Brewing a saison for noobs

[Matplat]

Would you call this a Saison???

Not sure what I was aiming was for.

Grumpy Summer Galaxy


Recipe Specs
----------------
Batch Size (L): 40.0
Total Grain (kg): 9.423
Total Hops (g): 70.00
Original Gravity (OG): 1.047 (°P): 11.7
Final Gravity (FG): 1.012 (°P): 3.1
Alcohol by Volume (ABV): 4.62 %
Colour (SRM): 16.0 (EBC): 31.5
Bitterness (IBU): 35.5 (Average)
Brewhouse Efficiency (%): 65
Boil Time (Minutes): 60

Grain Bill
----------------
7.976 kg Pilsner (84.66%)
0.997 kg Wheat Malt (10.58%)
0.250 kg Roasted Barley (2.65%)
0.200 kg Crystal 120 (2.12%)

Hop Bill
----------------
10.0 g Galaxy Pellet (14.2% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (First Wort) (0.2 g/L)
10.0 g Nugget Pellet (8.5% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (First Wort) (0.3 g/L)
10.0 g Summer Pellet (5.3% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (First Wort) (0.3 g/L)
20.0 g Galaxy Pellet (14.2% Alpha) @ 20 Minutes (Boil) (0.5 g/L)
20.0 g Summer Pellet (5.3% Alpha) @ 20 Minutes (Boil) (0.5 g/L)

Misc Bill
----------------

Single step Infusion at 66°C for 60 Minutes.
Fermented at 20°C with Safbrew T-58

T-58 won't finish low enough, especially at that mash temp... and I'm not sure roasted barley has any place in a saison, but clearly I'm not an expert!

 

[Matplat]

I like my Saisons aged, in fact the best I have ATM is around 20 months old.

Hmmm.... so breaking out a two week old 7% saison for christmas aint recommended then? Bugger, I'm impatient as always....

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

T58 I used at 22 degrees in Tas (hot water system cupboard) and loved the bubblegum and clove it threw.

 

[GrumpyPaul]

Hydro sample last night was definitely banana bubblegum.

But seems to have stopped at about 1015.

Have it a swirl to rouse yeast, and bumped to 22 to see if it's finished.

I might call it a Red Saison...RB probably shouldn't be the, but then again Ipa's never used to be black.

 

[madpierre06]

Hmmm.... so breaking out a two week old 7% saison for christmas aint recommended then? Bugger, I'm impatient as always....

Hmmm, I just tried a taste test of my first saison brewed today...only a week in the bottle, 'twas actuaslly quite reasonable, a little sweetness late across the palate which was a bit offputting, but I'm guessing that this will subside with age.

 

[Dan Pratt]

After three days fermenting my 1st Saison @ 20c I ramped to 28. The aroma inside the fridge is amazing, really looking forward to getting beer packaged. Should be ready for new years eve

 

[Jazzman]

I just brewed my first "saison". l used my standard ale mix of 1 can of Coopers Pale and 300gm dextrose to 15L.
I made two of these batches and pitched half a rehydrated Belle Saison yeast pack in each.
I put some of the freshly fermenting wort into 5x 1.25 litre PET bottles with Pat Macs caps so I could try some soon!
It tastes really great!! I'll be doing a lot more of these- no cooling the fermenter!
My questions are:
I have no idea of ABV, (i forgot to do OG)
It seems to be taking a while to finish. I was at 1006 yesterday, 1004 this morning. Is this normal?
At 15L l think it is just a bit bitter. My ales with coopers yeast seem fine probably because of more unconverted malt. How much water should l add to get a nice drinking 4-5% beer?
Maybe I should try the Canadian Blonde next time?
Hope this makes sense.
Thanks, and Happy New Year.

 

[goatchop41]

I just brewed my first "saison". l used my standard ale mix of 1 can of Coopers Pale and 300gm dextrose to 15L.
I made two of these batches and pitched half a rehydrated Belle Saison yeast pack in each.
I put some of the freshly fermenting wort into 5x 1.25 litre PET bottles with Pat Macs caps so I could try some soon!
It tastes really great!! I'll be doing a lot more of these- no cooling the fermenter!
My questions are:
I have no idea of ABV, (i forgot to do OG)
It seems to be taking a while to finish. I was at 1006 yesterday, 1004 this morning. Is this normal?
At 15L l think it is just a bit bitter. My ales with coopers yeast seem fine probably because of more unconverted malt. How much water should l add to get a nice drinking 4-5% beer?
Maybe I should try the Canadian Blonde next time?
Hope this makes sense.
Thanks, and Happy New Year.

Hey Jazzman,

Search on here for IanH's kit spreadsheet - it will help you determine your OG for this brew, and future ones involving just extract/cans and added sugars

Belle Saison can slow down near the end. My all grain brew with it shot down to 1.009 in 2 days, then slowly crept all the way down to 1.001 over the next 1.5 weeks! Keep it warm and wait until you have stable gravity readings over a few days (I say over a few days, not just two days, as it can creep along slowly for the last few points).

Those cans are made to be put together with sugar to 23L, so that may have to do with the bitterness. Two other factors that will play into the bitterness at the moment:
1) if it's not fully carbed yet, the lack of carbonation can make the perceived bitterness greater
2) saisons will tend to ferment drier than other styles, and the thinner/drier beer can again make the perceived bitterness greater

I would be looking at using either the Canadian blonde or European lager can - I'd lean towards the Euro lager, as the hops in it will be more suited to a saison

 

[shacked]

I've got my first saison fermenting right now.

OG was 1.050 and it was about 60% Pilsner, 26% Rye, 9% dextrose, 4% wheat and ~1% caramunich. Did a short rest at 50, long rest at 64 then mashed out at 75. 90m boil, Saaz at 60, hallertau mit at 45 and 1g/l at flameout for 25IBU.

I pitched a 1L starter of yeast bay saison I (not the brett blend) at 20 and ramped up to 27 over the course of a week (heat pad and fridge). After 8 days, it has hit 1.008 which is about 82% AA, close to yeast bay's stated max of 84%.

I plan on letting it sit for another 10 days or so before crashing and kegging. Am I OK to move it into a cupboard OR should I leave at 27 in the fridge? Forecast is for mid to high 20's next week.

 

[indica86]

Wyeast 3725 Biere De Garde is a lovely yeast for a mellow beer. It attenuates well

Have one on the bench that has gone from 1053 to 1002 @ 36° starting temp. Actually tastes okay in the hydro tube.

 

[Blind Dog]

Have my first 2 successful (i.e. Enjoyable to drink) saisons on tap now. one a long sour mash with nelson sauvin hops the other an infusion mash at 63 with Huell Melon hops. Belle Saison at 18 (ambient) for both. Brewed 2 months ago. Obviously hugely different, but bloody hell they're good

 

[nosco]

Finally got around to brewing my first saison. I went with the Brewing Classic Styles recipe as it usually makes good beer except im using french saison yeast. I have access to a few kilos of raspberries so it is very tempting to try them in the ferm but ill stick to standard for now. Plus i think Belgian yeast might work better with raspberries.

It will have to wait for a kolsch and a iipa so a while off yet.

 

[Killer Brew]

I would say that my saisons have been my favourite beers brewed over the last year. My latest is a belter of a sessionable saison (4.5%) with orange peel and coriander seed from the wife's garden. Very refreshing drink to listen to the hottest 100 with (maybe had a couple more than i should!)

 

[nosco]

Ive had a few nice "belgo" style pales and ipa's latley so thats next on the cards. This is just the start.

 

[seamad]

Finally got around to brewing my first saison. I went with the Brewing Classic Styles recipe as it usually makes good beer except im using french saison yeast. I have access to a few kilos of raspberries so it is very tempting to try them in the ferm but ill stick to standard for now. Plus i think Belgian yeast might work better with raspberries.

It will have to wait for a kolsch and a iipa so a while off yet.

Have a keg of raspberry saison on tap at present, 3711 too. Great summer beer, dry as and tart.

 

[nosco]

Very tempted to use the raspberries but not on my first saison. They are frozen anyway so they aren't goin any where

 

[welly2]

Planning my first saison for this weekend based on the AG recipe here: https://byo.com/bock/item/1343-saison-style-profile. Made some slight adjustments to cover the grain and hops I've got in stock - using Perle for bittering hops and replaced the Carastan malt with Heritage Crystal. I'll pick up some yeast this weekend and should be good to go.

 

[nosco]

So I brewed Raison D' Saison from Brewing Classic Styles coz I have liked just about all of the recipes I have tried except I used Wyeast 3711 French Saison. I hind sight I should have went with a lower ABV and simpler recipe as was suggested to me but what evs. Its only been in the ferm for 5 days. Pitched at 20c and "ramped" to 24c over the 5 days. Maybe a bit too quick a ramp but its all experimental for my first saison. First time using my Better Bottle as well.

I use the Biabicus spread sheet coz thats what Im used to and the expected FG is 1.015. Og of 1.066. Its already at 1.012. It looks like its finished and starting to drop out. Ill leave it for the usual 10-12 days and then CC. I have heard of saison yeast staling and then firing up again. Should I expect the gravity to drop even lower? Definitely not a summer session beer

PS If I adjust the attenuation in the spread sheet to an average %80 then it gives me an FG of 1.012. So maybe it has finished I just have to let it clean up.

Edit : tastes great so far.

 

[nosco]

Maybe I made a Belgian Blonde which I was also planning to make :lol:

 

[nosco]

Just reading the Wyeast descriptions and its the Belgian 3724 that stalls at 1.035ish. Definitely gotta try that one next but sounds a bit fickle. I like the sound of "very tart and dry on the palate with a mild fruitiness."

Edit on taste description