Saison Recipe
I have been reading more about Saisons and I thought I would post this recipe. Bière de saison looks to be the original homebrewer’s beer. It is a style that comes from the beers farmers would brew in the French speaking part of Belgium known as Wallonia.
Because the beers were brewed by different farmers, the style is hard to characterize. I think that’s great…it gives us more freedom to create interesting beers.
BYO has a great article on the style by Horst Dornbusch and I made this recipe based on his thoughts and other information I read on the style.
Spices could be added to this beer, but I think I am going to follow Horst’s lead and try to get a good Saison spicy flavor from the yeast and the hops.
Fermentation will definitely be on the warmer side, probably in the 75 degree range. After primary, I will let it condition for a few months and pop one open in late spring/early summer.
Brew On!
Ingredients:
10 lbs. Belgian Pils
12 oz. German Munich Malt
2 oz. Belgian Special B Malt
6 oz. Belgian Aromatic Malt
10 oz Belgian Wheat Malt
1.0 oz. Sterling (Pellets, 7.50 %AA) – boiled at 60 min.
0.50 oz. Saaz (Pellets, 5.00 %AA) – boiled at 15 min.
Yeast – White Labs WLP565 Belgian Saison I
Stats:
Original Gravity: 1.058
Terminal Gravity: 1.011
Color: 11.21 °SRM
Bitterness: 35.0 IBU
Alcohol: (% volume) 6.2%
on December 15th, 2008 at 6:43 pm
Hi John, I have a few questions for you. First, which month is the Saison article in in BYO? Second, could you tell me what your recipe is calculated for (boil volume, batch volume and brew house efficiency)? Lastly, I have Munich Malt readily availible but haven’t heard of “light” Munich malt. Could you explain any differences?
I fell in love with this style of beer not too long ago and after a few failed brewing attempts (turned out to be ok beer, but not WOW beer), I picked up Farmhouse Ales.
Thanks!
Chris
on December 16th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Hi Chris. Here are your answers:
The article is in BYO’s December 2006 issue.
6 gallon boil volume for 5 gallon batch volume. 70% brew house efficiency.
I used Beer Tools to create this recipe. It had light Munich malt as an option, but after some investigation, there doesn’t seem to be much difference between light or dark. It appears using any type of Munich malt will do. I will update the recipe to reflect this revelation.
on December 17th, 2008 at 5:29 pm
There is a difference in munich malts. Dark is typically 9-11LB in color while light municg is usually 3-6LB. Light is sometimes found as Vienna malt, depending on supplier.
Its important to pay attention to lovibind ratings in recipes. For example chocolate malt can be found in ranges from 200 to 350. It makes a difference when trying to replicate a recipe.
on December 17th, 2008 at 11:00 pm
In terms of this recipe though, I don’t think it matters much since Saisons have pretty open guidelines.
on February 26th, 2009 at 11:36 pm
My Saison recipe, in the carboy now…
1.5 lbs 6 row
1/2 unmalted wheat (I think, can’t read writing)
1 lb wheat
.25 lb honey ale
5 lbs DWE
1Tsp coriander
1Tspn Bitter Orange
1 oz. Styrian Goldings at 60 min
1 oz. Styrian goldings at 30 min.
Saison ale yeast
O.G. 1.052
G at Carboy @ 1.016
waiting waiting waiting…
on March 3rd, 2009 at 6:17 am
Keep us posted.
John
on May 26th, 2009 at 9:59 am
Are these recipes, extract recipe’s, or all grain? I’m only an extract brewer at the moment but love Saison like no other.
on May 28th, 2009 at 10:01 pm
All Grain.
on July 9th, 2009 at 11:27 pm
you can brew Saison with extract only:
my saison went like this:
7lb light LME syrup
1lb light DME
1lb belgian light candi (beet) sugar
1 oz mt hood (bittering, hallertau hybrid)
1 oz Fuggles (finishing)
2-4 oz. crystalized ginger
wlp565 saison yeast
add ginger after flame is off at zero minutes and let steep for 10-15 min. with finishing hops before straining/transfer to fermenting vessel.
the intense banana nose gives way to a mellow plum note after about 1month in the bottle.
Skol!!
on July 9th, 2009 at 11:30 pm
that recipe ends up at about 8-9% abv and the belgian yeast steadily ferments for over 7 days at normal room temps of 60-80F
you could forgo the extra DME and the candi suger for a lighter result with even greater drinkability but the high-gravity version is very palateable with no ‘boozy’ or ‘hot’ chacteristics.
reference article is in the book “extreme brewing” by Sam G. of DogfishHead
on August 21st, 2009 at 9:03 pm
I did a summer saison a number of years ago with a friend of mine. the brew day was a disaster as we were blessed with a stuck mash, but the beer tasted pretty good.
Dewolf-Cosin Pils — 12 lb
Wheat — 5.5 lb
Flaked Rye — 2 lb
Choc Rye — 4 oz
Vienna — 1 lb
German Hallertau 1.5 oz whole hops 90 minutes in boil
Saaz 1.0 oz plugs 75 minutes in boil
Saaz 1.0 oz plugs 45 minutes in boil
Saaz 1.0 oz plugs at knockout
I don’t recall the yeast we used, but I think it was some belgian yeast my friend provided. The beer required a lot of aging, but wound up being quite good.
on June 15th, 2010 at 8:42 am
How did these recipes turn out?
on June 15th, 2010 at 9:06 pm
Hey Harold,
Planning to brew up this saison within the month.
John
on July 21st, 2010 at 9:18 pm
[...] right. Time to rock the Saison recipe. I have the hot weather to promote some high fermentation temperatures. Now I just need to buy [...]
on August 20th, 2010 at 3:48 am
Our “Saison d’ Los Olivos” which we made last November (and it is still a WOW! beer) and which we are making again this weekend, so as to be ready for the October Grape Harvest.
12.5 # Pilsner (we used German last time, but will be using Belgian this time)
1 # Wheat (malted)
1# Cane Sugar
Zest 1/4 Orange
4 g Grated Ginger
42 g Fuggles 90minutes
9 g US Goldings 15minutes
9 g Fuggles 3 minutes (My AA’s are at the ‘brewery’, sorry)
90 minute boil with Ginger at 7 minutes and oranges at 3 (sugar at 90)
on August 20th, 2010 at 3:49 am
shoot — the yeast for above is WL565 Belgian Saison
on August 20th, 2010 at 12:00 pm
That looks like a great recipe. I used the WLP566 yeast strain. Had a great fermentation. Got down to my final gravity without too many problems.
on August 22nd, 2010 at 7:58 pm
[...] out the saison recipe [...]
on September 8th, 2010 at 1:06 pm
For 5 Gallon Extract recipie I use is 6 Pound Pilsner Malt 1 Pound DME and for yeast I use T-58 Dry Yeast. To begin with I steep a half pound of Viena . Also I use Golding for Bittering and Flavor and Saaz for Aroma. I use a pound of the clear candi rock sugar added about 20 minutes before the end. Recommend using a short boil 45 Minutes as a compromise to get decent hop utilization without carmelizing the wort.