Quick and Dirty Saison

[creepyjackalope]

After many scheduling conflicts I was able to get a buddy to come help me bottle batch #1 yesterday. (he only broke 1 bottle!) I thought I'd take advantage of the assistant and brew batch #2. I knew I wanted something light and refreshing after all the heavy/malty winter beers I've been drinking so I settled on a hopped up Saison. I didn't have a ton of time to research/plan a recipe and was gonna be pressed for time on brew day so I ended up not using any specialty grains. For a 5 gallon batch I went with 6 gallons light/pilsner LME and 2 lbs of wheat LME. Did an oz of Cascade at 60, 1/2 oz Cascade at 30 and 15, and oz of Citra at flameout and have another oz of Citra that I want to dry hop with. Ended with an OG of right about 1.060. I pitched with Wyeast 3711. I was a little concerned that 8 hours later I wasn't seeing any action, after what I've read about this yeast, but I awoke this morning to find a nice thick krausen and a steadily bubbling airlock.
Anywho, I wanted to run my recipe past y'all and also ask about dry hopping. I've read that 5-7 days is optimal. Is that 5-7 days before bottling? Can I dry hop in primary or do I need to do a secondary then dry hop? Also, I've read that this yeast is low floccing. Would y'all recommend cold crashing it?
Thanks for listening.

 

[sweetcell]

I ended up not using any specialty grains. For a 5 gallon batch I went with 6 gallons light/pilsner LME and 2 lbs of wheat LME.

you did it right. saisons shouldn't have specialty grains, those unfermentable sugars will only prevent you from making a dry, dry beer. chances are good the extracts contained some small amounts of carapils.

Anywho, I wanted to run my recipe past y'all and also ask about dry hopping. I've read that 5-7 days is optimal. Is that 5-7 days before bottling? Can I dry hop in primary or do I need to do a secondary then dry hop? Also, I've read that this yeast is low floccing. Would y'all recommend cold crashing it?
Thanks for listening.

yes, throw the dry-hops into the fermenter 5-7 days before you want to bottle. you can use a secondary if you want but it's certainly not required, i prefer not to. i dry hop in primary.

cold-crashing the beer for 2-3 days should get the yeast to drop out. not sure where you live, but if it's not freezing where you are you could put the fermenter outside (or in a garage, or anywhere cold that stays above 30*F). if you cold-crash, reduce your dry-hopping time a little - say, 3-4 days dry hopping at ambient, then 2-3 days cold crashing.

if you can't cold crash, you could look into gelatin. i prefer cold crashing - why add stuff to your beer when physics and a little time will do it for you?

 

[creepyjackalope]

Yeesh, just noticed I said 6 gallons of light LME. Should read 6 lbs. Think I'd have made alcoholic pancake syrup otherwise.

 

[sweetcell]

no worries, i knew you meant lbs.