Saison BBD Saison Furtif

[zaphro]

Checked today. It has slowed down a lot. We are now at about 1.025. It is sitting in the high seventies so I am hoping that helps. Just want this to finish. Working in the garden today and all I had to drink after was a few PBRs. Not bad, but not good either.

 

[David8464]

Mine only took a little under 4 weeks to get down to the 1.000 level before I racked it into a secondary. It fermented the first week in the 75-78ish range and at the end of the first week when fermentation had slowed, I added the extra sugar and it kicked back up for about another week. The last two weeks it settled around 72-75ish and finished out.

I usually keep my house in the low 70's this time of year so I just left it at ambient without any other heating/cooling sources and let the yeast do it's thing.

Oh I forgot to add, I made a starter that was a little under 2L, decanted, and pitched. That probably helped it get going and made it easier to finish out so low.

 

[pwndabear]

I am going to brew this again once things warm up a tad bit more here, 11 gallon batch this time around. I dont want the ferment to get high in the 80s like it did last time and I am only going to add a lb of sugar for the whole 11 gal batch; I feel this beer turned into rocket fuel later on with too much fusel flavors.

With a bit of temp control (by temp control, I mean keeping it in the mid 70's range), I think this might turn out a little cleaner.

Since I am doing 11 gallons, I plan on splitting the batch in half and doing one like stated above and the other... i am going to attempt to sour it.

o.m.g. could you imagine this beer with a sour tinge to it? epic.

 

[zaphro]

Tried my first bottle tonight. Could use a little more carbonation and could be a little drier, but by far my best batch. Will for sure be brewing again. Even made the lady tell me I should brew for our wedding.

 

[kje]

I need some help!

I made the original recipe, except I pitched two vials of WLP565 (no time to wait for a online order of 3711). OG was around 1.060, ambient temp is 82. Fermentation slowed after only 3 days, so I pulled a sample and it measured 1.010. I added the sugar the next day. The yeast chewed through the sugar in a day; now I'm getting very slow airlock activity (day 7), but I haven't checked gravity since day 3.

If I let this go for 3-4 weeks, will the yeast still be up for some priming sugar? Or should I add some 001 or dry champagne yeast at some point? (I'm not planning on racking to secondary). When would I add that yeast?

Anyone else had such fast fermentation?

Thanks

 

[ChshreCat]

You would have to leave it for months before having any worries at all about not having yeast for priming.

 

[beerandloathinginaustin]

Yep, you're good to go. You had a great experience with 565! Enjoy!

 

[kje]

Thanks for the quick replies. I took a sample; it's down to 1.008 and tasty. I'll give it a few weeks for the yeast to do the rest of their thing...

 

[pwortiz]

Hey ChshreCat, on the grain bill we have:
4.50 lb Pale Liquid Extract [Boil for 5 min] Extract 33.33 %
5.00 lb Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 37.04 %
2.00 lb Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 14.81 %
1.00 lb Wheat Malt, Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 7.41 %

For the WHEAT Malt.....is that white wheat? Red? Weyermann? For some reason I'm always having trouble distinguishing the right kinds of wheat for my beers.

 

[ChshreCat]

From my LHBS... "Northwest soft white malted wheat"

 

[pwortiz]

From my LHBS... "Northwest soft white malted wheat"

Awesome. Thanks! Will be heading to LHBS at lunch for brewing tomorrow!

 

[starrfish]

I've used red with great results... I
need to do another full strength soon, been too long!

My LITE version took a 4th place at a small local competition a few months back.

 

[bolus14]

Slight thread revival.

Looking to brew the extract of this in a week or two, but have one question. What are your thoughts on swapping out the crystal 20L with Belgian aromatic? I already have the aromatic and have no plans for it so I was thinking it may work in this.

6lbs Light dry malt extract
1lb wheat dry malt extract
1lb sugar (table, light belgian candy sugar or corn sugar) With out some of the other malts I would suggest a light belgian candy sugar for xtra flavor.
1 lb 20 lvb crystal malt steeped - swap with Aromatic
1/3 lb 80 lvb crystal steeped

needed the extra 1/3 lb 80 lvb crystal to get srm back up.
specs:

OG: 1.067
FG:1.017
IBU:25
SRM:8
ABV:6.5%ing it may work in this.

 

[ChshreCat]

Slight thread revival.

Looking to brew the extract of this in a week or two, but have one question. What are your thoughts on swapping out the crystal 20L with Belgian aromatic? I already have the aromatic and have no plans for it so I was thinking it may work in this.

6lbs Light dry malt extract
1lb wheat dry malt extract
1lb sugar (table, light belgian candy sugar or corn sugar) With out some of the other malts I would suggest a light belgian candy sugar for xtra flavor.
1 lb 20 lvb crystal malt steeped - swap with Aromatic
1/3 lb 80 lvb crystal steeped

needed the extra 1/3 lb 80 lvb crystal to get srm back up.
specs:

OG: 1.067
FG:1.017
IBU:25
SRM:8
ABV:6.5%ing it may work in this.

It'll change the beer a little bit, but not in a bad way I think.

btw... your username... 14 grams per unit?

 

[bolus14]

Great, looks like I've got my next batch set then.

As far as my username... Its actually a high school nickname that just "stuck," pun intended. 14 was the number I wore for basketball and baseball, so not quite 14g per unit

 

[ChshreCat]

Great, looks like I've got my next batch set then.

As far as my username... Its actually a high school nickname that just "stuck," pun intended. 14 was the number I wore for basketball and baseball, so not quite 14g per unit

Ahh. I was just curious because my wife uses an insulin pump and when she has it send an extra dose of insulin to counteract the carbs from something she eats, that's called a "bolus".

 

[bolus14]

Right. It was a joke when a friend said it but for some god forsaken reason it stayed with me and still to this day, 14 years after high school,friends still call me it.

 

[bolus14]

Brewed the extract version yesterday with my noted modifications. The hydro sample was the best tasting sample of my first 5 brews, I can't wait for this one.

I'm just hoping the yeast doesnt give any clove taste to it, in a spicy manner would be ok I just don't want clove. I really want the citrusy like flavor of the hydro.

My OG was 1.072, a little higher than I wanted or expected. If the yeast chews this down to 05 - 01 then this will end up being around 8%. I would've liked something a little more sessionable, but not complaining.

 

[ChshreCat]

I've never noticed any clove flavor in mine. Just very citrusy with a little spice and funk to it. The citrus aspect actually reminds me of Fresca, actually. In a good way.

 

[bolus14]

Good to hear, I'm really hoping mine comes out the same.

The water from my starter had a little clove taste to it. Maybe a difference between WY3711 and WLP566?

 

[bolus14]

Checked the gravity today, day 13, and its at 1.011. The hydro sample was very cloudy still too so still plent of yeast floating, hopefully doing there thing. Smell is thankfully citrusy, I would say sweet orange and lemony like citrus, not grapefruit-ish. Taste is great I can't wait to bottle and get some carbonation in this!!!!! Has the citrus of the smell and the Belgian funk, almost Brett like.

I'm planning for two more weeks in the primary and then if OG and clarity looks good i will bottle. If OG is still above 03 or 04 I might give it an extra week. If OG is good and clarity isn't good then I will transfer to secondary and keep the secondary on the floor in my basement. Floor temp is pretty cold this tome of year probably 50 - 55 ish so it'll be close to cold crashing it. Then I will bottle and wait till week of July 4th.

If this ends up tasting as good as I'm hoping it will become my "haus" brew, with some modifications for each season. Any input for chnges to make this an autum, winter, and spring brew would be greatly appreciated.

I'll update again once its bottled and carbed.

 

[bolus14]

At day 21 now and FG has been at 1.005 for two days now. I think I'm going to bottle in the next couple days. That'll give it 4 weeks in the bottle before July 4th weekend!!!

4 weeks will be plenty of time for carbing and a small amount of conditioning time.

Any thoughts? I'm just questioning whether I should give it another week before bottling. I like the dryness where it's at right now. I'm not a big fan of "bone" dry beers, or wines for that matter.

 

[ChshreCat]

At day 21 now and FG has been at 1.005 for two days now. I think I'm going to bottle in the next couple days. That'll give it 4 weeks in the bottle before July 4th weekend!!!

4 weeks will be plenty of time for carbing and a small amount of conditioning time.

Any thoughts? I'm just questioning whether I should give it another week before bottling. I like the dryness where it's at right now. I'm not a big fan of "bone" dry beers, or wines for that matter.

Well, bottling it isn't going to stop that. If the yeast is going to take it down further it's going to do it in whether it's in the carboy or in the bottle. It's close enough that you're not going to get bottle bombs or anything though. They just might get a little dryer and fizzier as time goes by.

Might be a little young after just a month in the bottle. Drinkable, but it won't be at it's best until sometime in August, I'd say.

 

[bolus14]

Thanks for the info, after my last post I thought more about it and figured the yeast would still keep bringing it down in the bottle. If it ends up drier the taste will still be excellent from what i can tell right now. The hydro sample was still pretty cloudy, should it be at this point?

What if I dropped the temp of the fermenter down to 55 - 60 for a week. Is it possible that would get the yeast to drop out do to the cooler temp?

I was afraid it would be a little green for July 4th. I'm only planning to break out maybe 12 bottles for then, might not need that many as Im planning to open a 7 month old Sam Adams Griffins Bow and either a 7 month old Ommegang Three Philosophers or Art of Darkness.

 

[ChshreCat]

Thanks for the info, after my last post I thought more about it and figured the yeast would still keep bringing it down in the bottle. If it ends up drier the taste will still be excellent from what i can tell right now. The hydro sample was still pretty cloudy, should it be at this point?

The wheat will make it a bit cloudy. That's just how the beer is.

 

[bolus14]

Ok. Most of the commercials saisons I've had have been pretty clear, that's why I was asking. Makes sense that the wheat will make it cloudy.

After some thought on "cold crashing" before bottlong, I don't think it'll keep the FG where its at. Once I bottle and bring the temps up to mid 70's to carb them the yeast would end up drying it out in the bottle.

 

[bolus14]

Bottled 'er up tonight and at this point WOW!!!! Hydro has been 1.002 for two days so it can't drop much more in the bottle, if it does at all.
It still is maintaining the citrus and doesn't seem to be "drying out." We'll see if the carbonation makes it feel drier, but i really hope not.

I picked up a couple of saisons to compare it too, and because I've just been wanting to drink the style for a while now. I got Victory Swing and Ommegang Hennepin. I've had Hennepin many times before, many say it's a good one to compare others to. Victory Swing is extremely dry in the finish, lacks much Belgian characterstics, and just lacks anything that would want me to buy it again. I felt the same about their Tripel so to me the Belgian stuff just isn't their thing. Prima Pils is a staple for Pilsner and their Stout isn't bad at all either, their Belgians are just lacking and if I had to guess they're not using Belgian yeast.

At this point unless this changes drastically with carbonation and time, I think it may be a favorite of mine.

 

[ChshreCat]

At this point unless this changes drastically with carbonation and time, I think it may be a favorite of mine.

It is mine. My absolute favorite beer, period, homebrew or commercial.

 

[bolus14]

Ok criticize me all you want but after a week in the bottle and 24 hrs in the fridge I popped one open.

Going to be tough to not open these before our July 4th party. Its still a little hot/green but still better than all the commercial saisons I've tried. I think the ABV will definitely sneak up on anybody that doesn't know this is at or just over 8%. The file with my notes got corrupted so I can't look up what my OG was.

I'd like to try this recipe with some rye for the fall or possibly put it in the secondary with some cinnamon and nutmeg. I just wonder if the citrus notes and those spices will mesh well, my initially thoughts are they won't so...

Cat thanks a ton for this recipe, will definitely brew again, next time will be AG since I just bought equipment to do BIAB.

 

[TheChompin1]

Brewed the extract version last night and hit 1.060. I probably should have done a better job with steeping to get more sugars but it is what it is now. I followed the recipe to the T and it will be fermenting in an 80 to 85 degree room. Looking forward to the finished product in a couple months!
One question: Do I keep secondary temps in the 80s or do I take it down to 65-70? Thanks for the great recipe!