Temperature-Insensitive Brews or Brewing for the Season

[Thunder_Chicken]

Nice purchase! That's pretty much the textbook saison. Since you're in MA (as am I), you're lucky that you can easily get Pretty Things. Their flagship beer (Jack D'Or) is a great saison, but they have a late spring seasonal called Field Mouse's Farewell that should be coming out soon, that's my favorite beer they make. It's a super dry rustic saison.

Good call! Very nice taste and aroma, quite dry. It's interesting sampling different saisons (and other styles for that matter) as it helps you identify the common features that define the style. It's an interesting flavor/aroma combination. I definitely prefer drier versions of the style. If I were to make this I would mash low as all heck and try to find a nice attenuative yeast for the style.

 

[zachattack]

I definitely prefer drier versions of the style. If I were to make this I would mash low as all heck and try to find a nice attenuative yeast for the style.

I agree with everything you just said

Saison is a very broad style, so there's a ton of variety.

 

[lowtones84]

Yeah, it is a broad style but I think most examples tend to be very dry. Of course there are exceptions. I got the second saison I brewed down to 1.000 or darn close by using White Labs Saison II and some Dupont dregs, ramping up the temperature to close to 90 after the first 3 days or so of fermentation. A lot of saison yeasts will get you at least under 1.010 though.

 

[Aggie_JD]

So, are other Belgian ale yeasts and their accompanying beer styles likely to do well at higher temperatures? I need to figure out some styles that won't mind 70's and 80's if I'm going to keep brewing here through summer. I will definitely be brewing a Saison soon. May is basically the start of summer here.

 

[lowtones84]

In general yes. For many strains it is preferred to let it start kind of low (mid 60's) and then let it go up from there. So if you have a cool place or can manage a "swamp cooler" for the first couple of days it may be a good idea. Not all Belgian strains like the higher temperatures either, but several do.