Beer Forum

Alright guys, it is summer in sunny Florida and fermentation is a bitch here in the summer. So, I have decided to focus on belgian and french ales that can start at 68 and rise from there. Here is my first recipe....tell me what you think

Recipe Specifications
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Boil Size: 7.74 gal
Post Boil Volume: 6.24 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal
Bottling Volume: 5.50 gal
Estimated OG: 1.059 SG
Estimated Color: 9.5 SRM
Estimated IBU: 26.6 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 76.8 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
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Amt Name Type # %/IBU
5.7 oz Rice Hulls (Briess) (0.0 SRM) Adjunct 1 2.7 %
8 lbs 15.0 oz Pilsner (2 Row) UK (1.0 SRM) Grain 2 68.7 %
3 lbs 3.4 oz Rye Malt (Briess) (3.7 SRM) Grain 3 24.7 %
4.0 oz Candi Sugar, Dark (275.0 SRM) Sugar 4 1.9 %
4.0 oz Sugar, Table (Sucrose) (1.0 SRM) Sugar 5 1.9 %
1.50 oz Styrian Goldings [5.40 %] - Boil 60.0 mi Hop 6 26.6 IBUs
1.0 pkg French Saison (Wyeast Labs #3711) [50.28 Yeast 7 -


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 13 lbs 0.2 oz
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Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash In Add 17.14 qt of water at 166.6 F 152.0 F 60 min

Sparge: Batch sparge with 2 steps (1.27gal, 4.06gal) of 168.0 F water
Notes:
------
Mash out with 2 gallons at 209
sparge will 3.5 gallons at 168

Yes please. If it were me, I'd be cautious of using too much rye, but I haven't done much brewing with it, so take that as you will. I'd be interested in seeing the spiciness I get from the saison yeast itself, and going from there in terms of rye additions, sort of getting a baseline first on the saison itself.

spiderwrangler wrote:Yes please. If it were me, I'd be cautious of using too much rye, but I haven't done much brewing with it, so take that as you will. I'd be interested in seeing the spiciness I get from the saison yeast itself, and going from there in terms of rye additions, sort of getting a baseline first on the saison itself.

Good point. I haven't brewed a Saison ever so maybe I should focus on the style first. Any suggestions on what I should replace it with?

I would consider dropping the dark candi sugar for something else. It does not add as much color or flavor as you might think it should. If its in the recipe to help darken up the beer try using a small amount of dehusked carafa and more table sugar instead. If you want some caramelized sugar-type flavors, you might consider subbing the dark candi sugar for one of the lighter (like AM) dark candi syrups.

http://www.darkcandi.com/am.html

MikeB wrote:I would consider dropping the dark candi sugar for something else. It does not add as much color or flavor as you might think it should. If its in the recipe to help darken up the beer try using a small amount of dehusked carafa and more table sugar instead. If you want some caramelized sugar-type flavors, you might consider subbing the dark candi sugar for one of the lighter (like AM) dark candi syrups.

http://www.darkcandi.com/am.html

I was thinking about amber candi but my LHBS doesn't carry it. I just need some color and fermentability. A small amount of Carafa would be cheaper. I have taken out the dark and replaced it with 2oz of carafa and 8oz of table sugar. Thanks!

Then 1-2 oz of carafa III (~500 Lov) and another 4 oz of table sugar might be the way to replace the dark candi sugar and still get the color and fermentability you desire. Way cheaper too.

MikeB wrote:Then 1-2 oz of carafa III (~500 Lov) and another 4 oz of table sugar might be the way to replace the dark candi sugar and still get the color and fermentability you desire. Way cheaper too.

I found that Carafa I and 8oz of sugar worked well in Beersmith.

I've found that with 3711 it pretty much doesn't matter what you do, it's going to take you pretty low. This yeast is beastly. I'm talking low to mid single digits.