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.

Mild Ale

Brew #: 26

This recipe takes off using Charlie Papazian's Righteous American Real Ale, from The Complete Joy of Homebrewing, as a starting point.   The primary variations are use of California ale yeast instead of an English-style yeast, and the addition of grains to add a reddish tint.

5 lbs amber DME
6 oz. Carafa III malt
1.5 oz. Cascade hop pellets (6.4% AAU) - bittering
0.5 oz. Kent Goldings hop pellets - aroma
1 tablet Whirfloc clarifying agent
6 gals. Arrowhead bottled water
2 vials of White Labs California Ale Yeast (WLP001)


Brought 1 gal water to 110*F. Added Carafa malt to it and raised temp and held to ~170*F for more or less 10 mins.

Brought 5 gals of water to boil in pot, sparged grain water into this.  Returned to boil, and added DME and bittering hops.    At 1 to end of boil, added aroma hops and clarifier.  Removed from heat at 45 min. mark.

Cooled wort and racked to fermenter.   Pitched yeast at 77*F.

Gals. in boil: 5
Gals. in fermenter: 4.75
Boil: 45 mins
OG: 1.044
FG: 1.010
ABV: 4.5%
IBUs: 35.3 - 38.8

10/15: Racked to secondary fermenter.
           Tasted beer.  Initial impression: light, refreshing, nice bitterness.
10/18 Transferred to keg for carbonation stage.