I think New Belgium Brewery's House Yeast Is American Wheat.

[BeaverBarber]

I just tasted their New Belgium Ranger IPA, and it was a very good tasting beer, but it had a slight wheat beer smell to it. I believe the house yeast strain of New Belgium Brewery is a variation of American wheat. When Wyeast released Fat Tire yeast several years ago, the profile of that yeast was:

Apparent attenuation: 73-77%.
Flocculation: low.
Optimum temp: 65°-72° F

The Wyeast 1010 American Wheat strain profile is:

Flocculation: Low
Attenuation: 74-78%
Temperature Range: 58-74° F (14-23° C)
Alcohol Tolerance: approximately 10% ABV

Wyeast 1010 is definitely NOT going to be the exact same yeast strain as Fat Tire, but I believe it will definitely get you in the ballpark. If I were to make a Fat Tire clone, first I would mash the grains at about 148-150 degrees, then I'd try that yeast. The New Belgium web site lists their grains as 2Row, Munich, Victory, and C80. Go with something like 80% 2 Row, 5% Munich, 10% Victory, and 5% C80. The Goldings listed on their web site is almost certainly Styrian Goldings because East Kent Goldings is WAY too boring, and they also use Willamette; both are variations of English Fuggle. I'd bitter with a blend of those. The Target hop that they list on their website leaves a really interesting chocolate malt-type of flavor in beer when used as a late addition hop. So I'd make sure to put that in the last 10 minutes of the boil, and whirlpool with it along with some Styrian and Willamette. Hops: Styrian Goldings and Willamette 60, Styrian, Willamette, and Target for 10 minutes, Styrian, Willamette, and Target for 5 minutes, and Styrian, Willamette, and Target to whirlpool and steep for 10 minutes. The intense late hop additions are to compensate for the whirlpool that they likely use. Fermentation is the key to any beer, so I'd build a large starter, aerate the wort, and then I'd start it at 65 degrees for a few days to keep the ester profile down. Next, I'd slowly bring it up to 72 degrees over a couple of days to dry the beer out. Obviously, they cold condition, filter, and force carbonate their beer. As a homebrewer, I would bottle the beer and then let it carbonate for a couple of weeks. Then, I would lager that beer for 2-4 weeks to drop the yeast. I believe that yeast is how they get their unique flavor from their American Amber Ale. Thoughts? Has anyone ever tried this?

[bufordsbest]

there's a clone recipe in byo for most of the new belgium beers from a couple months ago.

for fat tire and ranger ipa they listed cal ale V (wlp051) and for the belgian type beers wlp500.

wlp051
Attenuation: 70-75%
Flocculation: Medium to High
Optimum Fermentation Temperature: 66-70°F

[BeaverBarber]

Yeah, it could be WLP 051 I suppose because I've never used it. But I still believe it's wheat yeast they're using. Here's the rest of that BYO recipe:


8.70 pale 2 row
.50 carapils
.50 crystal 20 (I used 40)
.50 munich malt (I used 20*L)
.45 biscuit malt
.10 chocolate malt

1 ounce willamette 60 min
.40 ounce fuggle 20 min
.60 ounce fuggle 0 min


According to the New Belgium web site, that recipe uses the wrong grains and the wrong hops. But that recipe could get you close because the Target hops mentioned on the site will give a chocolate malt flavor in late additions so the chocolate malt addition isn't out of place. Willamette, Fuggle is really close to the Willamette, Goldings that they mention on their site because I believe they use Styrian Goldings. Also, the Vienna malt mentioned on their site would taste similar to the Biscuit in this recipe. The light crystal malt had to be used instead of the Crystal 80 mentioned on the company web site because they added chocolate malt to this recipe and they wanted to achieve the same color as Fat Tire. Maybe WLP051 tastes similar to Wyeast 1010 too...I'm not sure. But I do know that Ranger IPA somehow smells like a hefeweizen even though it's full of Chinook, Simcoe, and Cascade hops.

[BeaverBarber]

...oops, I mean the VICTORY malt listed on their web site tastes like Biscuit malt; not Vienna. I'm going to fire my editor.