Nailed the Fat Tire clone

I used the recipe from BYO.com except used White's California Ale yeast, because I had read on here that that's what they used. anyway, I tried it one day after kegged and I was pretty disappointed. Now a week and a half later it is great! I can't get it here so that I can compare but it is very similiar to what I remember it tasting like. At any rate, it is very tasty.

Thing is, the guy at my LHBS had told me that he had never heard of anyone making a good clone of it. There was even a guy standing there who said he had poured his out. So I had low expectations, but it is yummy, which made it post worthy in my book.

PM an address I'll mail you a couple FT's to verify

And send some to me too while you are at it.

budbo said:

PM an address I'll mail you a couple FT's to verify

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As i've never tried it do you stretch to international shipping? Okay thats a no.....

I'll be in Paris 23-30 June and Germany the following week Cap.. Take a chunnel ride I'll bring you some or mail them from there

That's great! I just bottled that same recipe last weekend. I'm looking forward to cracking one open next weekend.

Edited to add: I used the WLP001 as well.

You should be happy with it! Bottle or keg?

I read this recipe on BYO also and was really interested in it. I have a different one in primary and I already made one before, but I was disappointed in it so I am always on the look out for new FT clone recipes. the main concernI have is that this recipe specifies 45 min of steeping time and 130 min of boiling time, which adds 45 min to the whole brewing time. I was thinking of going with 30 min of steeping and then 60 min of boiling, with the flavor and aroma hops at 30 and 40 min into the boil, respectively. Any opinions on wether this will adversely affect the final product?

Every Fat Tire clone brew I've read about on this board (including mine) seems do go this way:
1. I found a recipe from BYO, Beer Captured, Beer Recipactor, etc. How does it look?
2. Responses - Looks great! Tasty! Brew me some too! etc.
3. I brewed the batch and it looks/smells great.
4. I tasted the brew and although it's very good, it doesn't taste exactly like Fat Tire.
5. Responses - Use a different yeast, Add this grain, Use a lower infusion rest temp, More/less hops, Use a different hop variety...ad infinitum

The short answer in all of this: A good Fat Tire clone can make tasty beer, just don't be suprised when it isn't exactly the same.


P.S. If you use the Beer Captured recipe don't use the suggested belgian yeast. Use a clean ale yeast like 1056 or White Labs 001 CA Ale.

I would have to look up my papers to see where I got the clone. Found it on a web site somewhere. It was an all grain and I have never tasted fat tire but three weeks in the bottle it is great. I dont care if its close or not its a smooth one and thats good for me.

budbo said:

I'll be in Paris 23-30 June and Germany the following week Cap.. Take a chunnel ride I'll bring you some or mail them from there

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Sorry Budbo, almost missed your reply! I wouldn't worry about posting brews to me. You haven't mentioned if it's a business or pleasure trip but either way enjoy the Paris 'atmosphere' (Get up early if you plan on a little 'site seeing' i.e. going up the Eiffel Tower etc - a work colleague of mine was there this weekend with his French Girlfriend and the queues were horrendous - but not as horrendous as the Restaurant Prices apparently!)
Germany is obviously a Beer 'Heaven on Earth' (See HB_99! - I can be nice about the Germans!!!! ) and the added bonus is you'll be able to try and mingle in with the World Cup Crowds too while you're there!

Caplan said:

Germany is obviously a Beer 'Heaven on Earth' (See HB_99! - I can be nice about the Germans!!!! ) and the added bonus is you'll be able to try and mingle in with the World Cup Crowds too while you're there!

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Not a big fan of France or the French Myself.. (We go there for the wife) In Germany, I'll be drinking more wine than Beer . We are staying with my Aunt in Johannsburg which is on the Rhine in the middle of the Rhinegau(sp) There are vinyards everywhere there and the wine is dirt cheap at the vineyard shops. My favorite Reisling is from a vineyard near her house, they are a small family operation so they don't export (at least to the US)

I bottle my Lazy Monk this weekend. I'm interested in seeing how close or far from Fat Tire it really is. I drank several Tires over the weekend, and I'm still not as impressed with it as some people are. There are plenty of beers I like a lot more. I'm not dissing the Tire, I just think there's a little overhype about it.