Odonata inspired saison recipe critique...

[brewinhard]

After listening to the Sunday session with the Odonata crew I really have a hankering to give a shot at a funky brown saison. They gave out a recipe for one at the end of the session as follows:

45% pale malt
30% wheat
10% melanoiden
5% special B
5% carapils
3% acid malt
2% flaked oats

1.070 SG 25 IBU's (noble hops)

After thinking about this for a while, I have come up with my own take on a brown saison which I was hoping for some critique on. For some reason, I just don't think their recipe is really going to work and dry out enough for a true saison. But what the hell do I know?

6.75# Belgian Pils
2# wheat
1# aromatic
1# cane sugar
.5# special B
6 oz caramunich 60
4 0z pale chocolate (color adjustment)

25 IBU's (noble), 147 mash/90 min. 90 min. boil
WYeast 3724 repitch
After primary, rack to keg with Brett B. for long aging.

-Looking for a fairly dry, somewhat malted toasty, funky style saison...

Was wondering if maybe I should toss a pound of rye malt in there in place of 1# of wheat for added complexity, or maybe this is not needed? Any suggestions?

[uncle_bad_touches]

if you're just trying to color adjust, maybe use de-husked carafa instead of the pale chocolate. you'll get less flavor contribution and only need half the amount or less. but pale chocolate can give you a little nuttiness if that's what you're looking for.

I wouldn't worry about attenuation if you're going to finish w/brett. just let the 3724 take it down as far it goes and the brett should take it the rest of the way. you might want to adjust your OG down a little from 1.070, unless you're looking for an 8+% beer. although I'm not sure how the brett will deal with the crystal malts - it might eat them given enough time. someone with more experience will have to answer that.

one way to be sure would be to replace some of the crystal malts with some lighter kilned malts (munich, biscuit, melanoiden). you'll get the bready, toasty flavors without the residual sugar from the crystal malts. however you certainly won't get any raison, burnt caramel notes that you get with special-b. another alternative would be to use D/D2 candi syrup instead of the crystal and chocolate malts. you'll get similarish flavor contribution but it will ferment out to dryness.

[brewinhard]

After listening to the Sunday session with the Odonata crew I really have a hankering to give a shot at a funky brown saison. They gave out a recipe for one at the end of the session as follows:

45% pale malt
30% wheat
10% melanoiden
5% special B
5% carapils
3% acid malt
2% flaked oats

1.070 SG 25 IBU's (noble hops)

After thinking about this for a while, I have come up with my own take on a brown saison which I was hoping for some critique on. For some reason, I just don't think their recipe is really going to work and dry out enough for a true saison. But what the hell do I know?

6.75# Belgian Pils
2# wheat
1# aromatic
1# cane sugar
.5# special B
6 oz caramunich 60
4 0z pale chocolate (color adjustment)

25 IBU's (noble), 147 mash/90 min. 90 min. boil
WYeast 3724 repitch
After primary, rack to keg with Brett B. for long aging.

-Looking for a fairly dry, somewhat malted toasty, funky style saison...

Was wondering if maybe I should toss a pound of rye malt in there in place of 1# of wheat for added complexity, or maybe this is not needed? Any suggestions?

Sorry, forgot to mention that it will be a 1.066 OG. Will biscuit/melanoiden ferment out more than special B/caramunich? I am looking for some nuttiness (pale chocolate) but do not desire any roastiness whatsoever.

[uncle_bad_touches]

yes, biscuit, mealnoiden, aromatic, munich and vienna malt will all ferment out about as much as your base malt. the crystal malts are mostly unfermentable, however the brett may go to town of the residuals given enough time.