Back to brewing

Haven't brewed in a bit.......but, have tasted many good beers lately.

Updated my brewery a bit, new fermentation freezer, keg fridge, stainless cart replacing the fold up table. (photo below)

So I am looking for a new recipe for my first brew. I have really been enjoying the farmhouse ales and also some belgainish rye ales lately.

I have a home grown crop of cascade that I want to use as I have about 3-4 lbs of dried, vacuum packed frozen leaf.

I am thinking about a pilsner malt with some rye, cascade all the way and a t-58 yeast, fermented around 68deg to get a little spice and citrus.

Anybody ever brew anything close to this? Any thoughts?

I think it sounds yummy. I also think you're onto something by keeping it simple and easy for getting back into practice.

I'm not sure how well Cascades will work in conjunction with a rather muted Belgian strain. I think if you keep the flavor/aroma additions to around the level of "hint" you'll get balance. Maybe FWH and a bit of hops at flameout and call it a day.

Good luck! Let us know how it turns out.

Bob

Bob,

Thanks for the encouragement. I downloaded the BrewPal app for my iphone. I'm currently working up an exact recipe. Kind of a session saison of sorts. 5ABV,
little spicy, a little citrus, light to medium hops, some estery notes, dry finish is what I am going for. I'll post it before brewing to get some input and debug it before I start. Maybe wyeast french saison, fermented a little warm? What's FWH?

scott

First Wort Hops - adding hops to the kettle when you begin the runoff. It's been discussed at copious length on HBT, so search the term and read up on it.

I think your project sounds grand. Just make sure to pitch plenty of yeast and manage your ferment temperature. I think it'll be killer!

Bob

Read up a bit on FHW. Makes a lot of sense. I like the idea. I think I'll give it a try. So, I would cut back on the bittering hops just a bit? Skip the flavoring and aroma except for a 1/2 oz. or so at flameout?

That's what I generally do. I find FWH gives a smoother bitterness as well as plenty of flavor, so I don't bother with anything other than FWH and maybe a flameout addition. Some report that they still need the main bittering charge, or that they simply cut back a bit on the 90 or 60-minute addition, but I don't. I just do FWH. Don't know what that is.

Brewed the Session Saison I've been planning. Thanks for all the suggestions.
18 lbs pilsner
2 lbs rye
1 lbcrystal 30
1 lb Munich
Mashed at 150

7 oz home grown cascade leaf

2FWH, 2@60, 1@30, 1@10, 1@Flameout

White Labs 535 French Saison
@ 78F for 2 weeks.

Started at 1.050 finished at 1.002

Kegged on Saturday, had some yesterday....WOW!!! Delicious!

Next time ill use 2 lbs crystal 60 to get it a little darker.

Thanks again!!