Saison from pale ale

[ChshreCat]

After reading up on Saisons, I got to wondering. Could I just take a good hoppy pale ale recipe, use Saison yeast and ferment it warm?

It seems like the grainbills could be interchangable if you want them to be.

Or am I missing something about the style?

 

[ChshreCat]

A pale ale with a bit o' sugar added, that is.

 

[AnOldUR]

Along with the mentioned simple sugars used in a Saison, a lot of recipes contain wheat. Another thing is that instead of Pale Malt, Pilsner is normally the base malt. But yes, you will get most of the fruity, spicey and sour Saison character from the proper yeast fermented at a high temperature.

 

[Beerrific]

Saisons are also not that hoppy. You get some hop aroma and flavor but they are not usually the varieties you see in a pale ale. Some American type hops could work well, but the citrusy, piney hops just don't go too great with Belgian yeast characters.

 

[AnOldUR]

. . . but the citrusy, piney hops just don't go too great with Belgian yeast characters.

Now you're scaring me. My Saison (3 week in the primary with no end in sight) is based on a recipe in Zymurgy. It's all Amarillo. Mistake?

 

[ChshreCat]

Now you're scaring me. My Saison (3 week in the primary with no end in sight) is based on a recipe in Zymurgy. It's all Amarillo. Mistake?

I've read several articles and recipes where they specify Amarillo for a Saison to get that "peachy" tone they want in it.

 

[Denny]

I've read several articles and recipes where they specify Amarillo for a Saison to get that "peachy" tone they want in it.

Color me skeptical....

 

[AnOldUR]

I've read several articles and recipes where they specify Amarillo for a Saison to get that "peachy" tone they want in it.

Peachy? Sounds nice! I've thought of Amarillo as a citrusy hop, but I wouldn't put anything past what this Saison yeast can do. It just keeps chugging away at 85 to 90 degrees.

 

[notwoohoo]

I'd be sure to use european noble-type hops to avoid the strong pine and citrus of the American C-family. Low cohumulone hops will provide a less aggressive bitterness. Also, I'd be sure to use pilsner malt and shoot for a very fermentable wort (invert sugar syrup addition, low mash sacc temp, no heavy crystal, etc.). I really need to do a saison very soon!

 

[ChshreCat]

It's on my list for the summer heatwave (that's when it gets in the 90's for a week here). I'm just doing research early.