First brew

[Pozzi]

Hi everyone,

So I am just busy fermenting my first beer, I went AG for my first ever beer. I know, big steps, but I have been wanting to do this for years now, and I was always planing on AG, so may as well start there.

I went for a Saison, because I don't have temp control for my fermentation, and the belle Saison yeast says the optimum temp is between 28c and 32c. I am super anal with the numbers, I mashed in at 68c was supposed to be 65c and my kettle held it at 67c the whole mash, so slightly high. The og of the recipe was 1.054 and I hit 1.065. then I chilled and pitched the yeast in a bucket fermenter. Now after 9 days I'm seeing 1.010 and the air lock is dead. I took a second sample and tasted it, it tastes a bit sour, but still not too unlike warm beer.

I think it finished fermenting 5 days ago already, so my question is... Should I let it condition longer in the primary, or should I bottle it and bottle condition for 3 weeks?

All BIAB brew.

Recipe:

 

[Pozzi]

All the OG and FG measurements were temp corrected. Ground all the grain myself.

 

[brewbama]

good job on the first brew. You’ll get it dialed in after a few brews.

when the FG is the same over a cpl days it’s done. No need to wait any longer to package it. In fact waiting could be counter productive allowing O2 to get to it.

 

[MMX]

Either way will finish it out nicely. Carbonation will change the flavor quite a bit so I wouldn't worry too much about the flavor now.

Personally, I'd bottle and let it condition there.

 

[davidabcd]

I'd bottle it after two weeks, three at the most.

 

[Pozzi]

Ok thanks guys. So rather bottle now than wait for primary conditioning?

 

[Pozzi]

I mean rather bottle now than wait in primary any longer?

 

[davidabcd]

So rather bottle now than wait for primary conditioning?

I would let it sit in the primary (primary conditioning) for a total of two weeks, up to three and then bottle. It sounds like it's finished fermenting now but there is no rush to bottle. Some beers benefit more than others from waiting.

 

[MikeCo]

With some saison strains, the last few gravity points can take a while, and most saisons I have made finish more around 1.005. I would take another gravity reading at the 2 week mark and see if it has changed. As stated above, when the gravity is stable for a few days, it’s ready to be bottled, assuming it is near the expected final gravity. What did your recipe calculator predict for FG?

 

[Pozzi]

Thanks for the replies guys, I'm gonna leave it until Wednesday then, that will be two weeks and check the FG again. MikeCo the recipe said 1.008 should be final.

 

[dwhite60]

I just did a saison using Belle Saison yeast. This without fail goes below 1.005 for me. I've had it go to 1.000.

I'd give it a bit more time. Ten points of gravity plus priming sugar will certainly burst bottles.

Just checked my brew log. Last two times I used this yeast it went to 1.002.

 

[Pozzi]

I just did a saison using Belle Saison yeast. This without fail goes below 1.005 for me. I've had it go to 1.000.

I'd give it a bit more time. Ten points of gravity plus priming sugar will certainly burst bottles.

Just checked my brew log. Last two times I used this yeast it went to 1.002.

Thanks for the info, I will definitely give it some more time. Will report back after a week or so

 

[Pozzi]

So I just checked the FG again today, exactly two weeks after pitching and after correcting for temp I'm sitting at 1.004 or 1.005! Thanks all for the advice, gonna give it a few more days then check again. And it is definitely tasting better!

 

[Pozzi]

Down to 1.002 today... Starting to clear up nicely!

 

[Pozzi]

Had a taste today, wow! What a difference! This is 3 and a half weeks in the primary. I just ordered a bottling bucket because I couldn't find a way to add sugar consistently without one. Hopefully in 3 weeks it tastes even better! Thanks for the input guys!

 

[Pozzi]

My very first brew... Still has a sour aftertaste, but I have realised why. I'm still super excited!! There is a big sour aftertaste, I'm not sure if it was the chlorine sanitiser or anything else?

It has the Belgian funk I love, but it follows with something I don't like. Either way, I'm very excited!!

 

[dwhite60]

I think most of the "sour" taste you're getting is actually lack of sweetness. I find this on all my saisons.

This is what makes them so light and drinkable.

 

[b-boy]

Wow. AG and a Saison for your first beer. Pretty impressive.

 

[wsmith1625]

Congrats! You're off to a great start.

 

[Pozzi]

I think most of the "sour" taste you're getting is actually lack of sweetness. I find this on all my saisons.

This is what makes them so light and drinkable.

Thanks for the info, since then to now I can definitely tell it has mellowed and now that "sour" is definitely more of a dry taste!

I'm brewing my second one on Monday. A cascade pale ale with kviek. Very excited for it!

 

[dwhite60]

Thanks for the info, since then to now I can definitely tell it has mellowed and now that "sour" is definitely more of a dry taste!

I'm brewing my second one on Monday. A cascade pale ale with kviek. Very excited for it!

Hope it works out for you.