Sour Saison Feedback

[czucker]

Hi Folks,
I am planning a sour saison brew day this weekend and would love some feedback on my process.

This is my second time using a mixed culture, Gigayeast 121 - Farmhouse Sour. The yeast is a mix of Belgian ale yeast. brett and lacto bugs.

Now I am trying to decide on how to mash. I'd like a very dry finish, so I was thinking a 75 minute mash at 150º would be a decent middle ground. However, I'm just not really sure what the lacto will like.

I'm also interested in trying out a stepped mash, if there will be some benefit.

Here is my recipe:

Rye Saison Sour #1 - Saison (16C)
================================================================================
Batch Size 6.500 gal
Boil Size 7.750 gal
Boil Time 1.000 hr
Efficiency 70%
OG 1.050 sg
FG 1.011 sg
ABV 5.2%
Bitterness 3.8 IBU (Tinseth)
Color 4.5 srm (Morey)

Fermentables
================================================================================
Name Type Amount Mashed Late Yield Color
Weyermann - Bohemian Pilsner Malt Grain 9.000 lb Yes No 81% 2.1 srm
Briess - Rye Malt Grain 2.000 lb Yes No 80% 3.7 srm
Weyermann - Vienna Malt Grain 1.000 lb Yes No 81% 3.9 srm
Total grain: 12.000 lb

Hops
================================================================================
Name Alpha Amount Use Time Form IBU
Strisselspalt 1.2% 1.000 oz Boil 1.000 hr Pellet 3.8

Yeasts
================================================================================
Name Type Form Amount Stage
Gigayeast - Farmhouse Sour Ale Liquid 0.00 tsp Primary


Any comments will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Chris

 

[burninator]

One thing that stands out to me is your FG. I haven't used this particular mix before, but in mixed ferments I've done, I'd consider even 1.008 to be a high FG. It may not matter to you. Just thought I'd bring up that a beer with OG of 1.050 may end up with ABV more like 6%.

I think you're right on with your thinking on the mash. I like to mash somewhat low because I trust my saison yeast to prevent the beer finishing too thin.

Check on the hop tolerance of that lacto strain, as well. Even at 3 or 4 IBU some lab strains may struggle, especially the first time around.

 

[czucker]

Gigayeast recommends anything below 7 IBUs, so I think I am good there.

That's a really good call on the gravity. I was paying zero attention to the FG.

The 78% attenuation that is listed on the Gigayeast website is after 2 weeks in primary. I would imagine that after aging in secondary, it would attenuate beyond that point, but perhaps I'm wrong here?

I just did some quick math and even if I dilute to 7.5 gallons with an OG of 1.043, it only falls to 1.009.

Edit: I found this page: http://www.donosborn.com/homebrew/Beer_Log2015.htm#gigayeast

The brewer started at 1.053 and ended at 1.002 after roughly 7 months. As I don't really want a 6.5% beer I think I am going to go with a 7.5 gallon batch that I mentioned above and stick a gallon in one of my 1.5 gallon fermenters and do something silly with it. . . .

 

[tagz]

The Brett should drop in pretty low over time. I think your idea to pull a gallon for experiment is great. I do it regularly. I have five one gallon jugs with various dregs added.

 

[czucker]

Thanks for talking this out with me folks.

I went with a 7.5 gallon batch and actually ended up getting about an 8% gain in efficiency due to tweaking my mash procedure.

I pitched the Gigayeast 121 into a better bottle and had rapid fermentation within 12 hours. It was a good sign. The last Gigayeast mixed culture I pitched (124) took over 24 hours to get going.



The extra gallon went in to a small glass fermenter and was pitched with some Hill Farmstead Arthur dregs that I'd been saving.