help with partial mash saison

[uniTTy]

trying to put together a partial mash saison. my buddy has his own honey, so trying to incorporate as much of that as possible (1 lb may bee too much though?). any and all feedback / suggestions would be greatly appreciated. thanks

5 gal batch

Mash
1 lb belgian pilsner 2 row
1 lb belgian wheat malt
1 lb flaked wheat

Boil
1.5 lbs dry wheat extract
4.5 lbs extra light dry extract
1 lb honey (flameout)

0.5 oz Sorachi 60 min.
0.5 oz Sorachi 30 min.
0.5 oz Sorachi 5 min.
1.5 oz Sorachi dry hop

WYeast 3711XL French Saison
Wyeast 3724XL Belgian Saison

May do some lemon zest as well

Estimated O.G. 1.075
Estimated ABV: 7.8%

 

[lowtones84]

I think you've got a good idea to start with. For the DME though, if you can find pilsen instead of extra light you could go with that, though I don't think it would make that much of a difference. I might up the 60 min. and 5 min. hops to closer to an ounce, but I've never used Sorachi.

As for the honey, a pound is definitely not too much in my opinion. Instead of putting it in at flameout though, consider just heating up a couple of cups of water to around 90-100 degrees and mixing the honey with that and putting it into your vessel. Especially if it's your friend's honey and you want the character and aroma to come though, I think this approach would be best. As for the lemon zest, your call but I would start without it personally. I've never used the Wyeast saison yeasts myself, but other people will have recommendations for sure.

Good luck!

 

[Piratwolf]

The honey is definitely no problem. I use a pound in my saison each time at flameout. However, as lowtones84 suggested, if it's a really good quality honey I'd add it to the fermenter after it reaches high krausen. I do get very delicate honey notes from the flameout addition, but you may want more.

Are you pitching both strains together? If so, I'd probably do a 2L starter for the 3724 and pitch it alone first... that would set you up for the ester formations others love in that yeast... then get a 1L starter going with the 3711 and time it to pitch when the starter is at high krausen and about 48-60 hours or so into the fermentation... that's when 3724 tends to stick, and 3711 is a beast that can tolerate the alcohol and drive your FG low like you want it for a saison.
If you're trying to decide b/w the two yeasts, then I'd go 3711 for your first saison--much less finicky but also less estery and more "silky" feeling

 

[uniTTy]

thanks guys. do the grain percentages look pretty good?