[dilluh98]

.... I've probably brewed more saisons than any other style at this point and feel like I make a decent one: no banana and bone dry with a good range of spicy phenolics. I consistently get 565 down to 1.002 on its own these days.

@dillah98

So, I'm interested in your saison technique because I've been struggling with making a good saison. My recent attempts have been banana and pear disappointments despite (or maybe because of) following accepted wisdom with 565 fermentation temperature profiles, i.e ramping up towards the end of fermentation. I have followed an all - pilsner malt dupont style recipe. I am relatively experienced homebrewer with some good results in other styles but struggle to nail the classic saison.

The off flavours (excessive fruitiness) I get indicate yeast stress to me so I wonder whether temperature ramping causes this - it's not excessive - max 22C. My attenuation is good and I've never had a stall with 565.

I oxygenate wort prior to pitching and make SNS starters with a fresh tube of 565. Interested to hear your techniques and critique of mine.

cheers
steve

I don't think I'm doing anything too different from you:

- Almost exclusively use 565 now.
- SNS starter (fresh tube or repitch doesn't seem to matter).
- Oxygenate via mix-stir prior to pitch.
- All sorts of recipes but I always come back to straight Belgian Pilsner malt with a touch of flaked oats as my favorite.
- Start at 65F for 3 days and then slow ramp to ~72-75F for another 18 days (3 weeks total fermentation).
- Loose tin foil over the carboy hole for the first 3-5 days and then put on the airlock.
- Shouldn't matter but I've always bottled my saisons as I don't keg (yet).

[stevecrawshaw]

Thanks! will keep trying...
steve

[Hand of Dom]

.... I've probably brewed more saisons than any other style at this point and feel like I make a decent one: no banana and bone dry with a good range of spicy phenolics. I consistently get 565 down to 1.002 on its own these days.

@dillah98

So, I'm interested in your saison technique because I've been struggling with making a good saison. My recent attempts have been banana and pear disappointments despite (or maybe because of) following accepted wisdom with 565 fermentation temperature profiles, i.e ramping up towards the end of fermentation. I have followed an all - pilsner malt dupont style recipe. I am relatively experienced homebrewer with some good results in other styles but struggle to nail the classic saison.

The off flavours (excessive fruitiness) I get indicate yeast stress to me so I wonder whether temperature ramping causes this - it's not excessive - max 22C. My attenuation is good and I've never had a stall with 565.

I oxygenate wort prior to pitching and make SNS starters with a fresh tube of 565. Interested to hear your techniques and critique of mine.

cheers
steve

I don't think I'm doing anything too different from you:

- Almost exclusively use 565 now.
- SNS starter (fresh tube or repitch doesn't seem to matter).
- Oxygenate via mix-stir prior to pitch.
- All sorts of recipes but I always come back to straight Belgian Pilsner malt with a touch of flaked oats as my favorite.
- Start at 65F for 3 days and then slow ramp to ~72-75F for another 18 days (3 weeks total fermentation).
- Loose tin foil over the carboy hole for the first 3-5 days and then put on the airlock.
- Shouldn't matter but I've always bottled my saisons as I don't keg (yet).

This is identical to my approach to saisons.  Definitely a beer that benefits from a very simple grist to let the yeast shine.

[reverseapachemaster]

I don't think the wit yeast are necessarily out of bounds for a saison but it should not be put into a position to throw a lot of banana. Using wit yeast is fine if you're fermenting on the cooler side of saison to develop more phenols and less esters. They are probably fermenting in the mid-70s which is putting the wit strain into a high temperature and the saison strain in a medium to low temperature.