Fredericksburg Peach Saison

[zgardener]

We got some free peaches at work as a gift from a vendor, so I figured I'd put them to good use. I'm going to make a nice, dry, refreshing saison.
I've never made one before, but here's my recipe. Any of you seasoned saison veterans, your comments would be appreciated!

9.5# German Pils
12 oz Red Wheat
8 oz Munich Light
10 oz Aromatic

.5 oz Sterling (7.2% AA) 60 min
.75 oz Sterling (7.2% AA) 20 min
.75 oz Sterling (7.2% AA) 15 min

Mash at 146 for 90 min
1.2 qt/lb

Pitch 2L starter of WLP 565 AND one vial of WLP568 (want to get it nice and dry with a complex yeast character)

Ferment for 2 weeks around 75F, then rack onto 1.3# of fresh peaches that have been frozen then stewed down on the stove and cooled. I'll add pectic enzyme as I rack from primary onto the peach puree as well as champagne yeast to finish out.

When done, I'll keg and carb to 3.1 volumes of CO2.

Shooting for final gravity of below 1.010.

 

[smellysell]

Sounds tasty!

I would get rid of the aromatic and you probably won't need the champagne yeast. Racking onto the peaches will probably kick up another strong fermentation, and you'll end up with a super dry, delicious saison.

 

[zgardener]

I'm mainly using the aromatic to give me some color, JZ suggested using some crystal on his Saison show on the BN, I just dont want to use anything that will give me a whole lot of residual sugar...
Suggestions?

UPDATE** Forgot about CaraMunich! I'll get rid of the Aromatic up the Pils to 10# to maintain roughly the same amount of fermentables, and throw in 3 oz of CaraMunich, gives me exactly the color I'm looking for, with a good est. starting gravity, plus the slight caramel flavors will compliment the peaches.

 

[smellysell]

I just think of "malty" when I think of aromatic, which isn't what I want in a saison. CaraMunich should work for your color, I'm actually brewing one right now with some caravienne. I've never used a crystal malt in a saison before, so we'll see. I usually just go with pils and either rye/wheat/oats/spelt/etc.