Trying to understad Saison/Farmhouse

[Schemy]

Great thread. Subbing for this summer when I "garage" my saison.

Did you ever "garage" a saison over the summer?

 

[secondbase]

aSaison is my favorite style. i just bottled 15 gallons in the last month and have 8 more gallons fermenting now.

My preferred malt bill is mostly pils with a little wheat (5-10%) and sometimes some sugar to dry it out. I've also done some dark saisons, using special B, carafa, and dark candi syrup to get the color and dark fruit.

I've tried many different yeasts in my saisons and love the character of 3724, especially after 3-4 months in bottles. I pitch at about 68-70°F and hold it there for the first 36 hours and then let it get as hot as it wants.

Brett finds its way into many of my saisons. I love wyeast Lambicus but have had good results with Wyeast Brux, ECY anomala, ECY Dirty Dozen, Clausenii (wyeast and WLP), and dregs from Brett saisons.

I haven't oaked any yet, but have plans on toying with different spirit/wine soaked cubes in the future.

The only time I feel fruiting a saison is appropriate is when you are aiming for a sour/tart version of the style. I've done some Lacto spiked saisons with a few different fruits (cherries, apricots, raspberries).

 

[m00ps]

I completely forgot about this thread. I started a thread on differences with various saison yeast strains in case it can be of use:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=542346

 

[MaddBaggins]

Lots of good responses. My personal opinion on saisons are light in color, reasonably dry. Belgian yeast. Like WLP565 or Belle Saison
Farmhouse is the same except a blended yeast like WLP670 or TYB Farmhouse Sour. I usually fruit a farmhouse ale.

My house saison:
10# Belgian Pale
1/2# Munich 10L
3/4# Carapils
3/4# 20L Crystal

mash low 148-152

1oz Hallertauer 45min
1oz Strisselspalt 15min

Added with Strisselspalt:
1oz bitter orange peel
2tbsp crushed coriander
1tsp ginger root
2tsp green cardamom

WLP565 fermented in the high 60's for 5 weeks.


Delicious beer and probably not a saison by definitions in this thread. I should look up the true definitions just for my own knowledge.

 

[Gus_13]

Lots of good responses. My personal opinion on saisons are light in color, reasonably dry. Belgian yeast. Like WLP565 or Belle Saison
Farmhouse is the same except a blended yeast like WLP670 or TYB Farmhouse Sour. I usually fruit a farmhouse ale.

My house saison:
10# Belgian Pale
1/2# Munich 10L
3/4# Carapils
3/4# 20L Crystal

mash low 148-152

1oz Hallertauer 45min
1oz Strisselspalt 15min

Added with Strisselspalt:
1oz bitter orange peel
2tbsp crushed coriander
1tsp ginger root
2tsp green cardamom

WLP565 fermented in the high 60's for 5 weeks.


Delicious beer and probably not a saison by definitions in this thread. I should look up the true definitions just for my own knowledge.

Holy crap you like coriander! But by definition you are definitely brewing saison. Keep it dry and brew with what you have.

 

[ImNoExpert]

Did you ever "garage" a saison over the summer?

I ultimately decided against it. Mainly based on m00ps suggestion to keep temps consistent. I guess he experienced bubble gum off flavors in saisons with wide temp swings. I'm glad I did too since our July and August was relatively mild. Temps would have easily swung 20 degrees day vs. night and I don't think my garage hit more than 90 for more than two days in a row.

My 3711 had no trouble attenuating with a 80+ initial fermentation and then finishing up at room temp.

The 3724 was another story. I eventually cranked that one up to 90-95 and it was still slow to attenuate. It got down to 1.008 (if I remember correctly) and I said "tastes good, keg it!" so I did. Didn't take long to kick, but I liked the 3711 better.

Next year I'll try the Belle Sasion strain but probably still won't "garage it".

 

[Schemy]

I ultimately decided against it. Mainly based on m00ps suggestion to keep temps consistent. I guess he experienced bubble gum off flavors in saisons with wide temp swings. I'm glad I did too since our July and August was relatively mild. Temps would have easily swung 20 degrees day vs. night and I don't think my garage hit more than 90 for more than two days in a row.

My 3711 had no trouble attenuating with a 80+ initial fermentation and then finishing up at room temp.

The 3724 was another story. I eventually cranked that one up to 90-95 and it was still slow to attenuate. It got down to 1.008 (if I remember correctly) and I said "tastes good, keg it!" so I did. Didn't take long to kick, but I liked the 3711 better.

Next year I'll try the Belle Sasion strain but probably still won't "garage it".

I've never gotten bubble gum from 3711, I have with 3724 and that's why I don't like to use it. I think temp swings with 3711 can bring about some fabulous esters. And really like when I do get the big swings while using 3711. If I can get in the 90's during the day, and have it drop to low 80's at night, all the better.

Try it man, I wouldn't steer you wrong.

 

[MaddBaggins]

Holy crap you like coriander! But by definition you are definitely brewing saison. Keep it dry and brew with what you have.

Coriander brings a nice citrus nose/flavor. I've used it in numerous Belgian styles and the occasional IPA.

 

[MaddBaggins]

I've never gotten bubble gum from 3711, I have with 3724 and that's why I don't like to use it. I think temp swings with 3711 can bring about some fabulous esters. And really like when I do get the big swings while using 3711. If I can get in the 90's during the day, and have it drop to low 80's at night, all the better.

Try it man, I wouldn't steer you wrong.

I got massive bubble gum from TYB Saison Blend. Fermented slightly cool at 70. I think my vials got too hot in shipping. It was in September last year. Temps spiked when mine got shipped. One beer was bad (massive bubble gum) the other was meh. I rescued the meh beer with some JP dregs.

 

[Gus_13]

Coriander brings a nice citrus nose/flavor. I've used it in numerous Belgian styles and the occasional IPA.

Oh I love it as well but I've never used that much in 5 gallons. At .5 tsp it was way to much for me. But that shows you how different people's tastes are!