I Need Help Choosing Specialty Grains For A Saison...

[grainstoglass]

I am a novice extract brewer trying to formulate a saison recipe. I am wondering what if any specialty grains to use. Are their some standard specialty grains used in saison that I should be gravitating towards? I plan on using Pilsen DME and hopping to around 30 IBU, but could definitely use some advice as this will be my first time brewing a saison.

 

[Oscbert]

Here is an award winning recipe.

7.7 lb Pilsner LME
1 lb Cane Sugar
.75 lb Wheat LME
.5 lb Munich LME

2.0 oz Caramunich 60L

1.7 oz Hallertau 4% AA 60 min
.75 oz Hallertau 4% AA 0 min


Since you have to buy LME in bulk it seems like a waste to purchase the Wheat and Munich LME to just use such a small amount.

Do you know how to partial mash?

 

[giligson]

If you want to make it easy on yourself then just use the Pilsen extract and the right yeast and ferment conditions. You can improve the profile a little bit by adding a certain proportion of wheat malt too (say 30%)

 

[dcp27]

you could add a lil munich, wheat, or rye, but they all need to be mashed to get the full potential out of them. pils extract, sugar & wyeast 3711 will make a pretty solid saison tho

 

[grainstoglass]

you could add a lil munich, wheat, or rye, but they all need to be mashed to get the full potential out of them. pils extract, sugar & wyeast 3711 will make a pretty solid saison tho

I was already planning on using wyeast 3711 as I have read many good reviews on here, but its nice to hear more positive feedback about that yeast before trying it for the first time.

 

[grainstoglass]

First of all thanks for all the responses. I really appreciate it. But now I have more questions...

A few of the responses mention adding wheat malt, what exactly will the wheat malt do for me in terms of flavor and or body?

How will it effect the profile?

I haven't brewed with wheat yet and I guess I'm just wondering if its worth the partial mash for the flavor and or profile contributions.

 

[dcp27]

this should help you understand the profiles of different grains: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/ingredient-guides-redux-107308/

it depends how much wheat you add. a small amount wont add much to the flavor, but it'll improve head retention.

 

[bambam190]

Add 1/2 oz crushed corriander to your 60 hop bag, it adds a nice little flavor

 

[Calder]

I've tried 3711 several times and it is not my favorite. It ferments well at lower temps, and dries the beer out, but I think other's have more flavor, but take a bit more work. Certainly 3711 is easy to use.

Wheat will help with head retention, but not necessary. You might want to steep a half pound of light crystal (10L or 20L).

Any spice addition should be understated (low amount). Personally, I think you should leave it out and let the yeast provide the flavor. Keep it simple; traditional Saisons are just farmhouse ales, and should be simple. The farms brewed them with whatever they had on hand, so the style is wide open - the yeast is the key.

 

[scrambledegg81]

Got AHS's Summer Saison ready to be bottled tomorrow, and going off the initial pre-bottle FG check/tasting, this is a knockout:

4 lb. each pale & wheat LME
1/2 lb. each Belgian Pilsner malt, white wheat, flaked wheat & aromatic malt
2 oz. Tradition @ 60 min.
1/2 oz. crushed Seeds of Paradise & 2 tbsp. fresh lemon zest @ 15 min.
1 oz. Hersbrucker @ 5 min.

Pitched WL568 Belgian Saison @ OG 1.062 (listed at 1.065, but meh...)

Can't wait to see how this turns out in the next few weeks.

 

[Calder]

1/2 oz. crushed Seeds of Paradise

That's a lot. I might use a gram occasionally.

 

[scrambledegg81]

That's a lot. I might use a gram occasionally.

Just based off AHS's recipe...tasted fantastic just before bottling.

 

[grainstoglass]

Okay so after reading everyone's great advice, I ended up brewing this weekend. I didn't end up using any wheat this time around as I didn't have any on hand but I am pretty happy with how things turned out so far. The fermenting wort smells amazing. I went with straight pilsner malt and my original gravity was 1.055. I ended up using Wyeast 3711 and hopped with cascade and amarillo hops shooting for between 25 and 30 IBU.