Belgian Saison
This Belgian summer brew will delight you with thirst-quenching drinkability and regional flavor. Its pale, slightly cloudy color and tall, frothy head come from wheat, while the spicy aroma and taste reveal a distinct Belgian character. Best brewed in winter or spring and cellar-conditioned for several months. To purchase this kit, click here.
Statistics
Original Gravity 1.068
Final Gravity 1.013
Alcohol Content 6.9%
Ingredients
6.6 lb. Munton’s Light Malt Extract
1 lb. Munton’s Wheat Malt Extract
½ lb. Weyermann Carahelles 9° L
1 lb. Clear Belgian “Simplicity” Candi Syrup
1 oz. Sterling Hop Pellets (Bittering) with 60 minutes left in the boil.
½ oz. Kent Goldings Hop Pellets (Flavoring) with 10 minutes left in the boil.
½ oz. Kent Goldings Hop Pellets (Finishing) with 2 minutes left in the boil.
1 oz. Czech Saaz Hop Pellets (Finishing) with 2 minutes left in the boil.
½ oz. Bitter Curacao (Orange peel) (Flavoring) with 10 minutes left in the boil.
Wyeast #3711 French Saison
Procedure
A few hours before you begin to brew, prepare your liquid yeast according to the package instructions. We assume that you are familiar with basic homebrewing techniques, so these procedures are abbreviated.
1. Put the cracked grains in a muslin bag and add them to your brew kettle along with 1½ gallons of cold water. Heat slowly.
2. Steep the grains in hot water (about 145° – 160°F) to extract flavor and color – do not allow to boil. After about 30 minutes, remove the grain bags and then bring the water to a boil.
3. Remove the pot from the heat and add one of the cans of malt extract. Do not add the other can at this time. Keep the kettle off the burner and stir until the malt extract is completely dissolved.
4. Put the pot back on the burner and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, place bittering hops into muslin bags, add them to the pot, and set your timer to boil for 60 minutes. Keep an eye on the pot to avoid boil-overs.
5. After 40 minutes of boiling, remove the pot from the heat (you do not have to stop the timer) and add the remaining can of malt extract syrup and bag of wheat malt extract along with the Belgian Candi Sugar. Keep the kettle off the burner and stir until the syrup and the sugar are both completely dissolved. Bring back to a boil.
6. After 45 minutes of boiling, add ½ teaspoon of Irish moss, or 1 Whirlfloc tablet, to help clarify your beer (optional).
7. After 50 minutes of boiling, add the flavoring hops and the orange peel (in muslin bags).
8. After 58 minutes of boiling, add the finishing hops (in a muslin bag) and boil for 2 more minutes.
9. After 60 minutes of boiling, turn off the heat. Put a lid on your pot and cool it in an ice bath (use your sink) for about 30 minutes. Remove the hop bags from the kettle.
10. Pour 2 gallons of cold water into your sanitized fermenter, add the cooled wort (the stuff in your pot), and top up with additional water to 5 gallons. Aerate the wort with vigorous stirring, rocking the fermenter, etc.
11. Make sure the wort is below 80°F before adding yeast. Take a hydrometer reading if desired. Add the yeast to the wort.
12. Store the fermenter where the temperature will be a fairly constant 70° – 75°F. Active fermentation may take only a few days, or it can last up to 2 weeks. A hydrometer reading is a great way to determine when the fermentation is done. Keep the beer in the primary fermenter until active fermentation is done (no signs of active fermentation for the last 2-3 days).
13. This beer may benefit from a secondary fermentation. This extended aging should be done in a glass carboy for an additional 2 to 4 weeks before bottling (optional).
14. When ready to bottle, siphon beer into your sanitized bottling bucket, leaving sediment behind. Boil the priming sugar in 1-2 cups of water for a few minutes, gently stir into the beer, and bottle as usual.