Tis the Holiday Saison (2011)

Brew #: 27
Brew Date: October 16, 2011

Recipe based on that developed for the mini-mash version of Brother Levonian saison ale.

Ingredients

6 lbs extra-light dry malt extract

2.0 lbs Vienna malt

1.0 lb flaked wheat

0.5 lb flaked oats

12.0 oz sugar

3.0 oz Saaz hops @ 60 min. (bittering)

0.5 oz Glacier hops @ 60 min  (bittering)

22 g. (0.67 oz) Glacier hops @ 30 min.  (flavor)

0.75 oz Glacier hops @ 5 min. (aroma + flavor)

1.0 oz Saaz hops @ 0 min. (aroma)

8.0 oz honey, @ 0 min.

0.5 oz fresh tangerine peel @ 0 min

0.25 tsp black pepper @ 0 min

0.25 tsp turmeric @ 0 min

2 vials of White Labs WLP565 Saison Ale Yeast

0.5 oz Kent Goldings, @ dry hopping

Procedure

Placed grains in 1.0 gals of 165F water and held at between 148F and 162F for about 1 hr.  Sparged into boiling kettle to make 6 gals in boil.

Added malt extract and sugar, and brought to boil.

Added 60-minute hops, and proceeded to add hops at times indicated above.

At minute 0, turned off heat and added the honey, 1.0 oz Saaz hops, tumeric, pepper, and tangerine peel.

Cooled wort to 85F, racked to fermenter and pitched yeast.

Gals in fermenter:  5

Gals. in Keg:

O.G.: 1.076

F.G.: 1.010

A.B.V.:  8.6


Fermentation Notes:
10/17 attached FermWrap heater
10/2* evident fermentation subsided.  Unplugged FermWrap.
11/12 transfered to secondary fermenter with addition of 0.5oz of Kent Goldings pellets
11/20 Racked to keg and connected CO2

Tasting notes:
Background off-flavor, described as "slightly medical" .   Has persisted despite aging.

Next time brew earlier in year (Aug. or Sept.) and eliminate artificial heating during fermentattion altogether.