Drunken Farmer Imperial Saison

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KageBrew

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Ok... So I feel bad trying to cheat out a home brew online retailer... But $70 plus shipping is a bit much for an extract kit. I am trying to price out Midwest Supplies Drunken Farmer Imperial Saison. The catch is there is a blend of specialty grain included in the kit.

Does anyone know what grain is in that mix?

Also my LHBS doesn't have Nelson Sauvin or Strisselspalt hops. What would be a good replacement for them?

The kit includes (from what I can tell):
Steeping Grains
9.15# Pilsen Light LME
2# Wheat DME
1# Corn Sugar

2oz Nelson Sauvin Hops
4oz French Aramis Hops
1oz Strisselspalt Hops

(If i recall the kits come with priming mix and bottle caps.)
 
I did this beer some time back, and when I was in the store I asked what the grain blend was. They looked it up and I wrote it down in my brew log. They said it is:

- 8 oz Belgian Cara 20
- 4 oz Belgian Aromatic Malt
 
Can't help you but I do that with most of the recipes that I would use from the big guys. I just have twicked them and made them my own. Big cost difference
 
leave out the steeping grains. Neither of those belong in a saison

Nelson Sauvin - very unique hop, onlything that comes close is hallertau blanc IMO. Anything fruity will be OK though

Strisselspalt - very similar to Aramis, both low aa%, French noble types. Really no point in using both strisselspalt and aramis. pick one
 
Thanks all for the info...
To make things more complicated I want to make a half batch just so I can try it. Is the recipe below right taking in consideration what m00ps said about the hops and grains?

3.66# Pilsen Light DME (Used .8:1 conversion from LME to DME - I will round up to 4#)
1# Wheat DME
1/2# Corn Sugar

1 oz Hallertau Hops
2.5 oz French Aramis Hops (I will round up to 3 oz and dry hop a little more)
 
looks fine to me, but the real question is what yeast you are using
 
looks fine to me, but the real question is what yeast you are using

Ah.... good question. The kit gives the options of Lallemand Belle Saison (Dry), French Saison (Wyeast liquid) or White Labs Saison II.

I was thinking of trying the Wyeast. However I have never used a liquid yeast before... I hope its not to difficult!
 
Personally I would go with Wyeast 3711, it exhibits really high attenuation. A beer with this much fermentables in it needs a beastly yeast in order to dry it out enough. Also be sure to make an appropriate starter; no use in spending all that money on ingredients and then skimping on the yeast.
 
Personally I would go with Wyeast 3711, it exhibits really high attenuation. A beer with this much fermentables in it needs a beastly yeast in order to dry it out enough. Also be sure to make an appropriate starter; no use in spending all that money on ingredients and then skimping on the yeast.

You might have to elaborate on an "appropriate starter". I have never used liquid yeast before.

Sorry but I will need a starter 101 crash course...
 
Belle saison is very similar (but not identical) to 3711, I like them both but prefer Belle Saison.
Eigther one will dry out the beer nicely.
 
You might have to elaborate on an "appropriate starter". I have never used liquid yeast before.

Sorry but I will need a starter 101 crash course...

starters are low OG (1.035ish) tiny batches of beer you pitch the yeast into a few days before bottling so they multiply before you pitch into your big actual batch. They use dry malt extract boiled on the stove usually. Those vials and packs are designed so (as long as the yeast is fresh), it should have enough yeast to ferment a beer up to 1.060 OG or so without issue. Many brewers will make starters regardless though since the starters ensures yeast viability.

Should be some threads around here iwth pics

I'd go with 3711 for a more dry, tart, lemony yeast flavor

White labs Saison II for a more balanced spicy, clove, fruity flavor
 
If you're planning on doing a 1/2 batch of this (2.5 gallons), how much water will you use for your boil?
 
Thanks. I'm considering brewing a 1/2 batch of the recipe you posted here . . so if you boiled the entire 2.5 gallons, you wouldn't top it off at all then I assume?
 
Thanks. I'm considering brewing a 1/2 batch of the recipe you posted here . . so if you boiled the entire 2.5 gallons, you wouldn't top it off at all then I assume?

It depends how far you are off from your 2.5 gal. With boiling for 60 min you will only be down about 1 quart. Do its up to you if you want to add water to get the volume... Or keep the original boil and keep the ABV/gravity.
 
Anone still looking at this thread? I am planning on getting the drunken farmer kit. Was wondering how it is and how it turns out. Does it need a lit of bottle time before drinking? Or bulk aging? I bought some 25 oz bottles just for this beer.
 
Looking forward to it. I'm planning this one even though price is a bit high. But I figured to bottle in the 750ml and at 10 or 11% I'd only have one in a sitting
 
Got the kit a week ago and made it last night. OG was 1.084 which if it finishes at the projected 1.010 makes it about 9.5% wanted it higher but that's the kit ingredients with 5 total gallons of water used. Guess I shoulda added 4.5 first then tested it.
 
Foamed up, changed airlock out with a tube and water vessel for blow off but the dang still blew the bung off three times before it finally calmed down....wow
 
Brewing this right now. Going to chill in the fermenter and then double pitch Danstar belle saison.
 
Was curious what anyone thought...this recipe calls for dry hopping two ounces of hops before bottling. I did one ounce with the IPA I made and I have to say it may be too much for me. I was wondering if I should skip the dry hopping altogether or maybe just use one ounce instead if two. I'd like to follow the recipe completely but I don't want it too bitter/hoppy. I racked this beer to the 2nd last night. It'll remain for 4 weeks. I tasted it and thought it was a bit sour and slightly bitter. So I'm on the fence with the dry hopping
 
I guess it's still a little early, I just wanna keep the thread alive because I'm thinking about brewing this. Any reports, say from hydrometer samples?
 
Racked oday bc I think I saw spots of mold floating in my Secondary. Idk. Pretty concerned. I transferred to a bucket and addedy hops for a final week. Be a total 4 wks in second. gravity was 1.010 giving about 9.5% . Sampled and really can't say that I liked it. So idk...pretty bummed I saw something suspicious in there. I'll see thus week I guess.
 
Bottled today. Sampled a little bit to see what I can say is that I was very worried bc of the mold scare and then when I opened the bucket and racked to bottling bucket the smell...idk. funky might be the right word. Also there was this oily residue I guess on top here and there. I used a spoon to get some off and make the beer at least appear cleaner. I sacrificed a bit more this time around than with other beers ive done. Mainly bc of the dry hop. Left a ton of debris and i tried to avoid it. So I tasted it. Really not what I expected based off smell and look. IT was good. Has this fruitiness to it. Now I'm excited to see what time tells. Can't wait to try it around turkey day.

20161105_201729.jpg
 
Tasted last night. Not bad at all. Kept a head for a long time. Hoppy bitterness at first but then a smooth, fruity flavor. Nice beer I think. A bit heavy. Feel like I couldn't have more than two or three.
 
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