smoked saison critique

[andrea93]

hi!
this is the recipe for my next brew: a smoked saison

5.25 gallon og1052

5lb belgian pils (45%)
4.5lb oak smoked wheat (40%)
1.5lb vienna malt (15%)

styrian golding @60min to 30-35ibu

wyeast 3711 french saison


my goal is to brew a basic saison with a present but not dominant smoked note. I want yeast plays the main role in the beer but with the smoked notes still evident. do you think are correct this percentage of malts?
i've chosen oak smoked wheat because it is less aggressive than rauchamalt.
is vienna malt useful to get a more balanced beer considering the smoked notes?
critiques?

 

[masscarriers]

To be honest adding between 5-10% of rauchmalt isn't by all means aggressive, lots of people myself included have used a low amount to give just a slight smoked note, but if you still want to use oak smoked wheat instead by all means go ahead.

I prefer to use smoked malts in maltier beer most of the time, like porters/stouts, otherwise I find it to clash against the hops too much. It's a matter of preference, but saisons being usually very low attenuated it just seems right to put some vienna indeed. Whether 15% is enough is very debatable.

I've noticed several other similar threads regarding smoked saisons around this forum, if you didn't already they seemed to round up the subject very well.

 

[andrea93]

To be honest adding between 5-10% of rauchmalt isn't by all means aggressive, lots of people myself included have used a low amount to give just a slight smoked note, but if you still want to use oak smoked wheat instead by all means go ahead.

I prefer to use smoked malts in maltier beer most of the time, like porters/stouts, otherwise I find it to clash against the hops too much. It's a matter of preference, but saisons being usually very low attenuated it just seems right to put some vienna indeed. Whether 15% is enough is very debatable.

I've noticed several other similar threads regarding smoked saisons around this forum, if you didn't already they seemed to round up the subject very well.

i've yet bought oak smoked wheat for other beers, so i will use it

i will hop only with a 60 min adjunct to avoid smoky and hoppy flavors clash.
can't you suggest me the right amount of vienna?
what do you think about mashing hotter than a regular saison to have a higher fg and a more balance with smoky notes?

i will search other threads about smoked saison.
Thank you!

 

[badlee]

I have used 10% cherrywood smoked malt in a table saison.
It was justvenough to add that special something,but faded VERY quickly

 

[masscarriers]

Well vienna is a base malt, you can use it up to 100% if you want without ill effects. I've just finished listening the latest Dr.homebrew on TBN and some guys used vienna as a base malt to give a higher body in a supposedly very tasty Session IPA (which tend to be very watery if not brewed properly).

In the end I don't think there's a "right" amount of vienna, just try something and you'll see!

 

[Schemy]

hi!
this is the recipe for my next brew: a smoked saison

5.25 gallon og1052

5lb belgian pils (45%)
4.5lb oak smoked wheat (40%)
1.5lb vienna malt (15%)

styrian golding @60min to 30-35ibu

wyeast 3711 french saison


my goal is to brew a basic saison with a present but not dominant smoked note. I want yeast plays the main role in the beer but with the smoked notes still evident. do you think are correct this percentage of malts?
i've chosen oak smoked wheat because it is less aggressive than rauchamalt.
is vienna malt useful to get a more balanced beer considering the smoked notes?
critiques?

I'll throw in my 2 cents on this. I think the % you have for the smoked wheat is just enough to give some smokey notes. I do think your % of vienna is a little high. I use vienna in saisons quite often but never above 5%. I find that % gives it a roundness (is that a word) to the malt bill. When you are talking 15%, I believe it will impart too high of a richness to the malt background, potentially holding back the smoked wheat.

As for your yeast, I would keep the ferm temp on the lower end around 70-75. You'll get a "cleaner" ferment and allow that smoked wheat to come through. You don't mention your mash schedule, but keep it low (148) and you'll get the dry character your looking for.

I think you've got a good start here. Interested to see how it turns out.

 

[badlee]

Vienna; go 50/50 with the pils

 

[m00ps]

ive only done 30% smoked wheat and it was definitely the dominant component of that beer until like 6months later where it kinda faded and wasnt worth drinking anymore, not much left underneath the smoke

 

[andrea93]

ive only done 30% smoked wheat and it was definitely the dominant component of that beer until like 6months later where it kinda faded and wasnt worth drinking anymore, not much left underneath the smoke

have you used smoked wheat in a saison recipe or for a more ''clean'' style?

 

[andrea93]

I'll throw in my 2 cents on this. I think the % you have for the smoked wheat is just enough to give some smokey notes. I do think your % of vienna is a little high. I use vienna in saisons quite often but never above 5%. I find that % gives it a roundness (is that a word) to the malt bill. When you are talking 15%, I believe it will impart too high of a richness to the malt background, potentially holding back the smoked wheat.

As for your yeast, I would keep the ferm temp on the lower end around 70-75. You'll get a "cleaner" ferment and allow that smoked wheat to come through. You don't mention your mash schedule, but keep it low (148) and you'll get the dry character your looking for.

I think you've got a good start here. Interested to see how it turns out.

thank you! very clear advices. i will adjust the recipe how you suggest me and i will report the results when beers will be ready!

 

[m00ps]

have you used smoked wheat in a saison recipe or for a more ''clean'' style?

It was for a clean smoked ale. I would think the peppery flavor from fermenting a saison yeast in its lower range would work well with teh smoked malts