Spotted Cow by New Glarus

[Morrey]

Friend from WI brought me a 6pk of this interesting beer as I had never sampled it here in SC. It was a very easy going ale so I looked up clone recipes to try brewing my own since I have zero availability here.

I have researched enough kits and recipes to feel I will use a Kolsch yeast and the grain bill looks pretty standard between the kits and recipes I am comparing. One important part of the beer that I cannot see any agreement on is the hop bill. This area seems all over the place, not in IBU totals, but in the hops used and associated profiles.

Can anyone who has successfully brewed a clone of this beer share their hop bill and how it compared to the original? Since I won't have an original to compare my version to, I'll ask for help to come close. Many thanks!

 

[flars]

This is Northern Brewers clone recipe of Spotted Cow. I brew the extract version quite often. Difficult to tell the difference between the clone and real thing. May take a couple of tries with slightly different mash techniques and temperatures.
https://www.northernbrewer.com/documentation/allgrain/AG-SpeckledHeifer.pdf

 

[Morrey]

This is Northern Brewers clone recipe of Spotted Cow. I brew the extract version quite often. Difficult to tell the difference between the clone and real thing. May take a couple of tries with slightly different mash techniques and temperatures.
https://www.northernbrewer.com/documentation/allgrain/AG-SpeckledHeifer.pdf

This was the first recipe I found in my research, and obviously using only Cluster hops, has the most simple hop bill.

Given you are in WI, I'll assume you have the opportunity to compare the real deal with your clone version to make adjustments. Using only Cluster hops would be the most straight forward approach, and if the results are difficult to tell apart, I'll try this recipe.

I noted the New Glarus beer had nice mouthfeel and was not overly dry. It has adjuncts for mouthfeel, and the hint of residual sweetness may be best replicated by mashing around 152F. Thanks for a starting point!

 

[flars]

Probably half the bottles I refill came with Spotted Cow in them. New Glarus also has the strongest cases for reuse.

 

[MaxStout]

Spotted Cow is the perfect beer to have around to offer guests who normally drink BMC. A great "gateway" craft beer for people who normally don't drink craft beer. I have yet to find someone who didn't like Spotted Cow.

 

[Morrey]

Spotted Cow is the perfect beer to have around to offer guests who normally drink BMC. A great "gateway" craft beer for people who normally don't drink craft beer. I have yet to find someone who didn't like Spotted Cow.

I believe your thoughts to be accurate and concur 100%. In fact, while I was looking at clone recipes, a home brewer said he thought Spotted Cow was often the first "craft" style beer that many BMC drinkers try, and that it may be perfect for those wanting to take a safe "gateway" route.

 

[Morrey]

This Spotted Cow clone is quite tasty indeed. I selected a Wyeast Kolsch yeast that was a special reserve strain with limited availability - I harvested some from my dump valve for next use. This beer is very easy going and I honestly cannot find anything NOT to like about this beer. I'll be keeping this one available for some of the folks who don't like to get too far off the BMC path.