GiraffeBrew

Recipes 

I would have to agree w/ what most of these folks are saying about the grist, simple really is better. It IS the yeast thats the star here. Find a yeast you like and experiment! Drive the yeast, not the other way around. I'm a huge fan of the Wyeast Belgian Saison yeast. Knock out @ 70, let it rise to 80ish for 48 hours, and then it's a free ride( or I push it ) to 92-93ish for the duration.

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smokinghole

Recipes 

I think the correct yeast and mash technique will negate the need for sugar. I only ever used sugar once in a saison and have since started using a brett blend saison yeast. I do 100% malt grists and end up super dry. My last one finished at 1.004 before I bottled. It picked up a little more carbonation over 4-6 months in the bottle from the brett. So it's likely at 1.002 or so.

For me I just go with pils and 20%-30% rye or spelt and use the same hops if I can. I like strisselspalt, stryian golding bittered up to 25-35 ibus and huge aroma/flavor additions.

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Going through life stupid is harder.

periwinkle1239

Recipes 

I love Saison Dupont so last week I attempted to make my version of a clone. I used all Dingeman Belgian Pilsen malt and did a 2 hour boil to try and give it a golden color. I also used Dupont yeast that I had harvested from a 4-pack. My thread is here http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/saison-dupont-329396/.

One week in and I just sampled, gravity is at 1.010 and it tastes wonderful even at 90 degrees temp which is where it's at right now. Hopefully it'll drop down to 1.005 like I want it to, but even if it doesn't I think it was a success.

Cheers!

Dok

Recipes 

I see a lot of Saisons recently the emphasis is on the hops. I fully agree on the simplicity of the recipe. The yeast will drive the flavors if you let it. I pitched the dregs of a Saison DuPont into my starter.

Farmhouse Ales by Phil Markowski is a good read with some recipes.

lpdjshaw

Recipes 

Periwinkle and Dok,
How'd you do your starter with the dregs?

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Dok

Recipes 

I cracked open a bottle of SdP and drank it while I made a starter of 1.5 liters of 1.040. I pitched a vial of WLP 565. After I finished it I flamed the lip of the bottle and pitched it to the starter. I thought it might add a little funky stuff.