New Belgium Brewing Co.’s Fat Tire clone

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.050 FG = 1.013 IBU = 19 SRM = 14 ABV = 4.7%

Ingredients

8 lb. 10 oz. (3.9 kg) pale malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) Munich malt
6 oz. (0.17 kg) Victory® malt
8.0 oz. (0.23 kg) crystal malt (80 °L)
4.4 AAU Target hops (60 mins) (0.4 oz./11 g of 11% alpha acids)
2.5 AAU Willamette hops (10 mins) (0.5 oz./14 g of 5% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Goldings hops (0 mins)
Wyeast 1792 (Fat Tire Ale), Wyeast 1272 (American Ale II) or White Labs WLP051 (California Ale V) yeast
2/3 cup (150 g) dextrose (if priming)

Step by step

Mash the grains at 154°F (68°C) in 13 quarts (12 L) of water for 45 minutes. Mash out, vorlauf, and then sparge at 170°F (77°C) to collect 6 gallons (23 L) of wort. Add 0.5 gallon (1.9 L) of water and boil for 60 minutes, adding the hops at the times indicated in ingredient list. Add the Irish moss with 15 minutes left in the boil. Pitch the yeast and ferment at 68°F (20°C) until final gravity is reached (7 to 10 days). Bottle or keg with dextrose. (Try lowering the amount of priming sugar to mimic the low carbonation level of Fat Tire.) Lay the beer down for at least a few months to mellow and mature for best results.

Extract with grains option: Omit the 2-row pale malt and instead use 2 pounds 3 ounces (1.0 kg) Coopers light dried malt extract and 3.3 pounds (1.5 kg) Coopers light liquid malt extract (late addition). Place the crushed malts in a nylon steeping bag and steep in 3 quarts (2.8 L) of water at 154°F (68°C) for 30 minutes. Rinse the grains with 1.5 quarts (about 1.5 L) of water at 170°F (77°C). Add water to make 3 gallons (11 L), stir in the dried malt extract, and bring to a boil. Boil for 60 minutes, adding the hops at the times indicated in ingredient list. Add the liquid malt extract and Irish moss with 15 minutes left in the boil. Chill the wort, transfer to your fermenter, and top up with filtered water to 5 gallons (19 L). Follow the remaining portion of the all-grain recipe.