Saison Suggestions

[porter]

I have the following for a Saison:

Grains:
8 oz. Dingeman's Caravienne
4 oz. gambrinus Honey

Malt Extract:
6.6 lb Cooper's Light Malt Syrup
1 lb Munton's Light DME

Hops
2 oz Willamette @ 60 mins
1 oz Willamette @ 10 mins
1 oz Willamette @ 1 mins

Wyeast French Saison Yeast.


It is a kit from a shop. What spices would you recommend? I have never brewed a saison. I heard of orange zest & coriander. I've got fresh cilantro (coriander) in the garden, but no seeds yet...will that work? How much? How much orange zest?


Cheers, Jeffro

 

[HarkinBanks]

I'm no expert, but I would shy away from zesting on your first go around. It can add tannins and give you a bitter taste if you add it too early, at least in my experience. I just made a saison and added 2 oz of crystallized ginger at the end of the boil but haven't tried it yet. It is a recipe from Sam at Dogfish Head, so it is likely solid. Make sure you keep your fermentation temps as high as you can get them with the saison yeast, around 80 degrees and let it go for 3-4 weeks before you secondary. I would probably make the kit as is first and see if you like the base, then tweak it next time if you are looking for added flavors.

 

[brewt00l]

To spice or not is up to you...the yeast should provide it's own contribution to the flavor profile but you can still toss spices, and you don't have to stick to the same old coriander/orange combo

From Wyeast's page:

Profile: Produces saison or farmhouse style biers that are highly aromatic with clean, citrus-esters. Expect peppery and spicy notes with no earthiness and low phenols. This strain enhances the use of spices and aroma hops, and is extremely attenuative but leaves an unexpected silky and rich mouthfeel in a very dry finished beer.

 

[Catch-22]

Spicy tastes will be yeast derived as brew just mentioned. Remember that the higher temps for fermentation on Saison's will produce that zing.

 

[philrose]

I'm a fan of the 3711 (french saison) yeast flavors. I stayed away from spicing and have been very happy with the results.

Plan for a pretty dry beer. It should push your extract near its fermentability limits, which lets a lot of yeast flavor to shine through.

 

[philrose]

also coriander tastes pretty different than cilantro, so I'd stray from subbing one for another

 

[porter]

Thanks for the help. Brewed it as shown above, no extra spices.
Cheers, Jeffro

 

[hoppheadIPA]

I used a 1/4 of lemon zest and 1 tbp paradise seeds (crushed) @ 10 minutes. Turned out fantastic!!!!

 

[Goosta]

Used .25oz paradise seeds and .25oz crushed coriander in mine. It is conditioning now but samples were great at bottling.

 

[C4PNJ4ZZ]

also coriander tastes pretty different than cilantro, so I'd stray from subbing one for another

When a cilantro plant flowers then goes to seed the resulting seeds are the same coriander seeds you buy at the store. They are definitely a little fresher tasting and very good for brewing.

 

[philrose]

When a cilantro plant flowers then goes to seed the resulting seeds are the same coriander seeds you buy at the store. They are definitely a little fresher tasting and very good for brewing.

The dude mentioned that there were "no seeds" on his cilantro plant.

 

[rgontasz]

I just brewed a saison adding a coriander tea to the primary. Then I racked into secondary after 2 weeks adding mint, basil and frozen strawberries. I just bottled yesterday, and couldn't help myself from tasting (as every good brewer should every step). Oh my God, it was amazing! Weird... strange... and something that Fantome (one of my favorite breweries) would brew. Can't wait for a few weeks to go by so I can try this one bottle conditioned. I'm quite proud of my Frankenstein of a beer. :rockin:

 

[porter]

So I brewed it as posted;no spices. Over a month & it is still fermenting (bubbles are still rising). Checked the gravity couple days ago 1.004. How low is it going to go? Will it ever finish? I starting to think not. The sample tastes awesome. Of the best saisons I have tried.
Jeff