Saison Brewing

OK.  Here we go, our first Saison. A full grain kit from 7Bridges, the easiest way to get started.

Brew date 10/31/2010

Saison - no name yet, that usually comes with bottling for some reason.  I guess the name has to ferment also.

Ingredients for 5 Gallons
Target Original Gravity: 1.058-1.065
Target Final Gravity: 1.004 - 1.010
 
Anticipated IBU: 36
Anticipated ABV: 6.6%
Wort Boil Time: 60 minutes
 

Grain - all Organic

7 lbs  Gambrinus Pilsner malt
2 lbs  Gambrinus Wheat malt

1 lb    Gambrinus Munich malt

1 lb    Oat Flakes

3/4 lb Cane Sugar

Hops - All Organic
1 oz.    German Hallertaur Tradition hop pellets - bittering (18 IBU) 

1/2 oz  German Hallertaur Tradition hop pellets - bittering (9 IBU)  (addition over recipe)

1 oz.    German Spalt Select whole hops - flavor (10 IBU)

1 oz.    German Saphir hop pellets - aroma (8 IBU)

Yeast: Wyeast 3711 French Saison. Smack-pack.

1pm Smacked pack and started to boil the starter of 1000 ml water & 100 grams DME for 15min.  

6pm Pitched into starter when it was down to 75 degrees.

Directions and brewing notes: 

Mash water:  3 3/4 gallon+ 3/4 gallon of water under the false bottom

Strike Temp 165 degrees.

Mash 149-151 for 30-60min

Sparge 4 1/2 gallons at 170 degrees

Boil;

30 min Hallertaur Tradition hop pellets

20 min Spalt Select

15 min Wort Chiller

10 min Saphir hop pellets + Cane Sugar. 

Suggested pitch temp from Tim (from seven bridges) 68 degrees for two days then ramp up to 75 degrees for the rest of the fermentation. 

Strike Temp was 162

Mashed at 150 for 35min.

Sparged with a more traditional batch sparge with two run offs.  Sure was quick, but might have lowered efficiency some.  We have been doing a modified batch sparge that we learned in our Beer Making class at Cabrillo.  Props to Mark T  (See the 'Beery Dairy' to the right)

We were able to use one of our new kegs to sparge into, that made the day much easier.

Ended up getting too much wort after the boil (6.5 gallons). 

OG = 1.051

A little low.  Too much sparge water and our boil on the stove is not quite a full boil.

Fermentation:

10/31/10  9:15pm: Pitched yeast at 68 degrees.

11/1/210  7:15 am: Looks like the yeast is alive and doing well. The Krausen is rising and the blow-off tube is bubbling nicely.  

11/3/10   9:00pm  Raised temperature to 75 degrees. 

11/12/10  Took a gravity reading.  1.000!  Wow. 

11/19/10  Kegging it up for Thanksgiving.  FG - 1.001.  Placed it under 20lbs pressure to get around 3 volumes of CO2 which the style calls for.

Alcohol by Volume 6.7%