1st Sour Recipe Advice (1st post ever!)

Hi All....

I'm new to brewing....6 batches under my belt, and I'm brand new to sour brewing and this board....

Here is a link to a recipe I am planning to do soon...in addition to the 3711 I will be pitching dregs from a jolly pumpkin "the firefly" and one bottle of orval.

http://hopville.com/recipe/887741/saison-recipes/saison-2011-09-18-version

I have a few questions:

1. the malt bill...what do you think? the maltodextrin is for the bugs because the 3711 is such a beast i fear it will eat through everything else. i am concerned about having too high an abv though.
2. the plan now is to let it sit in primary for a month then transfer to secondary for a year plus..possibly with oak and almost definitely with fruit in the last couple months. will this significantly raise the abv again? and should i adjust the malt bill accordingly?
3. in an effort to stress the 3711 i will probably underpitch a bit (a 500-750 ml starter) and not aerate the wort...does this sound like a good idea? it's advice i got from someone on beeradvocate.
4. any other tips or stuff i should know? what do you think in general?

Thanks!

Welcome.

skullwithwings said:

I have a few questions:

1. the malt bill...what do you think? the maltodextrin is for the bugs because the 3711 is such a beast i fear it will eat through everything else. i am concerned about having too high an abv though.

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Your gravity should be fine. it might be a bit high, but not excessive.

skullwithwings said:

2. the plan now is to let it sit in primary for a month then transfer to secondary for a year plus..

Click to expand...

There is no need to transfer. The bugs eat the yeast cake. I would let primary fermentation finish or pitch your bugs around 1.020.

skullwithwings said:

possibly with oak and

Click to expand...

The oak can go in with bugs or wait your choice

skullwithwings said:

almost definitely with fruit in the last couple months. will this significantly raise the abv again? and should i adjust the malt bill accordingly?

Click to expand...

Wait until long after primary is done before adding fruit the general rule is 6 mos. Here is a self described rant about fruit and ABV http://www.themadfermentationist.com/2010/10/adding-fruit-to-beer-increases-alcohol.html

skullwithwings said:

3. in an effort to stress the 3711 i will probably underpitch a bit (a 500-750 ml starter) and not aerate the wort...does this sound like a good idea? it's advice i got from someone on beeradvocate.

Click to expand...

This will be fine.

skullwithwings said:

4. any other tips or stuff i should know? what do you think in general?

Click to expand...

Overall looks good. Don't set your expectations beyond drinkable. That way when it is amazing you will be even happier.

A lot of people dont recommend using 3711 since its a beast of a yeast. You dont need to do a starter for this yeast. Just pitch it direct, or underpitch Wyeast quantity. 3711 will eat thru all the sugars in 2-3 days anyways.

My suggestion is to goto Northern Brewer since you are local. They have 3 sour recipes that you can pick from and I'm sure all your questions can be answered in the store.

I make saison with 3711 all the time and sometimes pitch it on my roselare cake or on a brett cake. Just don't expect too much funk since 3711 chews up everything but I like it. I've never used allot of malto-dextrin so let me know what it finishes at with a lb of it in it.
transfer off the primary and age for at least 4-6 months before going on the fruit then it needs another 3-4 on the fruit. I would transfer it to a secondary, you really only leave it on the primary for lambics and others you looking for that funky wierd flavors. Something I don't like in a brett saison.

thanks very much for all the responses....my buddy and i are brewing tomorrow! we'll see how it goes....i will give a update at some point.

nice Sick of It All Lyric as well.

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