Hey there
I really love Grisettes - a very under appreciated style I believe should have a category all on its own . For the very few breweries and home brewers that make Grisettes, I'd say you're right there with what would be an interesting addition to a limited supply of Grisettes. Farmhouse Ales does a great job of describing the history, but, they leave a lot open to interpretation - which, as a part of the Saison and Bier De Garde clan - is a perfect opportunity for the home brewer.
Can you give me some more specs? Specifically I'd like to know
- what your total grain bill is and
-% of grain bill each item takes up (just to make sure my calculations aren't crazy)
- what is your bu/gu ratio? .00 to 1.00 with .5 being a balanced beer - it isn't so much that I'm a stickler for numbers as I am always just interested to know which way a beer is leaning (too sweet to extra malty to slightly malty to balanced to slightly bitter to extra bitter)
My thoughts based on my experiences brewing this and preferences:
A. It looks like wheat takes up almost 40% of your grain bill - I have found that the sweet spot is somewhere between 15-25% of grain bill containing wheat. You list "wheat malt" - I'd like to know exactly what type of wheat. Flaked wheat? unmalted? white? a mix? I would at least take it down to 30%. It is supposed to be a hybrid beer so the hybrid grain bill is looking good - I would just reel it back slightly. Or, keep it - and you have a more wheatier Grisette - which would make it your own. I don't think that would be a deal breaker. You would have a fluffier Grisette with 40%. I prefer 20% wheat in mine with half being unmalted and half being white wheat - it brings tradition and white wheat lends a crispness to what is supposed to be a refreshing golden ale. The pilsner is the obvious choice for majority base. HOWEVER, next time you brew a Grisette - consider implementing the breadier, dryer Pearl malt, or mix it in with Pilsner to experiment with the differences in malt backbone. Moving on.
B. Love, LOVE, LOOOVE that you are using Rye. I personally feel that Rye is a must in a Grisette - and it helps separate it from a Saison IMO. It helps clean the palate, gives it a peppery spiciness flavor that is perfect for 3711 , works well with moderate wheat additions, and enhances a necessary carbonic bite in this style. It also gives it a unique hue in the mash with all the wheat and it gives it a yellowy grey color you can't achieve much-where else. I've used up to 3-5% with great results- is your % a little higher here? Should be good!
C. I'd nix the aromatic completely and only use up to 3% acid malt. If it were me, I wouldn't use the acid malt either. You are going to get plenty of tang and bite from 3711, rye, wheat, and high carbonation.
D. Reel back the ABV slightly (I don't make mine higher than 4.6 abv - traditionally they weren't higher than 3-4%abv) 5.2abv is still light enough, but maybe a wee bit heavy for a summer brew to tilt back again and again. If anything, cap it at 5% abv. That is being a little picky, but I think of session as <5%. Everyone is different.
E. Reel back the hops unless you want it to be a Grisette Houblon. (Which would be just fine IMO) It seems like you'd be at .70 bu/gu or so. More bitter than a bitter, less bitter than an IPA. AND - you're adding the hoppyness to the other spicy/bitey factors I mention. I think if you stay at 5.2%abv- take it down to 30ibus to get it down to around .60 bu/gu - I think that will give it a more refreshing hoppyness and less bitterness. If you do 4.5%, don't go higher than 25 IBUs, and less hops with less ABV unless you want it more bitter.
An "Ocean Front Grisette" I make utilizes a little lime zest during the length of primary fermentation, with 3711, with a brew belt after the first 24 hours to enhance the pepperyness of 3711 - I get it up to about 81F. It should cut through your sugars in no more than 3-4 days if you do this - maybe sooner depending on how light the body is.
I also use limey hops here - Wakatu for bittering and a little at 20 minutes for flavor, along with Citra for aroma and flameout. I want the wheaty, 3711 rye bite to stand out with mine. The bu/gu is .63 on mine which makes it nice and crisp. I never want a lot of flavor additions here - I want the grainyness, the spiciness to stand out with some firm bittering.
Traditionally it would be a much lighter hopped ale - maybe 15-20 IBUs - but I think that is too malty unless you're going 3.5 abv. I think the best Grisettes I have drank had a nice solid hoppyness that doesn't overpower the other spicy peppery elements. It also compliments the dryness that is appropriate with the style.
Don't use salt as some others have had - not necessary IMO
F. Lower the mash temp down to 148 as MAX temp. Need to do a rest with all the wheat, regardless if it is malted or not IMO - go a little heavier on amount of qts/gal of water per lb of grain in your rest - just be sure of your amounts - this will nullify the need for rice hulls.
Do 125F for 30 minutes
Then 148 for 80 minutes - this will help convert and dry out your beer. Or, add a second rest at 135 for 20 minutes, then do 60 minutes at 150.
Hope that helps - if you already brewed as is, I'm sure it is a great Grisette - would be interested to hear how everything goes/went
