Chocolate Orange Saison in time for Christmas?

Andrewtherooster · Nov 20, 2012

I'm brewing on Monday for a Christmas party on Dec. 28th. Can I turn this beer around in time to be on a keg for the party? Or, I guess I should ask: Will it be any good then?

11lb. Vienna malt
8oz. Midnight Wheat
8oz. Chocolate Malt

.35oz. Pilgrim FWH

2oz. Cocoa powder (5 min)
2oz. Sweet orange peel (5 min)

WYeast 3711 French Saison

Also, should I use cacao nibs too?

SoupNazi · Nov 21, 2012

Can it be ready?
Yeah... ~20 days primary. 7 days secondary for nibs. Force carb to a higher Volume.

Will it be good?
Sounds intriguing, might try a variation myself! IMO- lose the chocolate malt, replace with Carafa III if you are seeking color. Get the chocolate flavor from actual chocolate. Midnight wheat will give you plenty of color if thats what you are after. Ive recently been a fan of using Hershey's unsweetened cocoa powder in the mash as well as late boil/secondary additions of your favorite coco goodness.

What is the AA of the Pilgrim? And what is your mash temp?

Happy Brewing

libeerty · Nov 21, 2012

I've found that nibs take a much longer time to dry hop than other additions, like hops obviously, or vanilla beans. So I might do the powder route at the end of the boil like the brewer above said.

RainyDay · Nov 21, 2012

I'd keep the chocolate malt and add the powder at the end of the boil. 7 day primary, 14 day secondary. Don't need more than that unless you use nibs.

prrriiide · Nov 21, 2012

SoupNazi said:
Ive recently been a fan of using Hershey's unsweetened cocoa powder in the mash

Reeeallly...

What's the advantage over late boil/whirlpool addition of the cocoa powder? Less crud to settle out? Does it do anything to the mash? Since it's unsweetened, I assume there aren't much in the way of fermentables to extract. More subtle chocolate flavor? You have my curiosity piqued!

Andrewtherooster · Nov 21, 2012

SoupNazi said:
Can it be ready?
Yeah... ~20 days primary. 7 days secondary for nibs. Force carb to a higher Volume.

Will it be good?
Sounds intriguing, might try a variation myself! IMO- lose the chocolate malt, replace with Carafa III if you are seeking color. Get the chocolate flavor from actual chocolate. Midnight wheat will give you plenty of color if thats what you are after. Ive recently been a fan of using Hershey's unsweetened cocoa powder in the mash as well as late boil/secondary additions of your favorite coco goodness.

What is the AA of the Pilgrim? And what is your mash temp?

Happy Brewing

Thanks for the info. Any particulars on amounts? The Pilgrim is 10.5% AA, and while I don't have my recipe in front of me, I think it's about 20 IBUs. I was going to do a single infusion mash at 148F for 75min.

SoupNazi · Nov 21, 2012

prrriiide said:
Reeeallly...

What's the advantage over late boil/whirlpool addition of the cocoa powder? Less crud to settle out? Does it do anything to the mash? Since it's unsweetened, I assume there aren't much in the way of fermentables to extract. More subtle chocolate flavor? You have my curiosity piqued!

Theres not really an "advantage" over late additions, as it yields a more subtle chocolate backbone without the dominant flavor that late additions can give. Give it a try!

Chocolate Orange Saison in time for Christmas?

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