Fat Squirrel Clone

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For you non-Beersmith users, it goes like this:

6 pounds Pilsner malt
1 pound Caravienne malt
1 pound Munich malt
1 pound Oats
12 ounces flaked barley
4 ounces chocolate malt

.50 Magnum (FWH)
1.00 Saaz (10 minutes)

I'd mash high- maybe 154 or so.
 
I'm going to give this a go, but I don't know when. I've got other brews lined up first.
At first glance I'm not sure how close this will be. Beersmith's prediction of the color (which is usually spot-on) is pretty light. Fat Squirrel is much darker than that. Also the IBUs seem high to me. I never figured Fat Squirrel to be in the 30s for IBUs.:confused:

I do plan on trying this, but I might change up the hops a bit. I'm not going to change the grain bill, though. I'll post later what I think after it's brewed (could be a while).
 
First off, I'd just like to say that Fat Squirrel is one of my favorite NG brews(not including the "Unplugged" series) - probably tied with the Hearty Hop IPA.

I've tried a Fat Squirrel clone recipe that I found in an old post that was similar (different forum). All the same grains except the chocolate. I did have to adjust it a bit because I was still doing partial mashes at the time. The recipe also said to use a kolsch yeast.

Here's what my grain bill looked like:
5# pilsner LME

3# German Pilsner
8 oz. German Munich
8 oz. Belgian caravienne
6 oz. Flaked barley
8 oz Flaked Oats
3 oz. Roasted barley

1 oz Magnum 14% AA (60 min)
1 oz. Czech saaz 3.8% AA (20 min)


Mashed @154*F


The verdict? nothing like the original.

First of all, mine wasn't roasty enough at all - barely perceivable. It was also lacking that interesting fruity complexity that Fat Squirrel has, which might be found by using a british ale yeast. Another issue was that it just wasn't nutty enough, and that's one of the signature things about the commercial version, IMO. Perhaps a light toasting of the oats might help there?

Good Luck to anyone who tries this. I'd like to know how the result compares to the original. Fat Squirrel is definitely on my list of commercial brews to clone, I'm still figuring out everything AG though and need more experience before I make another attmept at it.

Edit Re: IBU's: I'd actually say that 30-40 IBU is about right. The original does have some perceivable bitterness as well as aroma, IMO. Remember, it is also slightly on the sweet side of the spectrum, so the extra bit of IBU balances well.
 
Oh MAN! This is great!

My little sister is finishing up her degree at MIAD in Milwaukee and every time she comes home she brings some Fat Squirrel - its excellent! I'll have to give this a go when my other couple of brews are out of the way.

The recipe looks quite spot on given how Fat Squirrel tastes. From what I remember, it had a Hazelnut / Almond-y taste too though?
 
YooperBrew said:
For you non-Beersmith users, it goes like this:

6 pounds Pilsner malt
1 pound Caravienne malt
1 pound Munich malt
1 pound Oats
12 ounces flaked barley
4 ounces chocolate malt

.50 Magnum (FWH)
1.00 Saaz (10 minutes)

I'd mash high- maybe 154 or so.

Yooper....How did this turn out for you? I am going to brew this on Saturday. But, I am boosting the Pilsner malt up a pound.
 
Yeah, I'd like to know how this turned out, too. I'd had Fat Squirrel before when they used to sell NG in the Chicago area. When my fiancee and I were in LaCrosse for a long weekend a couple of years ago, it was on tap everywhere, so we had quite a few. It was in February and it was perfect for that time of year. I snapped this picture of her when we stopped at The Alpine Inn on Grandad Bluff and had - what else, a couple of Fat Squirrels!



Madtown Brew said:
... Perhaps a light toasting of the oats might help there?...

I thought the same thing. Flossmoor Station brews a nut brown ale and when I told the brewmaster that I was attempting a clone, he told me that's how to go about it. Their's is very similar to Fat Squirrel, IMO. I took his advice and the beer came out very good. In fact, now that I'm thinking about it, I need to brew it again soon! It's in my 'Recipe' drop to the left. He also told me they use an English ale yeast.
 
I did not see the yeast listed in the recipes above. I heard to use the Kolsch Yeast (Wyeast Labs #2565) item. That is what I will do.
 
Bernie Brewer said:
I'm going to give this a go, but I don't know when. I've got other brews lined up first.
At first glance I'm not sure how close this will be. Beersmith's prediction of the color (which is usually spot-on) is pretty light. Fat Squirrel is much darker than that. Also the IBUs seem high to me. I never figured Fat Squirrel to be in the 30s for IBUs.:confused:

I do plan on trying this, but I might change up the hops a bit. I'm not going to change the grain bill, though. I'll post later what I think after it's brewed (could be a while).



OK I brewed this at the SEWAGE brew. Well, sorta. Actually, the only thing that didn't change was the specialty grains. I didn't have a lot of money when I bought the ingredients so I used Briess 2-row as a base instead of German Pils 2-row. and I have a freezer full of hops, but no Magnum, so I made do with Northern Brewer and Cascade.
And I just guessed at the yeast, too since there was none listed. I used Wyeast London Ale. I could've used Kolsch had I known; I have that in my fridge.
we'll see how it turns out. In the meantime, I've got some of the real thing to enjoy!
 
YooperBrew said:
For you non-Beersmith users, it goes like this:

6 pounds Pilsner malt
1 pound Caravienne malt
1 pound Munich malt
1 pound Oats
12 ounces flaked barley
4 ounces chocolate malt

.50 Magnum (FWH)
1.00 Saaz (10 minutes)

I'd mash high- maybe 154 or so.
that recipe looks awesome...my kinda brew!

i, too, would like to know how it turned out!
 
I never made it! I still have a small supply of Bernie's Bust-a-Nut Brown Ale in bottles, and an ESB on tap, so I'm about "browned out" right now.

Anyway, anyone who does try it- make sure you let us know how it turns out!
 
For those who are interested, Dan Carey (New Glarus brewmaster) was on the Brewing Network "sunday session" show a couple weeks ago.

He discusses a couple of their beers including Fat Squirrel (I know because I was the one who asked about it). He doesn't give exact amounts, but he does list the types of grains they use.

http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/archive/dwnldarchive01-20-08.mp3
The Fat Squirrel part is towards the end of the interview (maybe about 1.5 hrs in to the show).

FYI, some of the other beers discussed were Spotted Cow, Totally Naked, and Uff-Dah Bock. He also gives out a Bavarian pilsner recipe straight off the top of his head.

edit: I decided to save people the trouble of going through the brewcast themselves (though it's a great show if you have the time to listen).
For Fat Squirrel, Dan mentions:
Weyermann Munich
Crystal 20
Victory
roasted barley
chocolate malt

And though he doesn't explicitly say it, I'm guessing the base malt is Breiss pale 2-row. No mention of what hops they use though.

Notes on Uff-Dah bock:
OG: 18* plato or approx. 1.072 sg

Weyermann dark munich
Breiss C20
Weyermann carafa special II (dehusked)
weyermann Pils malt

That's all I got.
 
Madtown Brew said:
For those who are interested, Dan Carey (New Glarus brewmaster) was on the Brewing Network "sunday session" show a couple weeks ago. ...

Great info! Thanks for sharing. I'm gonna give that a listen when I get the chance. Dan's da Man!:rockin:
 
Brewing this up today. Will report back in a couple weeks with results.

Fat Squirrel Clone v2

6# Breiss pale 2-row
1# American Munich
8 oz. American Victory
8 oz. Breiss Crystal 20
4 oz. American chocolate
2 oz. roasted Barley
8 oz. flaked barley

1 oz. imported Kent Glodings (6% AA) 60 min

2565 kolsch yeast
 
Can't wait to hear your results, I am considering something very similar.... Yokel's my favorite NG brew, but Spotted Cow and Fat Squirrel are both tasty.
 
Ok I couldn't wait any longer. My keg of Kolsch kicked today, so I cleaned the lines and tapped the Fat Squirrel clone. and I popped my last bottle of the real thing so I could compare:

Beers side by side with a flash- they look alike
IMG_0783.JPG


Without a flash- mine looks darker
IMG_0784.JPG


I have to admit I was so impatient that I couldn't even wait for mine to chill- it's still pretty warm. Both beers start out with a nice nutty flavor, and then the subtle roastiness comes through, followed by the hops. I think mine has a little more hop bite than the original, but all in all I think it's pretty darned close.:tank:

I call this "mine", but it's really Yooper's recipe, and based on this first tasting, It's awesome! I have ten gallons of this stuff, and it's gonna go fast!
 
Well, tell you what- since you tapped yours today, I'll try that bottle you gave me. I know, I know, it says it big bold letters, "DO NOT OPEN UNTIL MARCH 9" but we also have been drying to try it!

It's not my recipe- I found it someone online and posted it for you guys to criticize. I'm glad it's close- I'll try making it sometime soon.
 
Well, now it's 3/8, which means it's 3/9 somewhere, so I think yer ok, Yoops. How'd it taste? :D
 
Bernie would have to give you the final critique, but I thought it was good. He only gave me one bottle, which I drank in March, so I have to go by my memory here- but I think it was good. Not a perfect clone, though, but now I can't remember my impressions on why not. Maybe more of a hop bite that would be subdued with proper aging!
 
Making this tomorrow. I'm considering adding some crystal 20L, and maybe adding some victory, or toasting the oats.

Hops should remain the same (if I can find the correct ones in the freezer) and I'll mash high.
 
Be careful toasting oats yooper and everyone else... I followed some advice i found on here that said 45 - 60 minutes at 350. It smelled not of "oatmeal cookies" but of "chemical fire". I put them in a brown paper bag overnight, but the taste came through in the final product. Toast them lightly, turn often. I would say 20 or 30 minutes tops.
 
Be careful toasting oats yooper and everyone else... I followed some advice i found on here that said 45 - 60 minutes at 350. It smelled not of "oatmeal cookies" but of "chemical fire". I put them in a brown paper bag overnight, but the taste came through in the final product. Toast them lightly, turn often. I would say 20 or 30 minutes tops.

Thanks for the tips. I toast malt for very short periods (under 15 minutes), just until toasted, so I thought I'd do the same for the oats. I may not, though, depending on how I feel about it in the morning. (Way to, um, toasted, tonight to consider it).
 
Cool! I can't wait to hear the results, I only have one bottle of Fat Squirrel left in the cellar from last summer's drive up yonder.
 
Making this tomorrow. I'm considering adding some crystal 20L, and maybe adding some victory, or toasting the oats.

Hops should remain the same (if I can find the correct ones in the freezer) and I'll mash high.



A couple points:

1. I can't believe you haven't made this yet. I'm drinking from my third ten-gallon batch as I type. It has indeed become a staple in my house. I like it so much I haven't brewed my own Bust-A-Nut in over a year!

2. You're brewing tomorrow????? How come you're not brewing it at Cookie's, hmmmm?????
 
A couple points:

1. I can't believe you haven't made this yet. I'm drinking from my third ten-gallon batch as I type. It has indeed become a staple in my house. I like it so much I haven't brewed my own Bust-A-Nut in over a year!

2. You're brewing tomorrow????? How come you're not brewing it at Cookie's, hmmmm?????

Well, I brewed it as I said I would. It's young, but now on tap. A couple of things- I had to use chinook for bittering, as I was out of magnum, nugget and galena. It's still really good, though! I toasted the oats until lightly browned, and I get a pretty toasty/roasted flavor from it along with the roasted barley.

I used nottingham dry yeast, and fermented it cool- not by design, but because my house was very cool. It was at 61-62 degrees throughout fermentation. The next time, I'll use an English yeast and try to ferment in the 68 degree range, because I'd like a little bit of fruitiness.
 
I see you put this in the database. I already gave it a follow-up in there, so consider this brew "tried and true" in there.
 
That pic.:D

You know I used that table this year and my brew experience wasn't that smooth either. Mmmm, you think cookie has poltergeist.


Nope, you're mistaken- I used the same table two years in a row. You were back farther. It's what you get for being late. :)P
 
I am going to give this a go. I have chinook for bittering and a shiney new digital thermometer to make sure i hit my temps just right.
 
I am going to give this a go. I have chinook for bittering and a shiney new digital thermometer to make sure i hit my temps just right.

I have it on tap right now. It's good! I had a pint last night, and it must be almost gone, because it's clear, tasty, and perfect. Usually that happens right before you pull the last pint!

It's a ruby/brown color, and has a hint of roastiness. It's really a nice beer.
 
For those who are interested, Dan Carey (New Glarus brewmaster) was on the Brewing Network "sunday session" show a couple weeks ago.

He discusses a couple of their beers including Fat Squirrel (I know because I was the one who asked about it). He doesn't give exact amounts, but he does list the types of grains they use.

edit: I decided to save people the trouble of going through the brewcast themselves (though it's a great show if you have the time to listen).
For Fat Squirrel, Dan mentions:
Weyermann Munich
Crystal 20
Victory
roasted barley
chocolate malt

And though he doesn't explicitly say it, I'm guessing the base malt is Breiss pale 2-row. No mention of what hops they use though.


Based on this and the NG website description:
100% Wisconsin malt of six different varieties impart the natural toasted color to this bottle conditioned unfiltered ale. Clean hazelnut notes result from these carefully chosen barley malts. Hops from Slovenia, Bavaria and the Pacific Northwest give Fat Squirrel its backbone.


I came up with this. Thoughts???

Fat Squirrel Clone
American Brown Ale

Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
7.50 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) Bel (3.0 SRM) Grain 70.59 %
1.00 lb Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 9.41 %
1.00 lb Victory Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 9.41 %
0.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 4.71 %
0.50 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 4.71 %
0.13 lb Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM) Grain 1.18 %

20.00 gm Northern Brewer [8.90 %] (60 min) Hops 21.8 IBU
14.00 gm Simcoe [13.00 %] (20 min) Hops 12.2 IBU
42.00 gm Saaz [5.10 %] (0 min) Hops -

1.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
1.00 tsp Yeast Nutrient (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs London ESB Ale (Wyeast Labs #1968) [Starter 2000 ml] Yeast-Ale



Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.057 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.017 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.23 %
Bitterness: 34.0 IBU
Est Color: 23.5 SRM
 
Brewing this up today. Will report back in a couple weeks with results.

Fat Squirrel Clone v2

6# Breiss pale 2-row
1# American Munich
8 oz. American Victory
8 oz. Breiss Crystal 20
4 oz. American chocolate
2 oz. roasted Barley
8 oz. flaked barley

1 oz. imported Kent Glodings (6% AA) 60 min

2565 kolsch yeast

Based on this and the NG website description:
100% Wisconsin malt of six different varieties impart the natural toasted color to this bottle conditioned unfiltered ale. Clean hazelnut notes result from these carefully chosen barley malts. Hops from Slovenia, Bavaria and the Pacific Northwest give Fat Squirrel its backbone.


I came up with this. Thoughts???

Fat Squirrel Clone
American Brown Ale

Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
7.50 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) Bel (3.0 SRM) Grain 70.59 %
1.00 lb Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 9.41 %
1.00 lb Victory Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 9.41 %
0.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 4.71 %
0.50 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 4.71 %
0.13 lb Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM) Grain 1.18 %

20.00 gm Northern Brewer [8.90 %] (60 min) Hops 21.8 IBU
14.00 gm Simcoe [13.00 %] (20 min) Hops 12.2 IBU
42.00 gm Saaz [5.10 %] (0 min) Hops -

1.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
1.00 tsp Yeast Nutrient (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs London ESB Ale (Wyeast Labs #1968) [Starter 2000 ml] Yeast-Ale



Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.057 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.017 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.23 %
Bitterness: 34.0 IBU
Est Color: 23.5 SRM
Bumping this, did either one of you two brew your recipes?
 
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