Saison Boulevard Smokestack Series Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale Clone

[The10mmKid]

A recent experience has taught me that the bottle dregs in Saison Brett are quite vibrant and viable.
Didn't even grow them up.
Pour dregs in 5 gallons of Saison. Boom.

Confirmed

All good news. I picked up a 2nd bottle of Saison Brett on your advice. I really want to age one of the bottles . . . if I can resist the temptation.

'da Kid

 

[IslandLizard]

Update on this brew:

FG is 1.012 currently. Looks pretty much done.
Kept at 85°F the last few days to finish out, hopefully knocking another point or 2 off during the coming week.

Warm, uncarbonated sample: Aroma and taste is amazingly juicy, hints of an orange beer mimosa with grapefruit. Good and lingering bitterness balancing the slight sweetness. Not as dry as most Saisons, which is welcome here. Good base to build on. Amarillo and Simcoe are enhancing each other's characteristics nicely, as expected.

Appearance: Yellow and hazy.

 

[GreenDragon]

With the varying recipes I decided to ping Boulevard on Facebook. They were ultra cool! They replied quickly and emailed me the extremely detailed recipe. You'll have to do some conversions from Plato. I asked for permission to post it to this forum and they said that's fine. Here it is:

Malts
Pale Malt - 77.5%
Pregelatinized corn flakes - 20%
Malted Wheat - 2.5%

Mash in at 63 and rest for 50 minutes.
68 - 25 min
73- 15 min
Mash off at 78

We look for a beginning of boil gravity of 15.7 and boil for 70 minutes to target 16.3 at the end of the boil.

Hops
Magnum - 6 IBU at 98 C
Simcoe - 5 IBU at 15
After beginning of boil Amarillo - 15.7 IBU at 5
Before end of boil Amarillo - 10.7 IBU in the whirlpool

We cool the wort to 19C and let it rise to 21C. We ferment at 21 until we reach 7 Plato at which point we temp up to 23 for the remainder of fermentation. Ending Plato is 2.2.

Dry Hopping
Amarillo .089 kg/bbl

The yeast we use for Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale is our house Belgian strain. For homebrewing purposes, we recommend Wyeast 3787 to approximate our house yeast character.

 

[brewski09]

Thx for the info. I think they meant to say the French saison yeast strain (3711?). Trappist yeast doesn't sound right to me.

 

[COBrewMan72]

Thx for the info. I think they meant to say the French saison yeast strain (3711?). Trappist yeast doesn't sound right to me.

I've heard Boulevard uses the Westmalle strain in all of their Smokestack Series beers under varying temptures depending on beer they are brewing

 

[Mofoa]

Got my mash going right now...

 

[arnobg]

Hops
Magnum - 6 IBU at 98 C
Simcoe - 5 IBU at 15
After beginning of boil Amarillo - 15.7 IBU at 5
Before end of boil Amarillo - 10.7 IBU in the whirlpool

Just a thought although I am probably wrong here...two people got this same explanation from Boulevard so maybe it is right.

Could it possibly be that Magnum is added at 98C as the wort is being brought to a 70 minute boil, so before it is boiling then left in for the 70 minute boil? Then Amarillo at start of boil and the Simcoe at 15 minutes left in the 70 minute boil?

 

[Schumed]

Thx for the info. I think they meant to say the French saison yeast strain (3711?). Trappist yeast doesn't sound right to me.

Their Head Brewer has always said if you want to make a good saison don't use a saison yeast

 

[Schumed]

Just a thought although I am probably wrong here...two people got this same explanation from Boulevard so maybe it is right.

Could it possibly be that Magnum is added at 98C as the wort is being brought to a 70 minute boil, so before it is boiling then left in for the 70 minute boil? Then Amarillo at start of boil and the Simcoe at 15 minutes left in the 70 minute boil?

Don't over think it

 

[m00ps]

Their Head Brewer has always said if you want to make a good saison don't use a saison yeast

Damnit, I guess Ive been doing it wrong

 

[Schumed]

Damnit, I guess Ive been doing it wrong

awesome thread

Our club is planning to do a saison experiement...basically make a basic saison and split into 1gallon jugs and ferement with about 8 different strains

thanks for the info

 

[UCChemE05]

awesome thread

Our club is planning to do a saison experiement...basically make a basic saison and split into 1gallon jugs and ferement with about 8 different strains

thanks for the info

Sounds like a fun, tasty experiment I hope you share the results!

 

[bearcamp]

Can someone convert this hopping schedule to oz or grams and times for the 70 min boil for a 5 gallon batch? Thanks


Hops
Magnum - 6 IBU at 98 C
Simcoe - 5 IBU at 15
After beginning of boil Amarillo - 15.7 IBU at 5
Before end of boil Amarillo - 10.7 IBU in the whirlpool

 

[Schumed]

Can someone convert this hopping schedule to oz or grams and times for the 70 min boil for a 5 gallon batch? Thanks


Hops
Magnum - 6 IBU at 98 C
Simcoe - 5 IBU at 15
After beginning of boil Amarillo - 15.7 IBU at 5
Before end of boil Amarillo - 10.7 IBU in the whirlpool

just use some brewing software to match the IBU's...the Amarillo at the end is the most important

I believe I posted my recipe in the thread some where...its a 5 gallon batch

 

[T-roach]

Saw that in some of the recipes provided by boulevard, they suggested wyeast 3787. Has anyone tried that yeast with this clone? If so, were you happy with the results?

 

[goondog]

I brewed this using recipe from OP about 4wks ago.
In primary at 78F used WL 530 (abbey similar to 3787). Used a 2l starter and had a blowout from my 8.6G speidel fermenter!
3 gallon head space was not enough.
80% attenuation 1074 to 1014
I did taste it last night and the 530 really shined fruit and peppery finish.
I also altered the dry hop with mosaic instead of amarillo so should be a fruit forward ale.
Planning the cold crash for a week after another 5days dryhopping.
fingers crossed should be a good one!

 

[nubrun]

I brewed this using recipe from OP about 4wks ago.
In primary at 78F used WL 530 (abbey similar to 3787). Used a 2l starter and had a blowout from my 8.6G speidel fermenter!
3 gallon head space was not enough.
80% attenuation 1074 to 1014
I did taste it last night and the 530 really shined fruit and peppery finish.
I also altered the dry hop with mosaic instead of amarillo so should be a fruit forward ale.
Planning the cold crash for a week after another 5days dryhopping.
fingers crossed should be a good one!

You're advice on the blowout saved me. I almost didn't hook up a blow-off tube to my bucket, but have a speidel as well I can appreciate how agressive the yeast (3787) must be to have a blowout. I had Krausen pouring out of the tube within 6 hours.

I hit a similar OG of 1074, so we will see how well 3787 attenuates. But it smells great.

 

[m00ps]

Saw that in some of the recipes provided by boulevard, they suggested wyeast 3787. Has anyone tried that yeast with this clone? If so, were you happy with the results?

IMO, there is no way that is going to result in anything close to Tank 7.

A spot on clone may be near impossible to pull off. The story behind the beer is something about a "black sheep" of a fermentor (#7) which they though was giving them issues from some sort of contamination. So I think the story goes they liked the saison they made in it, and just kept using that fermentor since.

 

[Schumed]

IMO, there is no way that is going to result in anything close to Tank 7.

A spot on clone may be near impossible to pull off. The story behind the beer is something about a "black sheep" of a fermentor (#7) which they though was giving them issues from some sort of contamination. So I think the story goes they liked the saison they made in it, and just kept using that fermentor since.

Actually it comes really close...go on the warm side for temp control like you would a saison

 

[goondog]

here's the blowout with WL 530 yeast. The pics were after an initial blowout after clean up and a second eruption on day 3-4!
I wonder how much yeast i lost in the krausen ?

 

[buzzman003]

awesome thread

Our club is planning to do a saison experiement...basically make a basic saison and split into 1gallon jugs and ferement with about 8 different strains

thanks for the info

Thank you. I thought it was good idea too. =). I'm very interested in this as I think the yeast makes all the difference. Keep us updated.

Buzz

 

[GreenDragon]

Update: I used the official recipe I received from Boulevard back on page 28. I bottled about 2 months ago and holy cow is it good right now!

 

[arnobg]

Update: I used the official recipe I received from Boulevard back on page 28. I bottled about 2 months ago and holy cow is it good right now!

How does it compare to the real Tank 7? Details please!

 

[GreenDragon]

Taste wise it's pretty darn close. The real stuff has more of that farmhouse "twang" to it than mine does but they are both extremely good. Color wise it's off by a bit. The real stuff is "golden" colored while mine is yellow-gold if that makes sense. I'll try to post some pics tonight.

 

[GreenDragon]

If anyone needs them here are my epic notes from the brew session:

 

[OhioClone]

GreenDragon: Thanks for the info, but I am curious if the hop schedule as posted on page 28 is a little confusing:

Original:
"Hops
Magnum - 6 IBU at 98 C
Simcoe - 5 IBU at 15
After beginning of boil Amarillo - 15.7 IBU at 5
Before end of boil Amarillo - 10.7 IBU in the whirlpool"

The whole "After beginning of boil"...line did not make much sense to me as written...so I am wondering if it shouldn't be interpreted as:

Modified to remove some odd line breaks:
Hops
Magnum - 6 IBU at 98 C
Simcoe - 5 IBU at 15 min after beginning of boil
Amarillo - 15.7 IBU at 5 before end of boil
Amarillo - 10.7 IBU in the whirlpool

Does this seem to make more sense? It does to me at any rate, even tho it is still a bit funky way to list the hop time as "x min after beginning of boil".

Either way if your version is good...then that is awesome...but I may try this modified hop schedule soon.

 

[THVbrew]

I have always enjoyed this beer and plan on brewing it in a month when I return from Europe.

Anyway, what type of Pale Base Malt is everyone using for this?
I haven’t decided on the yeast yet, either 3726 or 3787, but I know I want to split a 5 gallon batch in half and do half with Brett. In order to do this, would I just wait until the 5 gallons is done fermenting and after I bottle half add the Brett to the other half that still remains in the original fermenter? Should I rack half to a secondary and then add the Brett? When should I add the Brett and what should I use? Can I use the dregs from a bottle of the Brett Saison?

Any help or links anyone can direct me to would be great. I’ve never used Brett before.

Cheers!

 

[THVbrew]

anyone?

 

[Schumed]

I have always enjoyed this beer and plan on brewing it in a month when I return from Europe.

Anyway, what type of Pale Base Malt is everyone using for this?
I haven’t decided on the yeast yet, either 3726 or 3787, but I know I want to split a 5 gallon batch in half and do half with Brett. In order to do this, would I just wait until the 5 gallons is done fermenting and after I bottle half add the Brett to the other half that still remains in the original fermenter? Should I rack half to a secondary and then add the Brett? When should I add the Brett and what should I use? Can I use the dregs from a bottle of the Brett Saison?

Any help or links anyone can direct me to would be great. I’ve never used Brett before.

Cheers!

Any base 2 row pale malt should do...I personally can't tell a difference...this beer is all about the hops and yeast anyways

For Brett yes on saison brett dregs... they are awesome and one bottle should do it too. Boulevard adds brett at bottling and bottle conditions the bottles with the brett...that's why sometimes you get crazy carbonated bottles....I like adding brett once primary fermentation gets under 1.020...leaves brett with a lot of sugar to eat away. adding to secondary is your best bet

 

[burninator]

Any base 2 row pale malt should do...I personally can't tell a difference...this beer is all about the hops and yeast anyways

For Brett yes on saison brett dregs... they are awesome and one bottle should do it too. Boulevard adds brett at bottling and bottle conditions the bottles with the brett...that's why sometimes you get crazy carbonated bottles....I like adding brett once primary fermentation gets under 1.020...leaves brett with a lot of sugar to eat away. adding to secondary is your best bet

They've told me they add wine yeast at bottling, but the brett should be viable enough for secondary.