BeerBorg

I would use rose hips and do a dry hip Actually it a wet hip gotta soak the hips in some booze

OK this is the first Saison of the first set. The Recipe was
Partial Mash (1/4 lb 6-row, 1/3 lb Honey Malt, 1/3 lb Crystal 10)
1 lb Wheat DME
2 lb Light DME
1 lb Munich LME
Partial Mash (1/4 lb 6-row, 1/3 lb Honey Malt, 1/3 lb Crystal 10)
a 25 minute boil of 1 oz Williamette in all that malt. BS says 10.1 IBU
RY Belle Saison

OK this tasted like a Saison, and if that is 10 IBU, then the rest will be way too bitter for me. This was nicely balanced with just the right amount of end bitter taste if that makes sense. It was a drinkable beer, I was hoping for a better flavor since it had a PM, but it was Ok. This one I added all the malt up front and did the hop boil in the sky high gravity of all that malt extract and the PM wort in one gallon of water. Also this was not a first wort hop either. I am abilvalent on this one, as it is definitely a saison, but not as good as I'd like. Also way off the chart at 10+% ABV. Tonight I am going to try the second batch in the first set, this one is just like the first one, except no PM and the hops are 2 oz of Hallertau boiled for 30 minutes, again in the high gravity of all that malt in 1 gallon of water. We'll see. At least the second one is only 7.75% ABV (still too high)

Monty

I finally got around to tasting the second of set one, or SS2B as I like to call it. But if it is the first set, whyu is it 2? Well, grasshopper because I drink beer and I had already done a Simple Saison, and this was to be the second version, an extract / hop boil version. So the first complete set (complete shelving of 9 lbks in the ferrmentation chamber) would be SS2, the B being the second of the set. Since I am going to run a bunch of Saisons through that chamber, I needed a more experiment tracking friendly name that was short to mark all the bottles. Besides there are only so many things that can go in front of Saison, ya know, Smoked Saison, Blackened Saison, Fried Saison, Wolf Saison, Hisbiscus Saison etc... ..I got a million of them... (super secret trivia here, who used to always say that - hint he had a big nose, and also closed hid TV show with "Goodnight, Mrs. Mc...". Any more and you'd know it. Oh, and it helps to be old for this one too.)

Anyway, I am drinking this in an opaque glass, cause I forgot to grab a clear one, so no pic. It looks about the same as the previous picture I posted, maybe a little lighter.

It tastes more what I like about Saison, that weird smoothness followed by that slightly sour bite. I can see why some peole don't like Saisons, they are different. This ones is really good, I think mostly because it is not 10%ABV, like SS2A. I am really going to like these 8 liters. Yummy!

So SS2A = OK, but too ABV
SS2B = Yumm.

Monty

Probably if you let those high ABV ones sit in a dark cool corner for 6 months they will improve a lot. The nice thing about saisons is they age well.

Yep, that will have to be the plan. I'll have some "get'er" done (or more correctly, lay-down-beside-it) stuff for the summer.

I want to do another SMaSH tonight, but I can't decide on the hop. I've done Citra, Sorachi Ace, Belma, Hallertau, Fuggles. I am thinking I might do Saaz as I have some Chec Saaz. Although I also have some EBC, and some Magnum I think, and a bunch (20+) of 1 oz of different types from the sale austin was having on hopunion hops last week. Like East Kent, Hersburker, Tetnanger, Pallisade, and more I can't remember.

And I think this SMaSH will be all pilsner DME. Nice and light.

Hey, I need to check my yeast to see how many Belle Saisons I have, I think I have like 4 or 5 left. I bought a bunch from a guy on ebay that was selling 5 for $20 when I started this. I need to see if he's still selling.

Last night I had a nice relaxing evening, and splurged and had a couple of glasses of the SS2B. Very nice, and re-affirmed that I really like Saisons, however I cannot for the life of me describe the flavor, Saisony is the only thing that comes to mind. I always hear it described as floral, fruity, almost sour, but I just have that initial smooth flavor followed by that back of the tongue, almost bitter, bite at the end. I. Just. Really. Like. It.

Anyway if anyone sees this and has a hop suggestion for me to try, please post your idea. I got a million of them. OK Maybe only 20 or so.

Monty

I've used cascade, Centential , Amarillo , and Hallertua . Cascade seems to give off the best flavor and aroma for. The Hallertua are quite mild. Centential was more of a bittering hop for me.....just my experience......

Hey thanks. I have some of those, Cascade and centennial I think.

Monty

Monty we did a blonde with Palisade and I thought it was a wonderful hop taste wise. And I like Saaz a lot as well.


We didn't use Saison yeast though and that will be a factor; as you state the Saison yeast does contribute a certain (flavor ?) profile to each batch you brew so picking hops that compliment that is what I assume you are after.

Doesn't need to be said that the yeast is typically the focal point here and playing with hops is, well playing with hops.

Saaz is always good in saisons. That said I'm drinking a Citra saison now which got infected with Brett C. It's gotten quite funky and pinappley. But still yummy if you are into funky beers.

I'd like the link for the 5/$20 bella saison guy. I'll buy that.

mashani wrote:Saaz is always good in saisons. That said I'm drinking a Citra saison now which got infected with Brett C.

Saaz is a good one, as is Tettenang, Hallertau Mittlefrau, Strieselspalt... I suspect any Noble hop, many of the Styrians... EKG...

Lots of choices...

And again, that's one of the beautiful things about farmhouse ales... It's about what you got the day you brew it!

I didn't get to it last night. Drank a Saison and watched the olympics. Slacker!

@Mashani: Free shipping too (USPS) http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lallemand-Danst ... 417c5685c4

And I have a Citra, a Belma, and a Sorachi Ace in the pipeline. All SMaSH.

I also have Hallertau and Styrian in the pipeline, I would like to try out the Strieselspalt I read somewhere that it was probably what the Belgian farmers used.

Saaz is it, and maybe Palisade after that.

Monty

monsteroyd wrote:I didn't get to it last night. Drank a Saison and watched the olympics. Slacker!

@Mashani: Free shipping too (USPS) http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lallemand-Danst ... 417c5685c4

And I have a Citra, a Belma, and a Sorachi Ace in the pipeline. All SMaSH.

I also have Hallertau and Styrian in the pipeline, I would like to try out the Strieselspalt I read somewhere that it was probably what the Belgian farmers used.

Saaz is it, and maybe Palisade after that.

Monty

hahaha....total slacker, You not brewing something, must be something in that beer!

Yeah, alcohol. and lots of it

Well I tried some more of the first set of batches, 4 to be exact, only one was not really good and going back into 'storage' for a while. The Black Saison I made (12% ABV) came out kind of weird. Like a chocolate stout fermented with saison yeast. As you can imagine, not the best tasting beer, at least I don't think so, you are all welcome to come on by my house and get some if you want some.

Monty

Got a few packets of Belle Saison today. Hopefully I will be able to find some time to brew up this week, an IPA and a Saison.

Just did a quicky while bbqing dinner, Pilsner + Saaz SMaSH. 2.5 lbs total pilsner dme, 4 oz sugar, 1 oz Saaz 20 min. Est. ABV 6%, 18.8 IBU OG 1.052

Of course, Belle Saison Danstar.

Monty