Austin Homebrew Saisons -- Any Experience?

Does anyone have any experience with the Austin Homebrew saison kits? I'd like to brew one later this month (a saison so I don't have to worry about high summer temps) -- but am having a hard time picking one. If anyone has tried one of these kits, can you share the experience -- and, more importantly, the results?

They have some interesting ones, like a lavender and a hibiscus ginger... but I am leaning towards the AHS Session Series or one of the more traditional ones.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks... and thanks to all for help on my earlier threads, I just tried a bottle of my first batch (after only 10 days -- still green, but pretty tasty) and also just bottled my second batch (Calif. Common cuz the guy at my LHBS says that's also a good beer to ferment in hot weather), can't wait to try it and looking forward to my next brew.

currently fermenting the pacific sasion.
not much help i realize.
that is all.

Forget the kit, venture out on your own and create your own simple recipe (check the recipe section). Get a decent yeast and off you go. Keep it simple; a little crystal (very little), and Light extract (I'm assuming you are an extract brewer - Pilsner prefered), for a gravity of around 1.055, and a Saison yeast, fermented around 75 F. Suggest WLP 550 or Wyeast 3711.

Hops: About 7 AAs for bittering, and some light additions of Saaz or Goldings for flavor and aroma. Again, check out the recipes.

Calder said:

Forget the kit, venture out on your own and create your own simple recipe (check the recipe section). Get a decent yeast and off you go. Keep it simple; a little crystal (very little), and Light extract (I'm assuming you are an extract brewer - Pilsner prefered), for a gravity of around 1.055, and a Saison yeast, fermented around 75 F. Suggest WLP 550 or Wyeast 3711.

Hops: About 7 AAs for bittering, and some light additions of Saaz or Goldings for flavor and aroma. Again, check out the recipes.

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Yeah, I was thinking about doing something like that, not sure if I'm ready to "cut the cord" from kits just yet, but maybe I am.

I think I need something closer to the Wyeast 3724 though -- it looks like that ferments in the 80-degree weather we've been having.

nytimez said:

Yeah, I was thinking about doing something like that, not sure if I'm ready to "cut the cord" from kits just yet, but maybe I am.

I think I need something closer to the Wyeast 3724 though -- it looks like that ferments in the 80-degree weather we've been having.

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Won't 80f be a bit on the warm side? I just bought an ahb summer saison kit and live in hot Dallas so was looking for something friendly to higher temps also but I was thinking maybe max of 75f? What do other people think?

Wyeast 3711 is heavenly fermented in the 80's.

McKraut said:

Won't 80f be a bit on the warm side? I just bought an ahb summer saison kit and live in hot Dallas so was looking for something friendly to higher temps also but I was thinking maybe max of 75f? What do other people think?

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The Wyeast site says 3724 can go up to 95 degrees -- but Wyeast and some of the threads I've read here say this yeast can suddenly "stop" for a while.

But maybe this is a better choice:

mlg5039 said:

Wyeast 3711 is heavenly fermented in the 80's.

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That's not part of the temp range on the Wyeast site (which lists it as 65-77F), but I'll take an experienced brewer's opinion over the "official" specs. If it's that good in the 80s, maybe I'll go with that...

Still haven't decided, though -- not planning to brew again until closer to the end of the month. I'm going away for a few weeks in mid-Aug, would love to bottle something before I leave so it's close-ish to ready when I get back.