Saison Cottage House Saison

[NuclearRich]

Honestly you're fine. At 40hrs primary ferm is probably halway over. Dont rely on the airlock. Take a gravity measurement. If its very close to OG then maybe you can repitch. I doubt that's going to be the case. Even a less than perfect smack pack will do ya fine. If there is less viable yeast, they may get stressed during primary fermentation and release more funky esters. In thia beers case, its not a Bad thing.

 

[temple240]

Honestly you're fine. At 40hrs primary ferm is probably halway over. Dont rely on the airlock. Take a gravity measurement. If its very close to OG then maybe you can repitch. I doubt that's going to be the case. Even a less than perfect smack pack will do ya fine. If there is less viable yeast, they may get stressed during primary fermentation and release more funky esters. In thia beers case, its not a Bad thing.

I completely agree with this.

 

[studio1one]

I'm still not convinced, this fermentation just hasn't seemed right, It has just never got going properly. I will take a reading when I get back from work but it seems to me like there is no way it has eaten through everything yet.

 

[nickmv]

I took a sample of mine today, and while it's delicious and has more yeast spice to it @76F fermentation (vs 68), that damn lemon and pepper addition have ZERO affect on flavor, I'm convinced.

It's incredibly frustrating, as I love some lemon pepper saison, but just can't seem to get it. I added .5oz of ground black pepper, and .5oz of lemon peel to it @ 5mins left.

 

[temple240]

I took a sample of mine today, and while it's delicious and has more yeast spice to it @76F fermentation (vs 68), that damn lemon and pepper addition have ZERO affect on flavor, I'm convinced.

It's incredibly frustrating, as I love some lemon pepper saison, but just can't seem to get it. I added .5oz of ground black pepper, and .5oz of lemon peel to it @ 5mins left.

I always do adjunct additions at flameout to preserve flavor. Try shaving some lemon peel, soaking it in a little vodka (with pepper if you would like) and adding it to the fermenter. I've never done it so I can't suggest quantities but I bet it gets you the most flavor.

 

[BGBC]

I took a sample of mine today, and while it's delicious and has more yeast spice to it @76F fermentation (vs 68), that damn lemon and pepper addition have ZERO affect on flavor, I'm convinced.

It's incredibly frustrating, as I love some lemon pepper saison, but just can't seem to get it. I added .5oz of ground black pepper, and .5oz of lemon peel to it @ 5mins left.

Not sure how it equates to weight, but we added 1.5 Tbsp of fresh ground pepper @ 5 min to our first brew of this (no lemon peel tho). It ended up being overly peppery, like chewing on peppercorns, but not in a completely bad way...

It's been bottled for about 4 months now and it's starting to mellow out and is much more balanced now. I've actually left out the pepper addition completely from the subsequent versions, just personal preference.

 

[nickmv]

I did about medium grind, and 1.5 Tbsp equated to about .28oz, so I upped it to .5oz.


Next time I may try to use white peppercorns, as they pack much more of a punch.

 

[Nait]

I brewed this exactly to the original recipe and I get no pepper at all. It is still a fabulous brew and I got many rave reviews, but I was personally hoping for that pepper to work with the Sorachi Ace. Thanks for the great recipe!

 

[fumanbrew]

I brewed this exactly to the original recipe and I get no pepper at all. It is still a fabulous brew and I got many rave reviews, but I was personally hoping for that pepper to work with the Sorachi Ace. Thanks for the great recipe!

Did you use store bought ground pepper ot did you grind your own? I used fresh ground black pepper and the pepper definitely comes through! Its still young but very tasty!

 

[NuclearRich]

Did you use store bought ground pepper ot did you grind your own? I used fresh ground black pepper and the pepper definitely comes through! Its still young but very tasty!

+1
I bought peppercorns and fresh ground them this year and the pepper pops almost too much

 

[Nait]

Did you use store bought ground pepper ot did you grind your own? I used fresh ground black pepper and the pepper definitely comes through! Its still young but very tasty!

Fresh ground it right before I dumped it in. Thanks for the feedback. I was thinking of doubling it next time I brew it, but I don't think I'll go quite that much.

 

[BGBC]

We upped our pepper addition to 1.5 Tbsp because we did a PM, partial-boil version of the recipe. I treated pepper utilization similar to hop utilization for the partial boil, and probably overcompensated for it too. Like I said, for me, that was too much pepper flavor, but others who have tasted it have really liked it.

 

[studio1one]

My yeast is definitely a dudder, got another pack on the way. 4 days later and it has gone from 1052 to 1034 and stopped pretty much dead with any action and hardly any krausen, -- going to pitch it again.

 

[BGBC]

My yeast is definitely a dudder, got another pack on the way. 4 days later and it has gone from 1052 to 1034 and stopped pretty much dead with any action and hardly any krausen, -- going to pitch it again.

Look into making a starter next time, rather than pitching directly from the smack pack.

You can calculate your required starter size using various online tools, plus you'll know that your yeasties are in good fighting shape prior to pitching.

 

[studio1one]

yeah, I make a starter from dried yeast but I don't generally bother from the smack packs as they are a starter in themselves.

Ah well, it ain't gone bad, I tasted it, and there is plenty in there for healthy yeast to eat so it should be fine.

 

[BGBC]

yeah, I make a starter from dried yeast but I don't generally bother from the smack packs as they are a starter in themselves.

I believe that typically people recommend making starters for the liquid yeasts and not so much the dry yeast. For one, the cell counts are much lower in liquid yeast vials/packs than the dry yeast packs (100B vs 220B, generally). It's also just less expensive to purchase an additional dry yeast pack, if needed. The smack pack itself won't really increase the cell count from the stated 100B, I think it's just meant to prove that you have viable yeast.

Definitely recommended to rehydrate the dry yeast before pitching though.

 

[NuclearRich]

yeah, I make a starter from dried yeast but I don't generally bother from the smack packs as they are a starter in themselves.

Ah well, it ain't gone bad, I tasted it, and there is plenty in there for healthy yeast to eat so it should be fine.

That's actually the reverse of what you should do. Dried yeast tends to have much higher cell counts and survive better. You should make a starter for smack packs and skip dried yeast starter

 

[NuclearRich]

Doh. Slow typing on the phone. What he said^^^

 

[studio1one]

well you live and learn. I figured that because you activate the yeast in the pack before pitching it there would be no need for a starter, as long as you give it a few hours to reproduce plenty before pitching.

 

[TCGoose]

3 weeks for carbing, one week cold conditioning, and it is supremely good. Used the belle saison yeast and didn't do the pepper addition. Also used all hallertau. Thanks for the recipe!

 

[azscoob]

3 weeks for carbing, one week cold conditioning, and it is supremely good. Used the belle saison yeast and didn't do the pepper addition. Also used all hallertau. Thanks for the recipe!


View attachment 143991

That looks vurrrry nice!

Wish I had one of my beers bout now, sadly relocating across country has put a damper on homebrewing....

 

[Likefully]

I am trying to decide what to brew for my *cough, splatter, look the other way* 40th birthday in December which is mid December. This recipe looks very good.

I am moving towns in October so the earliest I will get a chance to brew is the last weekend of October. I bottle my beers (I don't have keg kit). Will it condition in time or is that pushing it a bit tight with this recipe?

 

[NuclearRich]

So long as you don't have issues with yeast stalling, I would think 2 months is perfect. French Saison yeast is more infamous for that, but just keep your temps up nice and warm if you use it. Belgian saison (whay the recipe calls for) won't give you an issues.

 

[temple240]

So long as you don't have issues with yeast stalling, I would think 2 months is perfect. French Saison yeast is more infamous for that, but just keep your temps up nice and warm if you use it. Belgian saison (whay the recipe calls for) won't give you an issues.

You have your yeasts backwards. French saison (3711) is infamous for being able to ferment your dining room table.

 

[FlyDoctor]

So long as you don't have issues with yeast stalling, I would think 2 months is perfect. French Saison yeast is more infamous for that, but just keep your temps up nice and warm if you use it. Belgian saison (whay the recipe calls for) won't give you an issues.

And the recipe calls for he French saison

 

[Pkrd]

I am trying to decide what to brew for my *cough, splatter, look the other way* 40th birthday in December which is mid December.

Mine came out near 8% abv. Have a great (but short) night!

 

[NuclearRich]

And the recipe calls for he French saison

Hmph. Would you look at that. True story, my bad.

So... keep temps in 70s minimum and ramp up if you can.

 

[bd2xu]

I'm still not convinced, this fermentation just hasn't seemed right, It has just never got going properly. I will take a reading when I get back from work but it seems to me like there is no way it has eaten through everything yet.

What yeast are you using? If wy3724 or wlp565 they are notorious for stalling at 1.035ish and you need to up the temps to the high 80s to low 90s to finish. My 3724 saison took 6 weeks to finish at 90!

My batches with 3711 don't seem to ferment hard but finish very low in a couple weeks.

 

[studio1one]

What yeast are you using? If wy3724 or wlp565 they are notorious for stalling at 1.035ish and you need to up the temps to the high 80s to low 90s to finish. My 3724 saison took 6 weeks to finish at 90!

My batches with 3711 don't seem to ferment hard but finish very low in a couple weeks.

I was using 3711. I made a starter with another smack pack and pitched it into the wort, speed picked right back up. It's been in primary for 2 weeks today, last took a reading last Weds and it was at 1.006 and is still making bubbles, although very slowly now.

All smells and tasted good so I'm a happy brewer now.

 

[Likefully]

Thanks for the replies and comments about the French version Belgian yeasts. I am in South Africa. I have done a quick search and can't find a local stockist of the 3711. I have not inquired, but doubt I can get a yeast posted from Europe or the States to here in an ice pack!

So the alternatives are Danstar or Lallemand Belle Saison (dry yeast, the Belgian Saison). Or WLP670 American Farmhouse Blend?

I would rather go with the dry yeasts. What is the trick to getting a good brew with the Belgian variety?