial offering I take at least a little solace that my backwards state doesn't allow it. As it is one of my wifes favs (and not a porter/stout like she usually leans towards) I have tried many of them. Hopheads is imo the most superior as far as those we've done.

FWIW (and tbf it may be what my lhbs labels as biscuit malt) Victory malt makes a notable difference in the end result. It adds a really faint toasty note hard to match perfectly imo. And if you oven toast preheat with a pie pan filled with boiling water and leave in during the toast. Eliminates the occasional astringent note.

PickledWalnut · 05-16-2012, 03:01 AM

New Belgium does not have a proprietary yeast for Fat Tire. It is just good ol' 1056.
That being said stop trying to clone a "belgian" amber ale from NBB and create something better.
Fat Tire is just mass produced amber...like a bud light for the craft industry. You can make better at home!

TimTrone · 05-24-2012, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PickledWalnut

New Belgium does not have a proprietary yeast for Fat Tire. It is just good ol' 1056.
That being said stop trying to clone a "belgian" amber ale from NBB and create something better.
Fat Tire is just mass produced amber...like a bud light for the craft industry. You can make better at home!

Wrong, they use a proprietary strain. Wyeast even realeased it a few years back as one of the seasonals.

**Airborneguy** · 05-25-2012, 12:16 AM

Yup, they said it on the tour also. I didn't respond because I'm usually wary of people who make their first posts on this forum inflammatory.