Drying out a high gravity saison mistake...

Wed Sep 26, 2007 9:50 am

I recently brewed Randy Theil's Saison recipe he gave on the Session, and got distracted during the sparge. Long story short, it was way low on volume, and consequently high in sugar. It started at 1.095, got stuck at 1.044, I got it going again and it is now sitting in a corny at 1.017. I threw the dregs from an Orval bottle in the keg when I kegged it two weeks ago. I like it, but it's too sweet. I wonder if the Orval yeast will sour it up with time?
Is there another idea to dry this beer out a bit more? I though about putting some bugs in there, but I'm actually afraid to get brett near my equipment. I might be talked into it though.

My main plan now is to re-brew this and not make any mistakes the second time. Drink that batch while I'm waiting for the big one to age out.

Any ideas?
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Brandt
 
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Re: Drying out a high gravity saison mistake...

Wed Sep 26, 2007 9:59 am

The Orval will definitely funkify the beer, but you'll need to be patient with it. Don't be surprised if it takes a month or more for you to notice a change and more like 6 months to get any deep funk character.

Keep an eye on your keg pressure too. If the Brett gets going, you'll want to vent the keg periodically.

Oh and before you use the keg for something non-funky again, tear it apart, clean and replace the rubber gaskets.
"i don't want to disparage the guy at all, but man, is this dude a nerd! his knowledge (barely) edges out his over-reaching poindexter-osity, though." slanted&enchanted
Maltose Falcons CA HCotY
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drewbage1847
 
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Wed Sep 26, 2007 11:59 am

So the funk in Orval is brett.? That's good to know. I was never certain.
I'll be careful with it. Or maybe that keg is my new bug keg. I've never worked with bugs or brett. before and wasn't sure when to expect activity, though I know that it could take many months to really shine.
Thanks!

Originally I planned on blending this, but now I think I'll see what happens with the brett. and just make another.
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Brandt
 
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Wed Sep 26, 2007 1:34 pm

Brandt wrote:So the funk in Orval is brett.?


Oh yeah, classical Brett flavors. Originally they pitched Brett into the secondary from cultures found in the little valley that the monastery is built into. (Beautiful place by the way). I read somewhere last year that they've moved the Brett addition into the bottling process now.
"i don't want to disparage the guy at all, but man, is this dude a nerd! his knowledge (barely) edges out his over-reaching poindexter-osity, though." slanted&enchanted
Maltose Falcons CA HCotY
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drewbage1847
 
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