New Belgium Fat Tire Recipe

1. Crush and Heat

Crush the grains to a medium-coarse crush. Heat 6.5 cups (see water section) of brewing water to about 165°F (74°C) to account for grain absorption and heat loss.

2. Strike and Mash

Add the crushed grains to your mash tun and pour the strike water to reach a mash temperature of 152°F (67°C). Stir thoroughly to eliminate dry spots. Hold the mash at 152°F (67°C) for 60 minutes to convert starches to fermentable sugars.

3. Mash Out

If available, raise the mash to 168°F (76°C) for 10 minutes (mash out) to stop enzymatic activity and improve lautering.

4. If using acidulated malt to adjust pH, include it with the grain bill at mash-in. Add the 0.5 lb corn sugar to the boil (not the mash) with the wort to lighten body and increase fermentability.

5. Vorlauf until the runnings are clear, then vorlauf back to the mash tun. Sparge with enough 170°F (77°C) water to collect about 6.5 gallons (24.6 L) of wort in the kettle (adjust based on system losses). Aim for roughly 5.5 gallons finished batch size.

6. Boil

Bring the collected wort to a vigorous boil and boil for 60 minutes total.

7. Bittering Addition

At the start of the 60-minute boil, add 0.75 oz Willamette hops. This provides a mild, balanced bitterness in the 20–25 IBU range depending on your boil volume and efficiency.

8. Flavor Addition

With 15 minutes remaining in the boil, add 0.5 oz Fuggle (or Willamette) hops for flavor.

9. Late / Aroma Addition

At 5 minutes left in the boil, add 0.5 oz Cascade hops for a bright, gentle citrus-woody aroma.

10. Also add the 0.5 lb corn sugar at the start of the boil to ensure it dissolves and sanitizes fully.

11. Cool Wort

After flameout, chill the wort quickly to about 68°F (20°C) using an immersion or plate chiller. Transfer to a sanitized fermenter, leaving behind as much hop/trub as practical.

12. Pitch Yeast

Aerate the wort by shaking, splashing, or pure oxygen. Pitch the 11 g dry Belgian ale yeast (or an appropriate liquid starter) at 66–70°F (19–21°C).

13. Primary Fermentation

Allow fermentation at 68–72°F (20–22°C) for 7–10 days or until activity slows. Note: Belgian strains can produce fruity esters; maintain the lower side of the range for a cleaner profile or slightly warmer for more fruitiness.

14. Secondary (optional)

Rack to a secondary fermenter after primary slows and condition for 1–2 weeks if you want clearer beer; otherwise proceed to bottling after fermentation is complete and final gravity is stable for 3 days.

15. Dissolve 3.5 oz priming sugar in 1 cup boiling water, cool, and add to a sanitized bottling bucket. Siphon beer into the bucket and mix gently to evenly distribute priming solution. Bottle and cap. Condition at room temperature for 2 weeks, then chill and carbonate for another week if needed.

16. Use chlorine-free water. Aim for a moderately soft-to-moderate mineral profile: low sulfate and moderate chloride to favor malt character. Adjust water (Ca, Mg, SO4, Cl) as desired before mashing. Total water volumes in directions assume typical 5.5 gallon (about 21 L) system yield—scale water up for larger systems.