# Fat Yak Style Receipe



## Wadey (9/2/13)

Hi Guys.

I am trying my first crack at doing a grain and hop addition. I got the following receipe from Brewers Choice for a Fat Yak. Would love some hints and tips before I delve into this today. 

I am also curious about a couple of things:


Do I need a thermometer, its just says hot tap water
I have a plastic seive, is that ok, or should I use a stainlesss one
Also wondering if adding the cascase hops just after picthing the yeast is the best method.

Thomas Coopers IPA
CaraMunich Grain Pack (250g)

15 grams Nelson Sauvin (2min steep hop)
15 grams Cascade (dry hop)
1 kg Ultra Brew
US-05 Safale Yeast

Procedure:
1. The day before brewing, refrigerate 6 ltrs of water in sterilised closed containers.
2. Steep grain pack in hot tap water for 15mins. Strain, collecting the liquid into a saucepan and bring grain wort to the boil.
3. Add Nelson Sauvin hops and boil for a further 2 mins. Turn off heat.
4. Empty can of Coopers IPA into fermenter then rinse the can with boiling water.
5. Empty contents of Brew Booster into fermenter, along with the grain wort.
6. Mix well then add the 6 ltrs chilled water and tap water (preferably filtered) to make up to 23 ltrs. Thrash liquid with paddle or spoon to
aerate well! This will cause a lovely big foamy head on the surface.
7. Sprinkle Safale yeast onto surface of liquid, add Cascade hops (dry), and close lid.
8. Brew at 20*c or as close to as possible.
9. Bottle when Specific Gravity stabilises at around 1010 to 1012. ( 3 days running)
10. When bottling add two carbonation drops per 750ml bottle, age at least 1 month.


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## Amber Fluid (9/2/13)

> Do I need a thermometer, its just says hot tap water
> I have a plastic seive, is that ok, or should I use a stainlesss one
> Also wondering if adding the cascase hops just after picthing the yeast is the best method.



 No real need for a thermometer in this case
Although Stainless is better, in this instant plastic will be fine
Probably best to add Cascade hops on about day 3. By adding too soon you can lose some effect due to the volatility of the ferment during the first few days.

I can't say that I have steeped grains in hot tap water. Nevertheless, if I didn't have a thermometer, I would steep in cold water over night.

Fermenting at 20C isn't bad but it would be better closer to 18C if you can.


Edit: don't forget to crack your grain before steeping


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## carniebrew (9/2/13)

Can't add much to the excellent advice given above, other than steeping...I have always steeped religiously with my temp between 65-70C, as I learned from Palmer's "how to brew". However I've been told recently that it's really not necessary, as long as you're not going over 70C the lower end doesn't matter all that much. So I did some googling, and sure enough given hot tap water shouldn't be over 70C (normally around 60C depending on your hot water unit), it seems steeping in hot tap water is exactly what a lot of brewers are doing with their spec grain.

Given the time it'll save me heating up cold water to 70C, I'm going to try the hot tap water thing myself next brew. Although i'll continue to steep for 30 minutes rather than 15. And your instructions don't seem to say it, but you should either squeeze your grain bag while it's draining, or rinse with more hot tap water (or both) to get every last little bit out of 'em...

Oh and the grain might already be cracked, does it say on the pack Wadey? If not, have at it with a rolling pin to crack open the husks...if it helps, here's what cracked spec grain looks like (see a little powder and the husks are opened up):


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## Liam_snorkel (9/2/13)

easy way to hit 65-70deg for steeping small amounts of grains:

2 litre jug of boiling water
+
1 litre of tap water 

ta-daa


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## hoppy2B (9/2/13)

As per Liam's advice, if the tap water is at 20 you will end up at about 73 degrees. Water from the fridge will put you at about 67 degrees if its near zero out of the fridge. Half tap and half fridge will of course give about 70.


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## Liam_snorkel (9/2/13)

not that it's a big deal, but the temperature of the grain will bring it down a couple of degrees.


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## Wadey (9/2/13)

Thanks guys, looks like the grain is already cracked. Here goes!!!!!


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## hoppy2B (9/2/13)

Hope it works out for you Wadey, looks like a tasty recipe.


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## slash22000 (9/2/13)

I've never seen somebody do a 2 minute hop boil before. Is that long enough?


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## carniebrew (9/2/13)

Good pickup, my eyes saw 20 minutes. Is that a typo for the Nelson Sauvin boil Wadey?


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## pk.sax (9/2/13)

Considering there is no chilling mentioned, it's more like 2 minutes at 100C and then however long it takes to fart around until you pour it in. Effectively, a flavour addition. Think kinda NC addition.


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## Scottye (9/2/13)

carniebrew said:


> Can't add much to the excellent advice given above, other than steeping...I have always steeped religiously with my temp between 65-70C, as I learned from Palmer's "how to brew". However I've been told recently that it's really not necessary, as long as you're not going over 70C the lower end doesn't matter all that much. So I did some googling, and sure enough given hot tap water shouldn't be over 70C (normally around 60C depending on your hot water unit), it seems steeping in hot tap water is exactly what a lot of brewers are doing with their spec grain.
> 
> Given the time it'll save me heating up cold water to 70C, I'm going to try the hot tap water thing myself next brew. Although i'll continue to steep for 30 minutes rather than 15. And your instructions don't seem to say it, but you should either squeeze your grain bag while it's draining, or rinse with more hot tap water (or both) to get every last little bit out of 'em...
> 
> ...


I am anti squeezing when it comes to spec grains. I rinse with good results but have found that some of the crystal that I squeezed, when tatsed after 8 months, has a beautiful caramel smell but is very bitter. I have been blaming the squeezing but perhaps it was something else, they weren't too bad at 3 months.


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## carniebrew (9/2/13)

Good to know, thanks VonScott. If I'm ever able to keep one of my brews around for 8 months and notice the same thing at least I'll know why!

I recall you said you don't use a bag for your spec grains, what are you using?


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## Scottye (9/2/13)

carniebrew said:


> Good to know, thanks VonScott. If I'm ever able to keep one of my brews around for 8 months and notice the same thing at least I'll know why!
> 
> I recall you said you don't use a bag for your spec grains, what are you using?


I am also pedantic about the temp. I drop the grains, 400g is the most I've done and that was an IPA, into a pot of water (volume according to IanH) at 65 degrees C and stir them. Then I steep them in the oven set at 60 degrees for 30 minutes. I strain them with a seive and then tip them back into the pot and pour more water at 60 degrees water and strain again.


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## AJ80 (10/2/13)

VonScott said:


> I am also pedantic about the temp. I drop the grains, 400g is the most I've done and that was an IPA, into a pot of water (volume according to IanH) at 65 degrees C and stir them. Then I steep them in the oven set at 60 degrees for 30 minutes. I strain them with a seive and then tip them back into the pot and pour more water at 60 degrees water and strain again.


Hadn't ever considered using the oven before...I just stick the lid on the pot and wrap it in a towel for 30mins. May give it a go next time.


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## m3taL (10/2/13)

yep love the oven idea  ours is digital so i set it to 65 and steep away...... usually a 30 min steep then a rinse with some 70 degree water to catch the rest of the sweet stuff....

Partials come out so well one of my fave beers iv ever tasted come from a midnight finish Partial Boil extract.....


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## Wadey (10/2/13)

Hi guys, definitely says 2 min boil for the Sauvin hops? Got interrupted by the neighbour yesterday and ultimately had a few beers so just finished the brew now. Will keep you all posted on how it turns out.

Cheers Wadey


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## carniebrew (10/2/13)

m3taL said:


> yep love the oven idea  ours is digital so i set it to 65 and steep away...... usually a 30 min steep then a rinse with some 70 degree water to catch the rest of the sweet stuff....
> 
> Partials come out so well one of my fave beers iv ever tasted come from a midnight finish Partial Boil extract.....


My digital oven only goes as low as 90...which never bothered me before now!


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## Scottye (10/2/13)

Wadey said:


> Hi guys, definitely says 2 min boil for the Sauvin hops? Got interrupted by the neighbour yesterday and ultimately had a few beers so just finished the brew now. Will keep you all posted on how it turns out.
> 
> Cheers Wadey


Hey Wadey
Two minutes is a short boil for sure; did you strain the hops out or empty the pot straight into the FV?.


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## Wadey (11/2/13)

No, didnt strain afer the boil, strainght in the fermenter, but there dissolved pretty well.


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## carniebrew (11/2/13)

I guess it's like a dry hop with a teensy bit of extra aroma/flavour from the boil.


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## Wadey (20/2/13)

Hi Folks

Just tired the Fat Yak, isn't too bad at all, and that's brewed at 28 degrees. Just bought a STC1000 so going to do this recipe again but at controlled lower temp to see how much it improves.


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## Masha (21/2/13)

The million dollar question is...

Did it taste like Fat Yak?


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## carniebrew (21/2/13)

I've been having some fun making Fat Yak style beers lately....but I always seem to end up with an IBU in the low 30's, rather than Fat Yak's 25. It's a bit strange using so few hops at 60 minutes to allow for some larger additions at 20 and 5 minutes to try and maximise the aroma/flavour.

My latest (full extract, 25 IBU) recipe has only a 5gm addition of Cascade at 60m, with 20gm of Cascade/NS (5/15gm) at 20, and 25gm of Cascade/NS (15/10gm) at 5. Makes me wonder what difference it would make to drop the 60m addition altogether, and up the Cascade/NS combination at 20 minutes to 25 grams (10/15gm). I still get 25 IBU, but only need a 20 minute boil instead of 60.

Any drawbacks to worry about when only boiling for 20 minutes?


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## Phillo (21/2/13)

I've found that if I drop my bittering addition entirely and rely on late additions for the IBUs, the flavour is incredible, but the bitterness (even when calculated to the same IBUs in Brewmate) lacks a certain "kick" that beers with a dedicated bitterness addition have. I always add a small one for that bit of bite, but that's just me. I daresay that many brewers may find the smoother bitterness preferable.


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## carniebrew (21/2/13)

Thanks Phillo...so do you reduce the boil time to that of your first 'late addition'?


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## Phillo (22/2/13)

carniebrew said:


> Thanks Phillo...so do you reduce the boil time to that of your first 'late addition'?


I'm an AGer, so I still boil for 90 minutes. However, I understand you're an extract brewer (a method I still heartily defend) so the lengthy boil time is probably not neccessary. Happy to be corrected, but I reckon you could reduce the boil time to whatever is needed to boil your late additions.


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## Wadey (25/2/13)

Just to answer Masha's question it definitely tasted like a Fat Yak, will see how it improves over a couple of weeks. Do you guys think the high fermentation temp of 28c would have a big impact on taste? Put together my STC1000 the other day so can't wait to do my first brew @18c


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## ivars (14/3/13)

carniebrew said:


> I've been having some fun making Fat Yak style beers lately....but I always seem to end up with an IBU in the low 30's, rather than Fat Yak's 25.


Was just wondering what the source for Fat Yak being 25 IBUs is? I was quite happy with my last attempt at 27 IBU and was actually considering going to 30 next time.


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## carniebrew (14/3/13)

ivars said:


> Was just wondering what the source for Fat Yak being 25 IBUs is? I was quite happy with my last attempt at 27 IBU and was actually considering going to 30 next time.


Go to https://www.matildabay.com.au/ and click on Fat Yak. It says 25 IBU.

I just had 7 blokes around to my place for our Ultimate Footy AFL draft night, and my 31 IBU fat yak tribute was easily the favourite brew of the night. So I'm sticking with 30+, as it seems many do.

The Nelson Sauvin in this brew makes it quite easy to replicate I think. I didn't put any Pride of Ringwood in mine (used Cascade for bittering) and nobody noticed.


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## ivars (15/3/13)

Thanks so much for that carniebrew - I don't think I'd actually looked on Matilda Bay's site. :wacko: Mine at 27 didn't seem bitter enough and so the 25 comes as a bit of a surprise. I don't use POR in my extract and grain either, just Cascade for bittering instead, so I wonder if that has some effect on the perception of bitterness. Do you dry hop? I haven't so far but was thinking of giving it a go next time I do a Fat Yak - mine seemed it could do with it.

This is what I did last time and I would really appreciate your comments having just returned to brewing after having given up many years ago.


0.243 kg Joe White Crystal Malt (120.0 EBC)
2.948 kg Light Dry Extract (9.0 EBC)
0.336 kg Wheat Dry Extract 60/40 (16.0 EBC)
24 g Cascade [6.20 %] - Boil 60.0 min
15 g Nelson Sauvin [10.60 %] - Boil 15.0 min
2.89 g Yeast Nutrient (Boil 15.0 mins)
20 g Nelson Sauvin [10.60 %] - Boil 5.0 min
16 g Nelson Sauvin [10.60 %] - Boil 0.0 min
American Ale II (Wyeast Labs #1272)

27.7 IBU 13.9 EBC 4.7% ABV

Just wired up my STC1000 so the next go at Fat Yak I'll do at 19C.


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## carniebrew (15/3/13)

I didn't dry hop this one, and I even decided to try it without my usual flameout additions. This was my hop schedule:
(Cascade - 7.8%, Nelson Sauvin - 10.5%)

15gm Cascade @ 60
5gm NS @ 20
10gm Cascade @ 20
7gm NS @ 7
15gm Cascade @ 7


31 IBU total

I kept the 20m addition on NS that small because of the effect it has on the IBU, being high AA. Next time I'll try a smaller addition @ 60 (it always feels weird only bittering with 5 or 10gm of hops, I don't know why), which will allow me to up the 20m & 7m addition. Even at 31 IBU I thought it wasn't quite bitter enough...but most of my (lager drinking) mates didn't agree. Despite the lack of flameout addition it still had a good whack of the expected fat yak aroma, but i'll do 15gm of each at flameout next time too I think.


There's lots of ways to skin this cat, or yak as it may be...but I would be concerned that in your hop schedule above you're losing any real Cascade aroma/flavour by using it only as bittering?


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## ivars (15/3/13)

Carniebrew you're a legend! Thanks very much for that. I'll definitely play around with a later addition of Cascade. I was reasonably happy with my Fat Yak but it lacked something and I thought it might not be bitter enough. On my way home I grabbed a couple of bottles of Fat Yak (been drinking mine rather than the real stuff) to compare with mine. There was the answer: @ 27.5 IBU it was actually more bitter than the original and that something lacking was sort of mid palate which was coming from the Cascade! To me James Squires Golden Ale and Fat Yak have had a lot in common which I now realise is the Cascade "breadiness", which I had in my Golden Ale but had missed in the Fat Yak. I'm also going to have a go at pushing the IBUs down to 25, which is too low for an American Pale Ale according to the style guidelines but I'm happy to live dangerously! Have change my recipe and look forward to seeing what the result turns out to be.


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## carniebrew (15/3/13)

Yeah, at 25 Fat Yak is on the lower end of IBU's even for an Australian Pale Ale. They make up for that with lots of hop flavour and aroma IMO. I've always preferred it on tap vs the bottle, I'm guessing 'coz it's fresher in the keg so more of the hop aroma compounds are still there.

But it seems lots of brewers prefer to make a "fatter yak" as has been referred to many times on this site...more IBU's and a higher FG, to make it more like an American Pale Ale as you say.

I keep waiting for Matilda Bay to bring out a "Morbidly Obese Yak"....


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## Nick JD (15/3/13)

I can vouce for a Fat Yak IPA being a whoppingly great beer.


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