Lowish ABV Saison - IBUs?

[mashdar]

Any opinions re target IBUs for the following?

• OG = 1.039
• FB = 1.004~
• ABV = 4.6
• Grain bill: 8 lbs pale, 1 lb flaked wheat
• Hops: ~2oz Sterling, timing tbd
• Yeast: wyeast 3724

I see a lot of talk of max saison BU:GU of 0.5, but 19.5 IBU just seems a bit low. Since I'm out of typical gravity range, I'm wondering how applicable that is.

If anyone has an opinion, I'd love to hear it.

(edit: added weight of hops; I have a 2oz pack of sterling to use)

 

[DBhomebrew]

Have you looked into grisettes? Saison's miner (and minor?) cousin, more restrained in flavor and ABV. Like a lawnmower beer version of saison.

 

[mashdar]

Have you looked into grisettes? Saison's miner (and minor?) cousin, more restrained in flavor and ABV. Like a lawnmower beer version of saison.

I was not familiar. Thanks!

I need to do some more reading, but these do seem to be exactly what I was after.

 

[DBhomebrew]

This is what I based mine on. Don't miss part II.

http://www.horscategoriebrewing.com/2015/10/what-is-grisette.html?m=1

 

[whattabrau]

A 1.040 saison with pilsner+wheat is pretty much my staple quaffing beer. I don't generally like hoppy beers, but with low-to-med alpha hops, e.g. saaz mittelfrueh EKG, at 30-60min I can easily push over 30 IBUs and the end result isn't ew-bitter. I don't have experience with your yeast, though; I use BE-134 or whatever mine has mutated into pushing 20 generations of top-cropped open fermentation and the contributions from the occasional fruit fly. That said, it's not bad with lower IBUs either because there's not much residual sweetness you need to balance, so it's more of a question of how much hop character you want.

 

[mashdar]

A 1.040 saison with pilsner+wheat is pretty much my staple quaffing beer. I don't generally like hoppy beers, but with low-to-med alpha hops, e.g. saaz mittelfrueh EKG, at 30-60min I can easily push over 30 IBUs and the end result isn't ew-bitter. I don't have experience with your yeast, though; I use BE-134 or whatever mine has mutated into pushing 20 generations of top-cropped open fermentation and the contributions from the occasional fruit fly. That said, it's not bad with lower IBUs either because there's not much residual sweetness you need to balance, so it's more of a question of how much hop character you want.

I'm intrigued.

If open fermenting, do you transfer as krausen goes down?

Do you brew it year round? Or what do you do for longer term storage of the culture?

 

[whattabrau]

If open fermenting, do you transfer as krausen goes down?

No, I put the lid on latest when fermentation starts slowing down, but usually after I'm done harvesting yeast (~24h post-pitch). I do a closed transfer to a fermentation-dry-purged keg with priming sugar when fermentation is "done" in a ~week, and condition for a month or three. That said, for pale saisons there's no oxidation problem in doing an open transfer through the diptube and spunding to get rid of the headspace O2 (if someone claims otherwise, ask them if they've tried it). I wouldn't do the diastatic part of the fermentation with several months on the yeast cake, because it negatively affects head retention (BTDT).

Do you brew it year round? Or what do you do for longer term storage of the culture?

I take a winter break, which for saisons can be 8 months or so. I store the yeast in a jar in the fridge. Top-cropped yeast is healthy and keeps well, so it has no problems lasting extended periods. A full starter after an extended break is not a bad idea. Also, you need to "burp" the jar at least for the first few months, since a diastatic yeast may keep on fermenting very slowly even at fridge temperatures.

Bonus: when you use the harvested yeast, decant the liquid and drink it. It's [usually but depending on the yeast] a slightly hoppier and less malty version of the beer itself -- not the best, but enjoyable enough.

 

[Early8]

FWIW, I make a small saison with an OG of about 1.034 that finishes around 1.007. It is mostly pilsner with about 6% each Munich and Wheat malt. I turn the hops up into the low 30s but find the recipe works well into the higher 40s. After bittering I use a Saaz, Tettnang, and Hallertau Mittlefrueh. I always have this one on tap enjoy it year round.

 

[elproducto]

I do a table saison, 3-4% ABV and I do upwards of 40ibus. Large amounts of super low alpha hops (Strisselspalt).

I find these beers really take the BU's well.