New Belgium 2 Below!!!

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JnJ

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I picked up 2 Below for the first time yesterday and man it is good! I'm usually not a big fan of hoppy beers, and this is hoppy, strong hop aroma and flavor, but it is balanced very well with some sweetness. I would love to fine a clone of this beer!
 
I work at a wine/beer shop and we have a crrrrazy selection...but I've never heard of 2 below. Who makes it? Is it from Belgium, or just Belgian-styled? Who imports/distributes it?
 
It's made by New Belgium, the makers of Fat Tire. We have it on tap at my bar. It's a winter warmer, about 7% ABV if I remember correctly. It's pretty tasty stuff, although it didn't seem that hoppy to me. More malty and sweet, with a bit of fruitiness. Of course, I've been drinking tons of Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA lately, so nothing is tasting hoppy anymore.
 
Yup that is the stuff, same maker as Fat Tire, that's why I tried it, I like Fat Tire. But compared to Fat Tire, this is hoppy, especially the aroma.
The bottle I'm drinking right now says 6.6 ABV.
 
Evan! said:
I work at a wine/beer shop and we have a crrrrazy selection...but I've never heard of 2 below. Who makes it? Is it from Belgium, or just Belgian-styled? Who imports/distributes it?
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, it doesn't get distributed this far east. :mad:
 
trinitone said:
Unfortunately, it doesn't get distributed this far east. :mad:
Click to expand...

Yeah...you wouldn't believe how many people come in asking for Fat Tire. I need to put up a big sign on the door, Clerks-style, that says "I ASSURE YOU WE CANNOT GET FAT TIRE".

Supposedly he's worried about the stuff spoiling in transit. :(
 
Evan! said:
Yeah...you wouldn't believe how many people come in asking for Fat Tire. I need to put up a big sign on the door, Clerks-style, that says "I ASSURE YOU WE CANNOT GET FAT TIRE".

Supposedly he's worried about the stuff spoiling in transit. :(
Click to expand...
Peter, Eric and Lauren will be in Philly in April if you'd like to come up and do some negotiating.
 
Evan! said:
Yeah...you wouldn't believe how many people come in asking for Fat Tire. I need to put up a big sign on the door, Clerks-style, that says "I ASSURE YOU WE CANNOT GET FAT TIRE".

Supposedly he's worried about the stuff spoiling in transit. :(
Click to expand...

You sure about that? I think they were going to expand to NYC a few years ago (at least my brother worked at ABC and they were in talks for advertising)...
 
I can ship out Fat Tire to whoever wants it for a small charge.

You ship me a 6 pack of either your own, or local brew. I use the same box, put Fat Tire in and ship it back to you.

Sound good?

Havent had 2 Below yet, Ill go look for it this week sometime.
 
I had the 2 below in November and December, but I cant find it anymore. That beer was good enough to inspire me to write the brewery in appreciation. Happily enough they wrote back.

- magno
 
JnJ said:
I still wish someone could clone it. I'm a noob.....
Click to expand...

I got a great clone. I just don't use the same Belgian yeast they do, I stick with good ol chico


% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
73.7 8.00 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row) Belgium 1.037 3
9.2 1.00 lbs. Munich Malt Belgium 1.038 8
4.6 0.50 lbs. Biscuit Malt Belgium 1.035 24
4.6 0.50 lbs. Crystal 10L America 1.035 10
4.6 0.50 lbs. Crystal 40L America 1.034 40
2.3 0.25 lbs. Special Roast Malt America 1.033 40
0.9 0.10 lbs. Chocolate Malt Belgium 1.030 500

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.00 oz. Willamette Pellet 4.00 17.5 60 min.
1.00 oz. Fuggle Pellet 3.75 8.4 30 min.
1.00 oz. Fuggle Pellet 3.75 4.4 15 min.
1.00 oz. Willamette Pellet 4.00 0.0 0 min.
 
Chimone said:
I got a great clone. I just don't use the same Belgian yeast they do, I stick with good ol chico


% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
73.7 8.00 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row) Belgium 1.037 3
9.2 1.00 lbs. Munich Malt Belgium 1.038 8
4.6 0.50 lbs. Biscuit Malt Belgium 1.035 24
4.6 0.50 lbs. Crystal 10L America 1.035 10
4.6 0.50 lbs. Crystal 40L America 1.034 40
2.3 0.25 lbs. Special Roast Malt America 1.033 40
0.9 0.10 lbs. Chocolate Malt Belgium 1.030 500

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.00 oz. Willamette Pellet 4.00 17.5 60 min.
1.00 oz. Fuggle Pellet 3.75 8.4 30 min.
1.00 oz. Fuggle Pellet 3.75 4.4 15 min.
1.00 oz. Willamette Pellet 4.00 0.0 0 min.
Click to expand...

Cool, now if it were only an extract recipe. :eek: BTW, what yeast do they use?
 
JnJ said:
Cool, now if it were only an extract recipe. :eek: BTW, what yeast do they use?
Click to expand...


Im not sure exactly which strain they use, but Wyeast #1762 Belgian Abbey II will get you really close
 
So if I take that recipe to my LHBS, they can convert to extract for me? I really like this beer. I'm not all that crazy about Fat Tire, but what do I know? And what if I brew it and put it on top of my WY1084? That's what is in my primary now and I'm getting tired of buying yeast. I need to figure out how to save it for future brews.


And on a side note, SNPA is the hoppiest beer I've had so far. I can barely drink it.
But I would like to find a clone for Bachelor ESB or, in a pinch, RedHook ESB.
 
I don't really understand the popularity of Fat Tire. It must be marketing because it's just not that great. I'm not saying it's bad or anything, just not worthy of it's following IMHO.
 
rdwj said:
I don't really understand the popularity of Fat Tire. It must be marketing because it's just not that great. I'm not saying it's bad or anything, just not worthy of it's following IMHO.
Click to expand...

I have said the same thing before...I think I am just over it as I have drank a ton of it and gotten some skunky cases of it too....2 Below is a much hoppier version of it, I'd say sort of like Sierra Nevada with a maltier palatte...just bought a 12'er of 2 below today, almost done with my first of many for the evening!:ban:

edit: oh, and it was on sale for $10.99/12
 
rdwj said:
I don't really understand the popularity of Fat Tire. It must be marketing because it's just not that great. I'm not saying it's bad or anything, just not worthy of it's following IMHO.
Click to expand...

2 Below frankly blows Fat tire out of the water. I dont think that Fat Tire is bad beer, but it seems to be variable. Sometimes I have one and its great, sometimes its just meh.

- magno
 
magno said:
2 Below frankly blows Fat tire out of the water. I dont think that Fat Tire is bad beer, but it seems to be variable. Sometimes I have one and its great, sometimes its just meh.

- magno
Click to expand...

I have actually noticed some variability in 2 below also (I have drank a lot of it), some batches are hoppier than others, but they are all good!
 
Just thought I'd throw in a quick update to this thread.

I have a friend that works at a local beer/wine/liquor store with a massive beer selection. He'd had 2º Below in a bottle from the store, and was recently in my bar. He saw that we had it on tap and wanted to try a pint. He said the bottled version was MUCH hoppier than the draft. I poured a little for myself tonight, and I could detect a faint hop aroma to it, since I was looking out for it. I suppose the kegged stuff just doesn't come out quite the same.
 
Chimone said:
I got a great clone. I just don't use the same Belgian yeast they do, I stick with good ol chico
Click to expand...

My understading is that most of their mainline beers are not fermented with Belgian strains. To my taste buds, Fat Tire certainly isn't, for example.

I don't know about the 2 below, but I'd be pretty surprised if it were fermented with a Belgian strain.
 
cweston said:
My understading is that most of their mailine beers are not fermented with Belgian strains. To my taste buds, Fat Tire certainly isn't, for example.

I don't know about the 2 below, but I'd be pretty surprised if it were fermented with a Belgian strain.
Click to expand...

I dont taste Belgian Yeast in most of their beers either. I have had the best luck with WLP001 Cali Ale yeast when shooting for something Fat-Tireish.

- magno
 

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