Sorachi Saison - critique needed before grain purchase

I'm due to get a shipment of the Sorachi Ace hops in by Friday and figured a good lemony hop deserves a good Sasion, so here I am. I have 2 recipes that I'm torn between:

Recipe Number A

Type: All Grain
Date: 12/11/2006
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Boil Size: 5.72 gal
Boil Time: 60 min E
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.0
Taste Notes:

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
5.50 lb Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 52.4 %
2.00 lb Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 19.0 %
1.50 lb Wheat, Flaked (1.6 SRM) Grain 14.3 %
0.75 oz Sorachi Ace [13.70%] (15 min) Hops 15.9 IBU
1.00 oz Spalter [4.50%] (60 min) Hops 15.6 IBU
1.00 oz Saaz [4.00%] (5 min) Hops 2.8 IBU
1.25 lb Candi Sugar, Clear (0.5 SRM) Sugar 11.9 %
0.25 lb Candi Sugar, Amber (75.0 SRM) Sugar 2.4 %
1 Pkgs Belgian Ale (White Labs #WLP550) Yeast-Ale


Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.057 SG

Est Final Gravity: 1.014 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.6 %
Bitterness: 34.2 IBU
Est Color: 7.3 SRM

I chose the WLP550 instead of the 565 (saison) because of efficiency reasons kept it a little too malty. I may still go with it, but wanted some opinions first.


Recipe Number B

Amount Item Type % or IBU
5.50 lb Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 54.2 %
2.00 lb Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 19.7 %
2.00 lb Wheat Malt, Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 19.7 %
1.00 oz Tettnang [4.50%] (60 min) Hops 16.5 IBU
0.50 oz Sorachi Ace [13.70%] (15 min) Hops 11.2 IBU
1.00 oz Saaz [4.00%] (20 min) Hops 8.9 IBU
0.50 oz Sorachi Ace [13.70%] (5 min) Hops 4.5 IBU
0.65 lb Dememera Sugar (2.0 SRM) Sugar 6.4 %
1 Pkgs Belgian Saison I Ale (White Labs #WLP565) Yeast-Ale



Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.055 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.010 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.016 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.005 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.1 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 0.6 %
Bitterness: 41.1 IBU Calories: 43 cal/pint
Est Color: 5.6 SRM Color: Color

*bump* help

Can't help much on the grain selection, but as far as adjuncts go, when I did my saison I added both crushed coriander and lemongrass to get that nice spicy flavor. Just a suggestion, but I thought it really added to the beer.

After reading up on acidulated malt...should that be part of the grain bill as well? it seems the last (and only) time I had a saison it was a bit sour (of course it was spiked heavily of lemon).

pain++ said:

Can't help much on the grain selection, but as far as adjuncts go, when I did my saison I added both crushed coriander and lemongrass to get that nice spicy flavor. Just a suggestion, but I thought it really added to the beer.

Click to expand...

I have been contemplating using lemongrass in an upcoming Belgainesque wheat (wit / saison / ???) beer. How much has anybody used, and how effective was it? (i.e. did you use too much, too little, or just right?) I have a plant that is getting ready to die back from the frost, and have harvested some stalks.

I believe I used 2-3 stalks, about 3" long, added to the last 5 minutes of the boil in a muslin bag. I wasnt sure how potent it was going to be, so I didn't over-do it. Definetly added a nice touch

Both recipes look pretty good. I really like using WLP565 for saison’s. Just ferment at a warmer temp. I try to keep mine in the 80-82 range.

jezter6 said:

After reading up on acidulated malt...should that be part of the grain bill as well? it seems the last (and only) time I had a saison it was a bit sour (of course it was spiked heavily of lemon).

Click to expand...

You can. I use it to get that Guinness 'tang' in my Dry Irish Stout. A little is all you need.