Show me your Saison!

[arnobg]

As a newer brewer finding a Saison recipe is a daunting task because it seems there are so many styles within the style! Without too much knowledge of these styles it is hard to pick one based off ingredients and stuff. It doesn't help that I've only ever had a few different Saisons from commercial breweries.

My fiance is requesting a Saison as one of the next brews and I'm looking for help finding/creating one....All Grain please....

I had a Boulevard Tank 7 and found that personally to be fantastic! If I could create something similar to that or if anyone else has any other suggestions to get me started that would be awesome. Even if it were a little sweeter/frutier she would be happy as she likes those types. For the curve ball, if I could use Citra, Cascade, Centennial, Warrior hops in any of these I have them in bulk. I don't expect to be able to in this style but I'm not really sure so just adding that in there.

 

[secondbase]

There's a Tank 7 clone in the recipe section that is very good. You could easily sub those hops for the ones used.

 

[stpug]

Here's one for lightly sweet saison:
- 3-5% US C20L
- Rest Pilsner
- Mash 150F
- OG: 1.045-1.050
- 3726, 3724, 3711 yeast (3726 if it's around; 3724 can be finicky; 3711 will go the driest)
- Cascade @ 60min for ~18 IBUs
- Cascade @ 5min (0.5-1 oz)
- Pitch at 70F, wrap in blanket and leave it for 1 week, done (3724 may take much longer depending on fermenting conditions)

 

[robbyice1]

use Palmer and Jamils Raison de Saison. great example of a simple saison. always a good choice to use this book

 

[m00ps]

Ive done 1 or 2 saisons. Each ones a bit different but I definitely have my basic approach nailed down. If you want any advice on making a hoppy one, id be happy to help
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=542346

The style is 90% yeast selection and handling. I wouldnt fret too much on the rest

 

[arnobg]

Thanks for the info, I will look for the Boulevard and into the others. She isn't a big fan of hoppy beers in the IPA category or even moderately hoppy Pale Ale's. She tasted the Boulevard and seemed to like that though.

I have a temperature controlled chest freezer so temperature shouldn't be an issue however, it is starting to cool off so the basement is going to be too cool and the house probably wont get above 70-72 this time of year. Should I get heating blanket or is this warm enough?

 

[griffi]

I just kegged northern Brewers surly cynic clone AG kit and I love it. I fermented it in the mid 60s and ramped up to 70. It's got a great foamy head, a little funk, a little fruit, very quaffable!

 

[arnobg]

Looking at that Tank7 Clone post is a mess...just about every page of the thread has an amendment or change to the recipe making it hard to follow what the recipe actually is.

 

[secondbase]

Looking at that Tank7 Clone post is a mess...just about every page of the thread has an amendment or change to the recipe making it hard to follow what the recipe actually is.

It is a mess. The original recipe is quite good though. I like the amount of pilsner:adjucts in that recipe and have played around with the types of adjuncts with great success. It sounds like you're looking for a bigger american style saison with American hops it's the hop scheduling and yeast that will get you into real Tank 7 territory.

 

[JKaranka]

Simple grist of a malt and a sugar. Low hops. Main thing is good yeast and keeping the temperature at the level you want. I go for more spice, less fruit, and no late hops.

 

[Schemy]

As a newer brewer finding a Saison recipe is a daunting task because it seems there are so many styles within the style! Without too much knowledge of these styles it is hard to pick one based off ingredients and stuff. It doesn't help that I've only ever had a few different Saisons from commercial breweries.

My fiance is requesting a Saison as one of the next brews and I'm looking for help finding/creating one....All Grain please....

I had a Boulevard Tank 7 and found that personally to be fantastic! If I could create something similar to that or if anyone else has any other suggestions to get me started that would be awesome. Even if it were a little sweeter/frutier she would be happy as she likes those types. For the curve ball, if I could use Citra, Cascade, Centennial, Warrior hops in any of these I have them in bulk. I don't expect to be able to in this style but I'm not really sure so just adding that in there.

If it's daunting, you're thinking of Saison all wrong.

Start simple, don't shoot for Tank 7 off the gate.

OG 1.050
FG 1.006 or below.

Pilsner (85%)
Wheat Malt (10%)
Vienna Malt (5%0

60 min charge (any hop you desire) 20 ibus
5 min finishing charge (any finishing hop)

Wyeast 3711/WY3724/ECY08/WLP072/WLP565/WLP566/Etc........

Pitch 68 let rises into the 70's.

High carb and enjoy.

 

[beergolf]

Saisons are pretty simple. They do not need to be complicated. Some pils, maybe some Wheat, oats, rye or my favorite spelt. Maybe a little sugar to dry it out. Hop to a BU: GU ratio of about .487. The key is the yeast and fermentation temp. Adding brett can add a level of complexity but it is not necessary.

I have brewed about 50 saisons and they all are good. This one is one of my favorites. Very simple but very tatsy. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=504234

 

[m00ps]

Saisons are pretty simple. They do not need to be complicated. Some pils, maybe some Wheat, oats, rye or my favorite spelt. Maybe a little sugar to dry it out. Hop to a BU: GU ratio of about .487. The key is the yeast and fermentation temp. Adding brett can add a level of complexity but it is not necessary.

I have brewed about 50 saisons and they all are good. This one is one of my favorites. Very simple but very tatsy. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=504234

Where'd you get your spelt? I havent managed to find any. I dont really want to place an order from a random brewing site just for a few lbs of spelt, but if I gotta....

To make a saison recipe, usually I just pick an adjunct (rye oats wheat etc), make that 20-30% of the grain bill. Rest is pilsner and a bit of sugar. You can go traditional noble hops or make it super hoppy. Its all good. most important is the yeast selection and handling of fermentation.

 

[beergolf]

Where'd you get your spelt? I havent managed to find any. I dont really want to place an order from a random brewing site just for a few lbs of spelt, but if I gotta....

To make a saison recipe, usually I just pick an adjunct (rye oats wheat etc), make that 20-30% of the grain bill. Rest is pilsner and a bit of sugar. You can go traditional noble hops or make it super hoppy. Its all good. most important is the yeast selection and handling of fermentation.

I order it from William's brewing. I think spelt is my favorite addition to a saison. It makes a saison. that seems to me like a very classic saison. Spelt and brett is a super combo.

 

[stpug]

Where'd you get your spelt? I havent managed to find any. I dont really want to place an order from a random brewing site just for a few lbs of spelt, but if I gotta....

To make a saison recipe, usually I just pick an adjunct (rye oats wheat etc), make that 20-30% of the grain bill. Rest is pilsner and a bit of sugar. You can go traditional noble hops or make it super hoppy. Its all good. most important is the yeast selection and handling of fermentation.

The couple times I've used spelt I've bought spelt berries (from a health food store) and malted them myself, but the quantities I've needed have never been over two pounds. I also didn't want to order online for a small amount and my LHBS is only able to get 55 sacks of the stuff. As long as you plan a few days in advance and don't mind doing some work then it's doable. It's a fun learning experience for sure. I've also used raw spelt one time in a sour that still aging.

 

[Dirty25]

All of my saison recipes are like 10lbs pils 1/2 pound wheat or Munich or Vienna. Saisons are simple let the yeast do the talking. I use no sugar and almost always attenuate below 1.005.

French saison or Bella saison are a good yeast to try for beginners. They aren't very finicky and get bone dry. However I still like to ramp them up to 85 degrees over a 4-5 day peiriod. (Start at 65/68 for 2 days then slowly ramp up to 85)

I usually use saaz,hallertau, styring goldings or EKG hops. Hop it to 20-30 IBU and a few oz at 5m. If you drive your yeast right you won't need herbs and spices. But if you add them keep the additions low, you don't want to overpower the yeast flavors just compliment them.

 

[JKaranka]

All of my saison recipes are like 10lbs pils 1/2 pound wheat or Munich or Vienna. Saisons are simple let the yeast do the talking. I use no sugar and almost always attenuate below 1.005.

French saison or Bella saison are a good yeast to try for beginners. They aren't very finicky and get bone dry. However I still like to ramp them up to 85 degrees over a 4-5 day peiriod. (Start at 65/68 for 2 days then slowly ramp up to 85)

I usually use saaz,hallertau, styring goldings or EKG hops. Hop it to 20-30 IBU and a few oz at 5m. If you drive your yeast right you won't need herbs and spices. But if you add them keep the additions low, you don't want to overpower the yeast flavors just compliment them.

As above, the style sort of invites itself to adding spices, but keep the amounts negligible. Something like Belle Saison fermented towards the lower-middle end of its range should give you plenty of pepper and clove. I added the utterly negligible amount of one crushed corn of pimento at the end of the boil last time and I felt I could up the addition to two corns next time. Adding an oz of black pepper is kind of pointless, though.

Still, back on the main topic. If you want to make a simple, fizzy, crowdpleasing beer, go for a saison. Simple grist, economical on the hops, plenty of alcohol for the fermentables used. On top of that, pretty much any fermentation temperature will do; you might just not get the ester profile you were looking for. It's my go-to style to make beer for people who do not like beer. I think the cider / white wine type dryness helps to initiate people who don't like regular beers.