I brew beer because there is something very special in the act of creation itself. There is an intangible quality so great in making a composition that you and you alone can experience. Everyone of course can partake in the taste of beer, however only the brewer can taste the beer throughout its full lifespan; from grain to cup. This Saison, this farmhouse ale is special. It’s similar to a FlandersRred, with a bit more wit beer acidity mixed in and a tad less color. It is however very true to the farmhouse wild, unruly and funky nature. It was brewed hot at 90 degrees according to the Saison yeast style guidelines.
Belgian Wheat – 7 gallon mash reduced to about 5.5 during racking
- 13 lbs 2 Row Pale Ale Malt
- 6 lbs torrid wheat
- Turbid mash schedule – boiling during the mash out to raise temps gradually
- Hop Schedule
- @ 60 min 1oz Cascade
- @ 30 min .5 oz cascade
- @ flame out .5 oz cascade
- 2 oz Pearl dry hop
- Belgian Strong Ale Yeast and SA04 Primary
- Yeast – Champagne Yeast in secondary for highest attenuation possible
- Lacic – malolactic – tartaric acid blend – 60z
- O.G. 1.088 – Reduced to around 1.070 by adding water post primary ferment.
Notes: The fermenting wort was moved to 90 degrees during primary for two weeks after the initial two week period held at 75. I wanted to bring out some bubble gum phenols and esters. I did. It was than reduced to 70 degrees where additional champagne yeast was added. The initial fermentation ceased at 1.040 so added some water and champagne yeast to race the alcohol percentage and lower the final gravity. I noticed a slight pellicile on top after the first month of fermentation. I’m guessing that this came from some of the critters in the brett, pedio and lacto in the Belgian strong ale strain mix, or it could have been from contamination. Regardless, if anything, the spoilage assisted in building out the complex flavor rather than being a detrimental factor in the ferment. Three months later and the young Belgian specialty ale, as it doesn’t really fit into any predefined category due to the alcohol content and flavor profiles. This ain’t a lambic, it ain’t a saison and it certainly isn’t a gueze. It is a worthwhile and complex brew.
The flavor profile is beyond complex. The simplest comparison that I can use to describe it would be a mixture between a full bodies white burgundy and champagne.
The nose is of strong pineapple, apricots, banana, and other indescribably lush tropical fruits. The flavor goes a bit deeper than fruity acids and pungent esters with notes of subtle notes of funky barnyard, leather, perhaps horse collar. The color is light, with an effervescent mouth feel. I pushed the C02 high with around 2bar. The head does not linger, however plenty of lacing remains on the side of the glass. Two cups of this brew is quenching with a higher abv (8%) and such satiating flavors.
This one is a winner. It would pair exceptionally well with spicy foods, meats of all kinds, flavorful soups and any other dish with strong spicy characteristics. If I brewed it again, I would up the dark crystal malt profile a tad bit to add yet another layer of complexity.
Grain Bill – 10 Gallons
- 33 lbs. – 2 Row Pale Malt (American)
- 1 lb. – CaraPils Malt
- 1lb flaked oats
- 1lb crystal malt
Hop Schedule
- 2 oz magnum at 90 minutes
- 2 oz Simcoe at 90 minutes
- 8 oz hallertau at flame out
- 8 oz hallertau dry hop
Yeast
White Labs California Ale Yeast (WLP001) – 1800 ml starter
Mash/Sparge/Boil
Mash at 150° to 152° for 60 min.
Sparge as usual
Details
I brewed this beer and fermented it out over a month. Temperatures where a little on the warmer side – 75-80 degrees, maintaining closer to 72 during the height of early fermentation. I let the temps rise after a few days. Racked to secondary for two weeks and filtered off of the trub. The nose is composed of a dense bouquet of orange, dry malt, and fragrant hops. The flavor is a balanced blend of dry malt sweetness, alcohol and floral dense hops. The flavor profile is a mix between the Green Flash DIPA and the Green Flash West Coast IPA. The alcohol content is warming and covered well by the hops. If I were to brew this again, I would alter the schedule to produce a beer with a bit less fermentable sugar. The 9.5% alcohol or so will catch up with you. The flavor however is very satiating. Two of these beers is completely satisfying. The head retention and lacing are simply amazing. The beer pours with a three finger dense white head, which remains until the last sip – perhaps due to the hops and the flaked oatmeal grist. The recipe idea while similar to Russian River’s noble experiment is not executed in exactly the same manner. Russian River’s brew is more delicate, this noble experiment with the addition of some higher alpha acid American hops tends more towards the traditional west coast IPA style.
Did I mention that with this amount of lupenin from the hops, you’ll be lucky to stay up past nine thirty?
American Watermelon Ale
- 10 lbs 2 Row Pale Ale Malt
- .5 lb Aromatic Malt
- Hop Schedule
- @ 60 min 1oz Cascade
- @ 30 min .5 oz cascade
- @ flame out .5 oz cascade
- Yeast – Belgian Strong Ale Yeast
- ½ diced watermelon added to secondary
O.G. 1.050, F.G. 1.008
Notes: Fermentation smelled strongly of spicy Belgian phenols and happened very quickly. The beer has high attenuation with little to no haze left in the glass. The yeast formed tight sedimentation on the bottom of the carboy. This is a summer session beer. The hop schedule is light and floral with citrus undertones. The malt profile is present but low. Ale flavors are present but not pronounced. The finish is all watermelon. The watermelon flavor is present but not overpowering. This is a good palate cleansing brew, like taking a bite out of a honey dew melon. I would brew it again, perhaps using even more watermelon and definitely adjusting the hopping schedule to add a bit more complexity.
Tasting compared to 21st Amendment’s Watermelon wheat this recipe is a bit cleaner, lacking the cloudy tartness. After trying both, I’m more partial to mine, due to the higher hop ratio and crisper flavor.
American Ale – SA04 Yeast
- 10 lbs 2 Row Pale Ale Malt
- .5 lb Aromatic Malt
- Hop Schedule
- @ 60 min 1oz Cascade
- @ 30 min .5 oz cascade
- @ flame out .5 oz cascade
- Yeast –SA04 Dry Ale Yeast
- O.G. 1.044, F.G. 1.008
- Notes: I brewed this beer with the intention of producing a light and crisp summer ale. It has a low hoping schedule, a light to medium body and color, and a low cost grain bill. It’s been aging on the lees for a month and was kegged over the weekend. With such a low O.G., one can imagine that this is a session brew. The light flavor make the quafability high. I have been enjoying it with lemon added as the mouth feel coupled with the dog days of summer make this beer drink like a corona. For my tastes it lacks of noticeable hop character specifically bittering hop character. Aroma hops are present and pleasing. The head is lacking, due to the relatively well flocculating yeast and low protein present in the grain. I’m happy with this beer, if I brewed it again, I would adjust the recipe to add a bit more head by perhaps using a lb or so of oatmeal and I would add a higher alpha acid hop at the beginning of the boil. Again, this is probably just the Brit in me wanting to ruin a perfectly good summer session beer with more flavor.
Grain Bill:
IPA DogFishHead 90 Minute Clone with Oak Chips
- .5 lbs carapils Malt
- 1 lb amber malt 40L
- 10.0 lbs Pilsner Malt Liquid Extract
- .75 lbs Honey
- Hop Schedule: Give equal amounts of each hop every 3 minutes of boil
1 oz Summit Hops
.5 oz Simcoea
.5 oz Warrior Hops
5 oz Amarillo Hops
1 oz U.K. Progress
1 oz Cascade
Dry hop with .5 ounces of Cascade
1.5 Coriander
- 1 oz 350 degree toasted French oak chips soaked in bourbon
- .5 oz Bitter Orange Peel and .5 Oz Sweet Orange Peel added secondary
- Yeast: Dry Ale Yeast SA04
- O.G. 1.070
- F.G. 1.015
Notes: This beer aged for three months. It took a month in primary and at least another month in secondary. I added champagne yeast a week into secondary to dry the beer out a bit more. At first the coriander was overwhelming on the palate. The experience was akin to eating a spicy Indian dish. With time, the flavors have mingled, the beer has clarified. There is a nice hop dryness with a hot peppery finish. I’ve found that I like this brew much more with a bit of lime added, which tends to smooth out the harsher flavors. I wouldn’t brew this again, using the malt extract and the coriander. The recipe has great potential, however still needs some tweaking. In the future I would use a yeast with a bit more ester creation, and I would avoid the orange peel and coriander entirely. I would also choose to use an all grain recipe composed solely of a pilsner malt.
Grain Bill:
Belgian Golden (Malty ESB) Wheat Ale – Saison Yeast
- 7 lbs Marris Otter Malt
- .5 lb Dextrin Malt
- 2 lbs honey
- 1 lbs Corn Sugar
- 1.5 lbs crushed un-malted wheat
- 1 lbs Belgian Biscuit Malt
- Hop Schedule
- @ 60 min 1oz Summit
- @ 30 min 2 oz cascade
- @ flame out 2 oz cascade
- .5 oz coriander at flame out
- Yeast – Belgian Saison Yeast (Ferment at 70-95) – One week
- Yeast – Champagne – at 50 degrees in secondary.
- O.G. 1.050
- F.G. 1.010
Tasting Notes: The nose on the fermentation was reminiscent of cut grass, sourdough bread, and bubblegum. This subsided over time. The brew was aged three months, with the first month being at a higher temperature to ferment out as much as possible using the Saison yeast. The flavors have since changed substantially, becoming well balanced and complex. The brew is thick golden in color and true to its Belgian farmhouse roots, slightly cloudy, however lacking acidity. A nose of honey is present although minimal. The mouth feel is heavy, but not syrupy. Medium carbonation helps to lighten the perception of viscosity. The hops are present more in aroma than in bittering profile. The flavor is complex and moderate in that the flavors are not overpowering. Herbal, spice, grapefruit, banana, clove, pinneable can all be perceived. This is a good cooler weather – fall time or springtime brew. It’s a bit too heavy for the dog days of summer. It would pair well with a complex cheese or cold appetizer plate. If I were to make it again, I’d probably shy away from the dextrin malt and/or the English Marris Otter Malt in favor of a lighter lower protein grain. This beer, while good, would be better with a touch higher attenuation and alcohol warmth to accommodate all of the spectacular spice and ester flavors.
Grain Bill:
Belgian Golden (Malty ESB) Wheat Ale
- 7 lbs Marris Otter Malt
- .5 lb carapils Malt
- 2 lbs honey
- 1 lbs Corn Sugar
- 1.5 lbs crushed un-malted wheat
- 1 lbs Belgian Biscuit Malt
- Hop Schedule
- @ 60 min 1oz Summit
- @ 30 min 2 oz cascade 8.7% alpha
- @ flame out 2 oz cascade 8.7% alpha
- @ Primary add 1oz Amarillo
- .5 oz coriander at flame out
- Belgian Strong Ale Yeast (Ferment 65-80) – Primary Fermentation
- Yeast – Champagne Yeast added after one week and laagered at 50 degrees
- O.G. 1.050
- F.G. 1.010
Tasting Notes:
This may be the most complex beer that I have made to date. It has notes of bread, orange, spice, banana, clove, pepper, and pineapple. Most of these can be associated to the Belgian Yeast interacting with the grain to produce phenol esters. The un malted wheat greatly contributes to the silky mouth feel of this beverage. The alcohol while present on the finish, is mellow and well balanced against the other flavor profiles. The initial fermentation smelled of wood and nutmeg. Upon carbonation, the nose primarily smells of orange and pineapple which is surprising given that no orange peels where used in this Belgian recipe. The hop schedule is modest in alpha acids and well balanced. The Amarillo hops can be smelled perhaps more than they are tasted. This beer will serve best with cold entrees on a warm summer day. Think blue moon’s older and wiser sister. The same body structure is there, but this beauty has more panache, more flavor and a better kiss.
Grain Bill
Belgian Golden Wheat Ale
- 3lbs (lightly kilned) wheat malt
- 8 lbs marries otter malt
- 2lbs 40l caramel aromatic malt
- 2 handfuls oatmeal
- Yeast: Belgian Strong Ale Yeast – Good to 12% Attenuation
- Hop Schedule
- @ 60 min U.K. Progress 1.5oz (Had left over so used as bittering)
- @ 30 min 1oz Tettenang
- @ flame out 1oz Pearl
- 1 oz coriander at flame out
- 1 oz sweet orange peel at flame out
- 1 gram seeds of paradise at flame out
- O.G. 1.044
- F.G. 1.008
- ABV 5%
Tasting Notes: This beer is a traditional spin-off of a Belgian classic wheat beer. It’s a tad maltier in style when compared to an American Wheat beer due to the Marris otter malt. It is not quite funky enough or cloudy enough to be considered a true Belgian wheat beer. The Belgian Strong Ale Yeast did a good job of clarifying the beer as well as getting it to reach full attenuation. Primary fermentation was quick at 7 days, with a racking and secondary fermentation occurring over a three week period. The color is a deep raspberry reddish brown. The nose is bready with a character close to a good unfiltered Mexican cervesa. The coriander and orange flavors are unnoticeable if at all present. The Paradise seed adds a slight spicy elegance, which is present in the finish. The hop profile is well balanced, favoring aroma over bitterness. Hop bitterness is well balanced against the sweet malt profile with a preference for the malt over the bitter. The aromatic malt and wheat malt profiles blend well with the Marris otter grain. Mouth feel is similar to a blue moon, with less sweetness on the palate and a tad more alcoholic bite on the finish.
As far as home brew goes, this beer may be my favorite creation to date. It is very high on the drink-ability and flavor scale.
Two weeks before the Christmas holidays of 2009 I set out to create non traditional mead. While the concoction I brewed is not technically considered mead (it’s actually an agave pulgue) its flavor profile and composition are so similar that I like to consider it within the same category. The difference of course being that I used unrefined blue agave nectar as my base sugar as opposed to a traditional honey base. Once this base completely fermented using standard bread yeast, I added 2 lbs of honey, 10 lbs of wild dark plums in sugar base and an additional dose of fresh yeast. Secondary fermentation continued for two months with a resulting alcohol ABV of around 9%. The addition of the plums really changed the flavor profile of this drink. The agave nectar on its own produced a slightly bready but very smooth and subtle beverage. This beverage was much less harsh at 1 month than meads tend to be. The plums significantly acidified the drink so in order to balance out the tart profile I added .75lbs of un-fermentable sugars. The resulting beverage at 4 months is pale to pinkish in color, sweet but not cloying, and sips like a tart Belgian lambic without the funk. It is defiantly a sipper, not a session brew. The vanilla stick is unnoticeable if present. The lighter alcohol compared to mead will make this a pleasant evening drink during the warmer summer months should it last that long in the keg. It serves best cold.
If I was going to brew this recipe again, I would avoid the plums altogether and add a dose or two more of honey, in order to raise the abv. I would let this ferment to dryness and serve as a champagne. I’m coming to learn that my personal preference is on the dryer side.
Grain Bill
Plum Wine Agave Base
- 9lb dark agave syrup
- 2 lb dark honey
- 5 cans of plums in heavy syrup and 1 large package of prunes (Around 1-2 lbs dextrose sugar syrup)
- .5 gallons pale ale base (1lb grain)
- Standard bread yeast – primary fermentation
- Champaign yeast – secondary
- .75 lb lactose sugar
- ½ stick of vanilla bean for aroma
The Art of Fermented Beverage. I brewed this one at the start of February 2010. The recipe is my own although it plays on traditional themes.
Belgian Double Hopped Shaggy Blond Ale
Batch Size: 5 Gallons
Grain Bill:
- 8 lbs 2 Row Pale American Malt
- .5 lbs Carapils – Dextrin Malt
- .5 lbs 70l Caramel Malt
- .25 lbs Rolled Oats
- 1 lb Dark Mountain Honey
Hop Schedule:
- 1 oz Summit hops @ 75 Min (Start of Boil)
- .5 oz Summit hops @ 60 min
- .5 oz Summit hops @ 30 min
- 1 oz UK Progress @ 30 min
- 1 oz UK Progress @ 5 min
Additives
- .5 oz sweet orange peel @ 10 min flame out
- 1 oz coriander @ 10 min flame out
- Super Moss @ 10 min to flame out
Specs:
- O.G. 1.056 – 16 Plato
- Single Grain mash at 150-154 degrees for 1 hour for sugar conversion. Raised temperature to 158 for sparge out.
- SA04 Dry Ale Yeast – alcohol tolerant to 10%. Good Flocculation and Sedimentation. Medium Attenuation.
- Fermented at 65 degrees on primary for 5 days and secondary at 50 degrees for two weeks.
- F.G. 1.010
Tasting Notes
This brew will please the palettes of many beer connoisseurs. It is brewed with traditional Belgian spices (sweet orange peel and coriander), using American dry ale yeast and malts, with a bit of honey for higher alcohol and lighter mouth feel. A small percentage of rolled oats have been added to the recipe to aid in head formation. A generous amount of hops have been applied to bitter the beer in order to balance the malt and to add a floral aroma to the nose. Dextrin malt has been added to increase the body to handle the added hops, and a small amount of caramel malt has been added to darken the color a tad in order to reflect the heftier body and alcoholic weight of this ale. The alcohol content weighs in at an estimated 6.5%. While present, it is not overpowering and the beverage drinks easily. Fruity aroma’s from the UK Progress Hops, Coriander and Honey dominate the nose. The finish is dominated by the bittering affect of the summit hops. The beer is dry, with a spicy yet refreshing depth. It has a consistency and mouth feel similar to a ginger ale, yet with much greater depth and complexity. The immediate finish is dominated by orange and citrus flavors.
This brew is a hybrid between a traditional American IPA and a Light Belgian Double Blonde Ale. The pairing suits both styles well. The brew has the body of a Belgian beer with all of the associated complexities, yet manages to have the dry finish of a highly attenuated IPA. The combination is a surprisingly good balance between hoppy, malty and Belgian flavor profiles.
Served under low carbonation the brew drinks similar to an English ESB perhaps due to the UK Progress Aroma Hops and Dry Ale Yeast which produces slight fruity esters. Under low carbonation the head remains small and lacy on the glass. Under high carbonation, the brew drinks closer to a Belgian double with a full 1 inch thick head of white foam originating from the underlying oats and dextrin malts.
If produced again, I would only potentially change the hop profile. A bittering hop and floral aromatic fruity hop should be used. The addition of a cascade hop or centennial hop during a dry hopping phase could potentially add additional citrus notes on the nose which may add additional complexity. The citrus flavor in the brew today becomes present on the finish.
This beer would be best served as a late summer or early springtime beer. There is not enough color or malt backbone to serve as a fall or winter beer. It would pair well with most foods, especially spicy foods and aged sharp cheeses.
