Low Alcohol Saison

[Rod]

I make a Saison of which I am quite fond of

Original recipe
add 6 litres water to pot
add 1200 g dried light malt extract
add 550 g dried wheat extract
bring to boil
set timer to 60 min
add 60 saaz
at 30 minutes add 20 g saaz
at flame out add 20 g saaz and the 1200 g dried light malt extract
cool
add Danstar Belle saison
after fementation 180 g dextrose to bulk prime

estimated alcohol 5.1%

would like to make a mid strength 3.5%

or a light 2.9%

I would reduce the 550 g wheat malt extract proportionately in the boil up using brewmate and reduce the 1200g light malt extract at the end accordingly using brewmate again

I need to know how much to reduce the hops either at the start or during the run

 

[Digga]

Just reduce by the same %age as it should keep it the same well maybe anyways

 

[Digga]

Use ianh's spreadsheet for clarity lok

 

[Danscraftbeer]

I like this idea for a low carb beer. Very efficient in ingredients for an all grain brew too. Aiming at being dry you can get as low as 1.002 FG. So you can be as low as 1.040 OG and still hit 5% ABV.
As for the hops I've remembered from brewers more experienced with Saison that one small early bittering addition is better than later large additions. Its a hard sell for me when I usually add wackloads of later hops usually adding up to 2/3rd the total IBU
but I must resist one day and do a real Saison style. One single small 60min addition to get to 20 to 30 IBU.
I will laugh at the simplicity and lack of ingredients but that can be the key, (apparently)
The yeast is supposed to be the winning out front ingredient. Added complicated additions etc can just spoil it. (apparently)

Edit: then there is the options of adding other flavours like spices and fruits being somewhat true to old style traditions.

 

[Blind Dog]

It'll work, but I doubt you'd like it. The alcohol adds to mouthfeel and body, so simply reducing the fermentables can have a fairly major impact on both, and not in a good way. I know a saison is meant to be dry, but you don't want to end up with water. I'd be looking to introduce some speciality grains (maybe 200g of a light caramel malt, ideally Belgian) to add back some of the body and mouthfeel.

As for hopping, proportionate reduction should get you close, but I'd be plugging it into some software to confirm.

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Software is a must for me, and for the modern day craft brewer for sure. Getting low FG is not getting back to water at all considering ferments of such like ciders and wines that end up final gravities lower than water that can have very good body and flavours.
Beer is not counted out of these parameters at all. Its all within the broad spectrum of beer.

Actually the origins of Saison are like a shoe string budget of ingredients to feed your slave/workers keeping them somewhat happy without getting them too drunk and lazy and dehydrated to work.

 

[manticle]

Saidon historically was low abv and I've made some around the 3.5 -4 mark.

Delicious and easy, great on a hot summer's day. I prefer wy3711 although I've never used Belle.

Just use software to calculate appropriate ibu.

 

[indica86]

Belle is lovely, ferments dry but leaves maltiness behind somehow.

 

[Blind Dog]

Getting low FG is not getting back to water at all considering ferments of such like ciders and wines that end up final gravities lower than water that can have very good body and flavours.
Beer is not counted out of these parameters at all. Its all within the broad spectrum of beer.

If that's a response to my earlier comment, you've misinterpreted what I said. My point was about low ABV beers lacking body and mouthfeel due to the reduction in alcohol content, not about low FG beers per se. Alcohol adds to mouthfeel and body. If you reduce it below a certain level, you tend fairly rapidly towards beer flavoured water - IMO. I haven't made or tasted a decent sub 4% beer that didn't use spec malts or decoction mashing.