Check my Saison recipe please?

[luckybeagle]

I'm brewing a 10 gallon batch of Saison using Wyeast 3711 in a few days.

I recently brewed a SMaSH Saison using Pilsner, table sugar, Nugget for bittering, and 3711. It turned out great--nice fruity esters and a dry white wine finish--but was too high in alcohol for daily drinking, so I want to dial it back and also make it a little less 1 dimensional. Here's what I'm thinking:

70% Belgian Pilsner Malt
20% Wheat Malt
5% Victory Malt
5% Table sugar
60 minute bittering hops to 18 IBU (Nugget)
0.75 oz Citra at flameout/whirlpool for a few more IBUs

OG: 1.052
FG: 1.005
ABV: 6.5%
IBU: 21

Pitch at 65 and ferment with Wyeast 3711 French Saison at room temperature (69F to free rise as high as it wants to go). I am definitely dead-set on using this yeast.

Does this recipe look and sound OK? My biggest concern is the combination of Victory in the grist with Citra at flameout. I normally brew Belgians so using Citra and doing a flameout addition are both a little foreign to me. Most of my beers feature Saaz, Styrian, Mittelfruh etc. Trying to broaden my horizons a bit...

I want the higher SRM from using victory and a little more interest than what Pilsner malt brings to the table, but don't want a crazy clash.

Any suggestions or feedback/thoughts/etc on the above?

Many thanks,

 

[thehaze]

Recipe looks fine as it and will certainly make beer. For my personal taste and from experience, both from drinking and brewing Saisons, I would:

- only use Pilsner malt. If you want to bring the colour up, use Vienna malt and make it 50% of the grain bill. The light toasty, biscuity notes from the Vienna malt do work well with hops. Your recipe lacks hops. My non dry hopped Saisons get around 5-6 gr/l hops. You want to use 0.75 oz / 21 grams at flameout for a 10 gallon / 39 liters batch. You will not get a few IBU from throwing 21 grams in 40 liters of wort at flameout.

- up the bitterness to at least 30 IBU and use more hops. Hops are not only for bittering and aroma and flavour, but they do also help with head formation / retention. At only 21 IBUs, your beer might turn out bland and possibly on the maltier side, due to the addition of Victory and lack of IBUs.

- lower the ABV. 6.5% is high for a drinkable, everyday beer. Is also high for a Saison, although commercial examples will tell you otherwise. Around 4.5% is where a drinkable beer would be. But if 6.5% suits you, then that's fine too.

- treat brewing water for a sulfate leaning profile. It's possible to brew with extremely soft, untreated water. I have tasted lots of beers that used soft water and and most of those, are bland - they are not crisp, crunchy, they lack a certain elevation, which is associated with water treatment, etc.

Citra hops work well in almost any style, provided you adjust when and how much to use. In your recipe, the amount you will be using is inoffensive and most likely undetectable. Victory does not belong in that recipe. If you use it, you can determine its impact and decide next time whether it should be again included.

 

[mashpaddled]

This looks a lot like a recipe to produce a saison like St. Feuillien's which is on the sweeter side of the style. Is that what you're after, or if not, what characteristics do you want?

 

[Dog House Brew]

My Saison I have nearly all the time is Pils, wheat, and maize. I'm not one to add much crystal malt. I have tried it a couple times, but I figured out I like mine without. I think your recipe looks fine. Victory might be interesting. You're not using enough to clash with Citra or any hop for that matter. Victory always gives me a biscuity dryness. 3711 for me is pretty neutral Saison yeast. That yeast finishes super low, so I'd watch your bittering charge. I think it is a good choice to see the hop you want. I bitter slightly with Simcoe and use Amarillo and Mandarina at 5min. Think it is about 25-30ibu. Give us your take when it is finished. Sounds good, I haven't had may a Saison I didn't like.

 

[Twinkeelfool]

I brew mine like thehaze. I like Pils and a touch of wheat. For low gravity I don’t use dextrose just a 90 minute mash at very low temp. I also have the same IBU as gravity, or slightly higher, but use low alpha acid noble hops at 60 mins, with a dry hop. And definitely sulphate to promote bitterness

Current one has spelt at 35%, though I honestly can’t pick up much flavour other than an earthiness. I bottle mine in champagne bottles at high carb levels too.