Spotted Cow Extract Clone Help / Challenge...Will Donate $25 to HomeBrewTalk

[Travis K. Jansen]

Here ya go. I increased the honey malt.

 

[Travis K. Jansen]

View attachment 672260
Which one is the real deal? [emoji3]

 

[Bmonat]

Anything new to add? Travis, .06 lb of honey malt is 1 oz? Also do you deduct 2 oz of the Crystal like stated earlier in thread?

 

[Bmonat]

What temp do you ferment at and for how long? Do you transfer to secondary at all?

 

[Travis K. Jansen]

What temp do you ferment at and for how long? Do you transfer to secondary at all?

Not sure how I missed that last message but I ferment at 68.

 

[Travis K. Jansen]

Also, OMG guys. I think I found the missing ingredient. For the longest time I searched for that sweetness flavor in this brew and I thought I found it in honey malt.

Tonight I had a spotted cow as I analyzed every sip and I had an epiphany. It's sweet orange peel!

I tried many more sips and it's all I could taste. I had several other people support my opinion. I'm brewing this soon and will report back.

I'm so pumped.

 

[twd000]

Also, OMG guys. I think I found the missing ingredient. For the longest time I searched for that sweetness flavor in this brew and I thought I found it in honey malt.

Tonight I had a spotted cow as I analyzed every sip and I had an epiphany. It's sweet orange peel!

I tried many more sips and it's all I could taste. I had several other people support my opinion. I'm brewing this soon and will report back.

I'm so pumped.

It may remind you of that flavor, but I can guarantee you that New Glarus doesn't use orange peel in Spotted Cow.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

I enjoy Spotted Cow, but from what I've read, even from the brewery, Spotted Cow is not considered a cream ale. This is interesting as I, apparently mistakenly, thought it was a cream ale.

http://newglarusbrewing.com/beers/ourbeers/beer/spotted-cow
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/spotted-lamb-spotted-cow-inspired.676683/post-8986048
As I mentioned in the above post, SC leans more toward a Belgian ale. Next time I brew I'll used a Belgian yeast, for example 1214, instead of the Chico yeast (example US-05, Wyeast 1056, etc).

 

[twd000]

I enjoy Spotted Cow, but from what I've read, even from the brewery, Spotted Cow is not considered a cream ale. This is interesting as I, apparently mistakenly, thought it was a cream ale.

http://newglarusbrewing.com/beers/ourbeers/beer/spotted-cow
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/spotted-lamb-spotted-cow-inspired.676683/post-8986048
As I mentioned in the above post, SC leans more toward a Belgian ale. Next time I brew I'll used a Belgian yeast, for example 1214, instead of the Chico yeast (example US-05, Wyeast 1056, etc).

It's kind of a hybrid style, which is part of what makes it so unique. Doesn't fit nearly into any BJCP style guideline

I'm pretty sure the ester profile comes from Wyeast 2565 Kolsch yeast. I would be concerned about clashing phenolics with a Belgian yeast. I agree that it's not US-05 or similar

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Yes, I've seen the receipes too calling for 2565. I've used 2565 and don't believe 2565 will impart the desired results on the SC. However, worth experimenting. Maybe 2565 at a higher temp? (near the top of the recommended range)

 

[BilltownBrewingCo]

I would first like to say, that in all the beers I've made, this one has been the easiest to research because of this thread. Bravo.

I want to run something by y'all that I was thinking about... I understand that Kolsch yeast is the consenus, but I have always had issues when using it for my own brewing purposes... the not-lagering but not ale temps are difficult for me to hit, and overall I have just not enjoyed beers I've made with it. My house yeast, however, is one that I can put in anything at nearly any temp and it turns out nails- Omega Labs Voss Kveik. Thoughts on brewing Ninja's recipe with the VK instead of Kolsch?

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

While Kveik yeast gives temp leeway, the Kveik yeast may not impart the desired yeast behavior for the SC.

IMO, it is interesting how the definition of the SC seems to change over time.

 

[Travis K. Jansen]

It may remind you of that flavor, but I can guarantee you that New Glarus doesn't use orange peel in Spotted Cow.

Yeah, I know they don't but it's the only thing I can think of that matches what my brain is computing.

Where DOES that bubblegum sweetness come from?

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Hmm... you're probably getting the Spotted Cow much fresher than me (and a lot of us). Unfortunately, I don't recall any bubblegum sweetness from the bottles of SP that I drank.

 

[5SonsBrewing]

Thanks to all who have shared their efforts to date. I've been through 3 recipes before this one. Below is the recipe I used for a Spotted Cowlike Cream Ale that took 1st Place in the 2011 Wis State Fair in the Light Hybrid category. First time I tried Cluster hops and the results were fantastic both in aroma and taste. Thanks to NB for that suggestion.

Ingredients for 5.25 Gal:
------------
4.25 lbs Pilsen Malt - Best (2 Row) (2.0 SRM) 37.0 %
2.5 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) Rahr US (2.0 SRM) 21.7 %
2 lbs Corn, Flaked (1.3 SRM) 17.4 %
1.5 lbs Barley, Flaked (1.7 SRM) 13.0 %
12.0 oz Munich II (Weyermann) (8.5 SRM) 6.5 %
8.0 oz Carafoam (Weyermann) (2.0 SRM) 4.3 %
0.60 oz Cluster [7.20 %] - Boil 45.0 min 12.8 IBUs
0.25 oz Cluster [7.20 %] - Boil 15.0 min 2.9 IBUs
1.0 pkg Kolsch Yeast (Wyeast Labs #2565)
1/4 Whirlock Tab

This really turned out to be an extremely clear and tasty beer, frothy white head, good lacing..

90 Min Boil
Mashed at 154 OG: 1.055 FG: 1.018
Fermented at 60-62F for 4 weeks
Kegged and carbonated at 8-9 PSI at 36F for 2 weeks
Bottled a 12 Pack from the carbonated keg using a Beergun

Just finishing up the keg of this now and going to miss it. I'm going to be brewing this again soon.

Hello, I brewed this from your post 10 years ago!!!! I brewed it about 6 weeks back and it came out pretty good. The head doesn't stick around on mine. Not sure what I did wrong, but my OG was 1.052 and FG 1.008. Final pH is 4.11. I smell a bit of 'funk' in the glass not sure if this is typical of a Kolsch Yeast, but it doesn't come through in the taste at all... it's refreshing more like a 'better' budweiser, I taste a bit of sourness to mine (maybe the pH at 4.11 was too low?), not sweetness as many have described a cream ale... but this is the first cream ale that I've ever had and I brewed it myself so I have nothing to compare it to.

Here is my process: Brewfather

 

[wormymcsqirmy]

Anyone ever try making a hop tea for the aroma for this brew?

 

[Fitzman82]

Hi! I was wondering when you go to bottle the spotted cow clone, do you have to use priming sugar?
The recipe I used saids nothing about using priming sugar but I just wanted to make sure.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Have to carbonate somehow otherwise drinking flat beer.

 

[Fitzman82]

Have to carbonate somehow otherwise drinking flat beer.

Ok thank you for the reply

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Interesting how stepping away from a brew and having it again makes me realize things I missed the first (second, third, etc) time.

Drinking a Spotted Cow. The case was given to me in July fresh from Wisconsin by a family friend. I am now tasting a Belgian yeast taste. Interesting. Maybe Wyeast 1214? Others?

 

[PberBob]

Cheers to BrewNinja1! I discovered Spotted Cow this summer and really enjoyed it on tap in (Death’s) Door County, WI.

I used his recipe Here.. It’s been in the bottle 6 days and is shaping up very nicely. This young sample had a hint of banana ester to it and a bit of the characteristic Pilsner flavor. It still needs to dry out a bit and crispen up with more carbonation, but it’s very promising!

 

[PberBob]

My spotted cow clone is tasting really good at two weeks in bottle. It’s a bit clearer than it looks ( greedy pour from bottle). Pretty big on pilsner malt flavor, interesting fruit esters-very easy to drink. Head fades pretty fast, especially considering all the flaked grains.

 

[mako]

Having grown up a few miles the brewery site (it was a field/farm when I lived in the area) I have always been interested in Spotted Cow.

And I brewed it once, using corn flakes that created so much stuck sparge I renamed it 'clotted sow'.

And now I read that the brewery has gone all malt for some time to avoid GMO corn.
https://eu.greenbaypressgazette.com...you-can-buy-alcohol-content-taste/7445373001/
So now we can start a debate about originalists using corn and others trying to create the current brew...

 

[balrog]

I recently took a week long bike trip to Milwaukee/Madison area. Had lots of SC. I literally stopped in Kenosha, just before the state line on the way home in order to load up -- only then found out I would have been SOL had I gotten closer to Chicago. I am quite fond of Genee Cream, but Spotted Cow is delightfully different.