First recipe, summer saison

[anotherbeerplease]

6lbs belgian pilsner 2 row
4lbs belgian pale malt 2 row
2lbs wheat, flaked
0.75lbs munich malt 20L (for color)
0.75lbs cara-pils/dextrine

0.7oz mosaic 60min
0.5oz falconer's flight 10min
0.5oz falconer's flight dry hop 4 days

wyeast 3726 (preferred) or 3724 (substitute)

Should come in around 7+% abv.

This is my first recipe I made. Looking for feedback. Is it too much mouthfeel for a saison? Also I'm torn on dry hopping but I think I'm gonna go that way. Can always age it a month if the dry hops don't come out well, the aroma should fade (?)

 

[popsicleian]

I would definitely drop the carapils. If you're brewing to style, a saison should be very light bodied and dry. Many people go exactly the opposite direction and add sugar to lighten the body. That much Munich should give you more than just color--I think you'll get a good deal more maltiness. Not necessarily a bad thing, but just think about if that's what you're going for.

 

[anotherbeerplease]

Perfect, thanks! That was the main thing I was wondering about this recipe. Can maybe just replace the carapils with equal amount of sugar.

 

[beergolf]

The other thing to consider. What did you plan on for FG? The reason I ask is that most brew software way underestimates FG. So it may suggest that it would finish at 1.008, when more often than not it will finish well below that, giving you a much higher ABV. Most of my saisons finish in the 1.000-1.004 range.

 

[Mainer]

The other thing to consider. What did you plan on for FG? The reason I ask is that most brew software way underestimates FG. So it may suggest that it would finish at 1.008, when more often than not it will finish well below that, giving you a much higher ABV. Most of my saisons finish in the 1.000-1.004 range.

That's funny. I use the Wort app, and it always drastically overestimates my FG. I just did a beer on Belle Saison. The app said it said would end around 1.012. Actual FG 1.001.

Edit: Oh wait. That's exactly what you meant by underestimate. You meant underestimates attenuation. We're talking about the same thing.

 

[NothingRhymesWithCurtiss]

I love Mosaic and feel that using it for bittering would be a waste of such a great hop.

Have you considered using a neutral bittering hop and splitting the Mosaic between your 10 minute and dry hop?

 

[anotherbeerplease]

I love mosaic too... just had Mosaic Hero by Revolution and WOW what an insanely great beer. I had Mosaic as bittering because I already have some, and high alpha acids, but might bitter w something else and throw some Mosaic in for aroma, of course it is a saison and so maybe the hops will overpower it (?) could always save them for another batch...

FG - Beersmith had 1.009 but I know it's gonna finish lower... Maybe will cut back on some of the grains to keep the abv in check. Thanks this is all really helpful - first homegrown recipe and all.

 

[Mainer]

I love mosaic too... just had Mosaic Hero by Revolution and WOW what an insanely great beer. I had Mosaic as bittering because I already have some, and high alpha acids, but might bitter w something else and throw some Mosaic in for aroma, of course it is a saison and so maybe the hops will overpower it (?) could always save them for another batch...

FG - Beersmith had 1.009 but I know it's gonna finish lower... Maybe will cut back on some of the grains to keep the abv in check. Thanks this is all really helpful - first homegrown recipe and all.

Your hop load is still pretty light. I recently did a saison with an ounce each of Mt. Hood, Centennial, Cascade, Citra, and Mosaic, and the hops didn't kill the saison character. It's pretty decently balanced, actually. You could add an ounce of bittering and still taste like a saison.

 

[trav77]

Your hop load is still pretty light. I recently did a saison with an ounce each of Mt. Hood, Centennial, Cascade, Citra, and Mosaic, and the hops didn't kill the saison character. It's pretty decently balanced, actually. You could add an ounce of bittering and still taste like a saison.

Yeah I'd 2x your late hop additions if you want them to come through more. It will be relatively subtle @ 1/2 oz each. Nothing wrong with that either, of course... just depends what you're after.

Other than that I agree - drop the carapils.

Looks good!

 

[ericbw]

Your hop load is still pretty light. I recently did a saison with an ounce each of Mt. Hood, Centennial, Cascade, Citra, and Mosaic, and the hops didn't kill the saison character. It's pretty decently balanced, actually. You could add an ounce of bittering and still taste like a saison.

What size batch was this? 5 oz of hops and it didn't overwhelm the yeast?

 

[Mainer]

What size batch was this? 5 oz of hops and it didn't overwhelm the yeast?

This was a 5 gallon batch with Danstar Belle Saison yeast. I made it for a friend's wedding. They wanted something in the vein of, but not a clone of, Foundation Brewing's Wanderlust. The hops are present, but the dominant flavor is the esters from the yeast. (I should mention here that in order to reduce the bittering capacity of the hops, I didn't add any until 30 minutes. I also added a decent dose of acid malt to bring out the fruity esters.)

 

[anotherbeerplease]

Final recipe was:

6lbs Belgian Pilsner
3lbs 2 row
2 lbs flaked wheat
1.5lbs honey (added @ flameout)

Mash 146 1hr20min, 150 10min, 160 10min, sparged w/ 170F water to hit 7.6gal preboil volume

90min boil
0.65oz Colombus 15% aa 60min
1oz Falconer's Flight at flameout (honey also added at this time), whirlpool 15min

Wyeast 3724 Belgian Saison w/ starter

Fermenting hot, pitched at 74F and gonna throw a heater blanket on it tomorrow.

Got 80% brewhouse efficiency, higher than planned. I didn't know what I was doing my first 2 batches, my 3rd batch was 69% efficiency for a 10% DIPA so doesn't really translate. OG 1.070 it will be high abv but should be a nice dry summer sipper!

 

[ericbw]

Saisons often are a little high ABV (6.5, 7, more), so it should be good!