SMASH Saison with 2-row and Saaz

Hey, I have only made a saison once before with very different ingredients. I was hoping to brew this week and wanted to make one with what I have on hand. What do you guys think of using just 2-row and Saaz? I'd like it to be on the lower end of the scale with ABV which is why I'm using so little grain. Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated. Thanks! (also, this is the first time I've used Beersmith2 to show the recipe and I don't know where people get the clean info to post so feel free to ask for any more numbers, etcs)

Type: All Grain
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.00 gal Boil Size: 6.52 gal
Taste Rating(out of 50): 30.0

Mash Ingredients
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
9.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 100.0 %

First Wort Hops
0.25 oz Saaz [4.00 %] - First Wort


1.00 oz Saaz [4.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min
0.50 oz Saaz [4.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min


Estimated Post Boil Vol: 5.98 gal and Est Post Boil Gravity: 1.047 SG

Fermentation Ingredients
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
1.0 pkg French Saison (Wyeast Labs #3711) Yeast 5 -

I have a Pale Malt/Mt. Hood Saison bottled up right now. I consider it to be one of the best beers I've brewed to date. The simple grain bill really allows the 3711 to shine through. I think the spiciness of Saaz will go well with 3711. Good luck!

--Loren

Seems good to me. Remember to mash low to insure that it finishes bone dry.

Thanks to both. How low would you recommend? 148?

RogueVassar said:

Thanks to both. How low would you recommend? 148?

Click to expand...

Honestly you can mash at 160º and itll still wind up at 1.002-1.004, Ive used this yeast 4x with saison's and once with a RIS and the highest FG I got was w/ the Imperial Stout and it took it from 1.098 down to 1.007, and that was with a 152º mash. This yeast will eat everything.

I mashed one saison at 156º to try and give it a little more body and it finished at 1.002.

I recently did something really similar with Pilsner and it's awesome. The Pilsner adds a really nice, light grainy flavor.

bh10 said:

Honestly you can mash at 160º and itll still wind up at 1.002-1.004, Ive used this yeast 4x with saison's and once with a RIS and the highest FG I got was w/ the Imperial Stout and it took it from 1.098 down to 1.007, and that was with a 152º mash. This yeast will eat everything.

I mashed one saison at 156º to try and give it a little more body and it finished at 1.002.

Click to expand...

Holy crap.

Thanks again. I brewed this yesterday. I realized I had a different yeast than what was mentioned above. It's actually the Belgian Ardennes (Wyeast 3522) so not quite as vociferous as the French Saison but pretty close. I hit my numbers and things seemed to go smoothly so hopefully it will come out well. I'll post again in a few weeks when I get to taste it.

Posted in wrong place. Deleted. Sorry.

3522 is a good yeast but you are going to end up with a brew that resembles a Tripel more than a Saison. Should be good though.

bh10 is right 3711 will ferment anything waaaay down. I think it started fermenting my spoon while I was stiring my wort.

Deleted