Attempting a Saison from a Pils kit.

[Markdon]

Hops only went in yesterday but i also added them to my Wherry kit for 7 days and its stunning.

Not sure if i should attempt heating my next one and boiling the hops like when doing "proper beer"? Or will that not work with what im using? Just some recipes ive seen, using grain, use goldings and saaz, but during a boil and for different times? Not really looked into that side of things so unsure if its ok to do that with the pils kit and wheat extract?

 

[Markdon]

Also 1.014 is a tad high for these yeasts so should i consider using a finishing off yeast to clean it up and that would remove the sweetness?

 

[clibit]

Styrian G are great finishing hops.

The high FG may be down to all the extract, from the kit and the DME, extract does not ferment out as much as all grain wort, but I'm not sure if that is the reason. Maybe raise the temp a bit, and rouse? I'd try that, couple of days, see if you can reduce it. Not sure adding yeast would do anything. It might.

The kit is designed to provide the correct level of bittering for a pilsner, in a 23 litre batch. If it says 23 litres on the tin. Boiling will increase bitterness. You may want more bitterness, if so, do a boil. A hot steep would provide aroma, a bit different from dry hopping aroma, and would add a degree of bitterness too, depending on length of steep, and the temp.

 

[Markdon]

Ah, no, dont want it too bitter, so thats out the window.

Hop tea then chuck it all in the fv?

 

[clibit]

I would steep at 80C if it was me I think. Hotter would get some bitterness, whereas 80 would give aroma but minimal bitterness. 20 to 30 mins, then chuck in FV. I do it just before bottling, it then needs time in bottle for the hop greenness to mellow out. Others prefer dry hop, others 100C steep.

 

[Markdon]

Racked off the hops after 7 days, decided against splitting this one to add extras after reading more. Its now at 1.010 from 1.048 from 25/02/14, so sitting at 5%, quite pale in colour but pretty clear, having a week in the warm, two in the cold, then will bottle. Will also get the second brew on the go next weekend i think.

 

[clibit]

I like your patience. :thumb:

 

[Markdon]

Next to cleanlyness, its the next most important thing ive found.

Though once bottled, i find it hard to be patient!

 

[Markdon]

Brew 2 under way, coopers pils kit, coopers wheat malt, danstar belle saison yeast, 22L, 1.048 og.

 

[Markdon]

Due to being lazy/family stuff, ive not bottled the first one yet, got it out of the shed and will probably do it tonight or the weekend. Did a trial jar test and it came out at 1.008, so 5.3%, tasted really nice, lovely smell and flavour, looking forward to this in a month or two.

 

[clibit]

But is T-58 a saison yeast?!

 

[Markdon]

Lower than 1.008? Its been going since 25/02/14? Should i leave it longer? Hasnt dropped any in a while.

 

[clibit]

No, Rob thinks you have used a saison strain, but your first brew used T-58, which is not strictly a saison strain. I can't see you getting any lower after so long. People use T-58 to make a pseudo saison, it's cheap and easy to use and it approximates a saison yeast. The saison style is pretty loose. Be interesting to compare with the Belle saison. How does the first brew taste? can you describe, or compare to anything?

Will you make another saison, with a liquid yeast strain? I think it would be interesting to try A Wyeast or Whitelabs strain, as you are into saisons. And these two brews will teach you a lot about how to construct one.

 

[Markdon]

Well it has finally been bottled! It stayed cloudy, well not cloudy, its just not clear, but the taste of the dregs, wow, its light, peppery, almost a slight spice. Ive ordered a few saisons from an online beer shop, but im aaving those for direct comparison when brew one is ready to drink.

Second brew is bubbling away happily, started at 18c, has climbed up to 21c, just going to let it do what it wants.

 

[Strongarm]

This thread has inspired me to give a saison a go, should fit in well with my lack of temperature control too.

Going for half and half pilsner LME and light DME, some saaz and styrian golding and the mangrove jacks yeast. If time allows will get the brew on tonight.

 

[clibit]

I fancy a crack at a saison soon, too. It'll give me a saison d'etre. Which might just be what I call it. :thumb:

 

[Markdon]

Good to see others trying one too!

Down to 1.004 tonight, tasted very similar to #1, but a bit more body and stronger flavour.

 

[louis macneice]

Partial mash/mini BIAB 26/04/14; the mash/BIAB part went as follows:

800g pale 2row
200g wheat malt


Mashed in 3.5 lts of water at approx 60 degrees for 60 mins; I kept the stock pot in a warmed oven to help retain heat, checking every so often.

Heated another 3.5 lts of water to sparge my grain bag in once I'd let it drain; heated to 75 degrees. I dumped the bag into the pot left it for ten minutes and then lifted it out and drained it. After that I left bag in a colander to collect the final run off.

I combined the liquid from the original mash, the sparge and the final run off and brought to the boil, adding 15g of tettnanger for 20 mins and another 15g at 5 mins.

In the meantime in a fermenting bin, I mixed 500g of dry wheat malt extract and 500g of brewing sugar with 3 lts of cold water. Once that was thoroughly combined, I added the 1.7kg tin of Coopers Pilsner extract.

The boiled, hopped wort (approximately 4.5 lts) was then added to the fermenter through a strainer. The whole lot was topped up to 23 lts with cold water.

I pitched re-hydrated Danstar Belle Saison and four hours later it was working away merrily.

Cheers - Louis MacNeice

 

[clibit]

That sounds like a well constructed brew, Mr McNeice. :hat:

 

[Markdon]

Sounds good. Wish i had the space / time to do brews like that!