To my tastes there is no better beer than Saison. Fruity background, rich malt and hops. All of the qualities we expect from Belgian beer. I can't brew enough of the stuff.
Silver medal.
Silver medal.
Man! I Love Saison!
- Thread starter sudbuster
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
Gus_13
Cul de Sac Brewer
By far my favorite style to both drink and brew. I'm just now drink inning my Minneola Saison and it's perfect now that the weather is warming.
Santé!
Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew
Santé!
Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew
OP
OP
where I am, my brewing season is about over and will not begin again until October. The temps here in AR just get too hot, not to mention the terrible humidity which propagates all manner of anti beer friendly organisms. I guess you could say I have to brew as the Germans did in times past. Any way there is 10 gal. of young Saison coming on. 
where I am, my brewing season is about over and will not begin again until October. The temps here in AR just get too hot, not to mention the terrible humidity which propagates all manner of anti beer friendly organisms. I guess you could say I have to brew as the Germans did in times past. Any way there is 10 gal. of young Saison coming on.
That is perfect Saison brewing weather imo. I don't get my best saison's until I hit summer and am able to let the fermentation free rise into the 90's. Particularly WY 3711 seems to really develop the higher I let it go. Don't be afraid to experiment with Belgian yeast in the summer.
CorwinGraves
Well-Known Member
I'd like to brew one of these this summer. Care to share a favorite recipe?
this is one of my favorites.
http://blog.stonebrew.com/index.php/dogfish-head-victory-stone-saison-du-buff-homebrew-recipe/
troy2000
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2013
- Messages
- 1,057
- Reaction score
- 484
rockbasementbeer
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2013
- Messages
- 700
- Reaction score
- 255
I've been thinking of brewing a Saison soon myself. What is everyone's preferred yeast? I've used WLP565 and Wyeast 3711, both of which worked well for me. I may try the Belle Saison dry yeast this time to see how that works out
i love 3711. That thing is powerful.
troy2000
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2013
- Messages
- 1,057
- Reaction score
- 484
I'm right across the river from Arizona, and my problem isn't brewing a saison; it's trying to find somewhere cool to bottle condition it during the summer. I stay in a motor home here while I'm working, and you know what ovens they turn into if you don't have an AC running....
But I think I just solved that problem this weekend, by picking up a free fridge that can hold at least four cases. Maybe five, if I'm lucky. I'm scrubbing it out today, and getting ready to set it up in the shade. I also ordered an STC-1000 temp controller for it, since the highest setting on its thermostat is more appropriate for lagering....
troy2000
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2013
- Messages
- 1,057
- Reaction score
- 484
I use the Belle Saison yeast, and I've been very happy with it so far. Per the instructions I rehydrate strictly in water, without adding nutrients or wort. And I make sure there isn't a big temperature differential between it and the wort before pitching, to avoid thermal shock.
I usually finish brewing in the evening, and the yeast is roaring by next morning.
Daphne-weizen
Well-Known Member
Troy, I know what you mean about the oven like temps here. Are you near Parker AZ? The cold water here is already starting to get hot and will probably be that way until September or October, which is why I won't bother with a wort chiller. I bottled my Saison du vin last week and will be ready to go in a couple of weeks. I've never had saison before but I thought the description(from Northern Brewer) sounded really good.
Sudbuster, what kind of cheese is that in the photo? Pepperjack?
Sudbuster, what kind of cheese is that in the photo? Pepperjack?
Austin_
Well-Known Member
I prefer WLP585 Saison III. Easier than the Dupont strains sold and way more flavor than 3711/Belle Saison.
lousbrews
Well-Known Member
Going on my third batch using the wallonian farmhouse. That thing is beast. My second is 3726 if you can keep the temps right!
I just made a saison using the Belle and though I'm new to saisons and it's the only yeast of that type I've used I'm a fan. I didn't have a way to up the temps like these types of yeast tend to like so mine fermented at 70 give or take a couple degrees and it had no trouble finishing and made a tasty beer!
I plan on trying again in the future with higher temps so I can see what the Belle does differently when warmer.
Austin_
Well-Known Member
I just started my second batch with that yeast the other day. I've been impressed so far.
troy2000
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2013
- Messages
- 1,057
- Reaction score
- 484
You were close, Daphne. I'm in Blythe, about an hour's drive down-river.
I have an unfair advantage: I have access to unlimited ice where I work, and I brew in our company outdoor kitchen. So I hook up a pre-chiller between the sink faucet and my chiller, and immerse it in a pot of ice water. Between doing that and floating my brew kettle in a sink of ice water, I can take a 5 gal batch down to 70 degrees in about 12 minutes...
My first batch of homebrew was last year from a dusty, out-of-date Mr. Beer kit marked down 50% at Kmart. My second was half Mr. Beer's Farmhouse Ale seasonal (basically a saison) with Belle Saison yeast, and half grain. I went from there to all-grain, ordered in a pile of Belle Saison yeast, and I've been brewing saisons ever since. I love 'em with a passion that I generally reserve for representatives of the fair sex...
But my last batch was a departure. I wanted something light for a summertime thirst quencher, so I did a petite saison. It's only about 4.2% ABV, as opposed to the 8% plus saisons I've been brewing, and I dry-hopped it for a bit more hop-forward taste than the usual saison. At the time I was worried that I had cut back too much on the bittering and aroma hops during the boil, trying to adjust for the lowered grain bill, and the dry hopping wouldn't pick up the slack. But I tasted it today after a week in the bottle, and I think it's going to be just fine.
I have fond memories of Lake Havasu. Back when Moby Dick was a minnow and I had just mustered out of the Navy, I finished concrete there for a couple of years before moving on. In the summer we started at 5:00 in the morning, and worked straight through until 1:00 in the afternoon. By 1:20 I'd be sitting in the lake at Crazy Horse Campground, with a beer in my hand.
add: by the way, it's been my experience that saisons seem to benefit from a few weeks in the bottle; it brings out the flavors. So after tasting yours in a couple of weeks, you might want to try staying out of them for another two or three weeks. Or at least stash a few bottles so you can find out what it could've tasted like.
I confess I usually get into mine earlier than I should, because I'd rather drink them than BMC.
OP
OP
OP
OP
Man, that looks beautiful. If it tastes as good as it looks, you're a millionare.
If only that was all it took to be a millionaire...
It is quite tasty though!
Similar threads
