[boulderbrewer]

How long should Saisons be aged if at all? Historically they were aged. How long do you age them?

[majorvices]

Depends. I brew a number of different Saisons. Some I drink fresh. Other I might age for 2 weeks and other 4-6 weeks. It just depends on the OG and yeast.  I have some Saisons that are several years old - way past their prime. I have some soured saisons that are over a year old that I haven't even tasted yet.

The saison I brew most frequently though I age for about 2 weeks and drink. it is a 1.060ish Saison spiced with Ginger and Lime leaves. It is best fresh.

[yeastmaster]

Depends. I brew a number of different Saisons. Some I drink fresh. Other I might age for 2 weeks and other 4-6 weeks. It just depends on the OG and yeast.  I have some Saisons that are several years old - way past their prime. I have some soured saisons that are over a year old that I haven't even tasted yet.

The saison I brew most frequently though I age for about 2 weeks and drink. it is a 1.060ish Saison spiced with Ginger and Lime leaves. It is best fresh.

Ginger and lime leaves, that sounds really good!  How much do you use and how do you get them into the beer?

[majorvices]

Here's the recipe, not a conventional Saison recipe, but IMO a good Saison recipe is unconventional.   The American hops at the end really accent the ginger and lime. Also, I use this recipe to grow yeast for my higher gravity Belgians and saisons - hence the name "catalyst:. WLP565 and WLP550 both work excellent for this beer.

Catalyst

12 Gallons
OG 1.059
IBU 41

16 lbs Pilsner Malt
5 lbs Wheat
2lbs Sugar
1 lb Munich

1 oz Magnum (14 aa) @ boil
1 oz Styrian Goldings (5.2 aa) @ 30
1oz French Strissselspalt (3 aa) @10
1 oz Amarillo @ 2
1 oz Centennial @ 2

8 grams Fresh Grated Ginger @ 5
4 crushed Lime Leaves @ 5
Zest from one large lime @ 5

WLP565 or WLP550

Mash at 150-152, boil ~90 minutes, pitch at ~64-66 and ferment in high 60s ramping to low to mid 70s after krausen drops.

[yeastmaster]

That looks pretty awesome!  I'm getting very thirsty!

[misterranger]

That recipe looks great, but 8 oz ginger seems like a lot to me. Do you find it spicy, and what kind of lime leaves? Kaffir lime perhaps?

Thanks for sharing your recipe.

Anthony

Here's the recipe, not a conventional Saison recipe, but IMO a good Saison recipe is unconventional.   The American hops at the end really accent the ginger and lime. Also, I use this recipe to grow yeast for my higher gravity Belgians and saisons - hence the name "catalyst:. WLP565 and WLP550 both work excellent for this beer.

Catalyst

12 Gallons
OG 1.059
IBU 41

16 lbs Pilsner Malt
5 lbs Wheat
2lbs Sugar
1 lb Munich

1 oz Magnum (14 aa) @ boil
1 oz Styrian Goldings (5.2 aa) @ 30
1oz French Strissselspalt (3 aa) @10
1 oz Amarillo @ 2
1 oz Centennial @ 2

8 oz Fresh Grated Ginger @ 5
4 crushed Lime Leaves @ 5
Zest from one large lime @ 5

WLP565 or WLP550

Mash at 150-152, boil ~90 minutes, pitch at ~64-66 and ferment in high 60s ramping to low to mid 70s after krausen drops.

[majorvices]

Remember this is for 12 gallons and it is added at the end of the boil. The beer is not hot-spicy at all, though it does accentuate the pepper-spiciness of the yeast. I have found that if you want spicy from ginger you need to add it at the beginning of the boil.

As far as Lime Leaves go I have a lime tree - have thought about buying some kaffir lime leaves though to see if there is a difference.

Believe it or not if I didn't tell you there were spices in this beer you would not know. There are no overt flavors. In some ways it reminds me a little bit like a saison version of a Wit.

[misterranger]

Perfect, I am a lover of the saison and will have to give this a try. I did see that it was 12 gallons, but did not want a spicy beer, as I have not brewed with fresh ginger before. I happen to have a kaffir lime tree, so those leaves will be my choice. Hopefully I will brew this early January.

Thanks for your response and the recipe.

Anthony

Remember this is for 12 gallons and it is added at the end of the boil. The beer is not hot-spicy at all, though it does accentuate the pepper-spiciness of the yeast. I have found that if you want spicy from ginger you need to add it at the beginning of the boil.

As far as Lime Leaves go I have a lime tree - have thought about buying some kaffir lime leaves though to see if there is a difference.

Believe it or not if I didn't tell you there were spices in this beer you would not know. There are no overt flavors. In some ways it reminds me a little bit like a saison version of a Wit.

[majorvices]

YIKES! I tapped a keg of this yesterday and all the sudden something hit me about this thread out of no where and I came back this morning to double check - that should say 8 GRAMS, ( ) not 8 ounces in that recipe up there!!!

Big brain fart there, sorry about the confusion.

[misterranger]

Thanks for getting back.  So to reiterate, it is 8 grams of freshly grated ginger and it is tasty....OK, I can't wait to give it a try.

YIKES! I tapped a keg of this yesterday and all the sudden something hit me about this thread out of no where and I came back this morning to double check - that should say 8 GRAMS, ( ) not 8 ounces in that recipe up there!!!

Big brain fart there, sorry about the confusion.

[tankdeer]

I have tasted this beer and can attest that it's quite delicious. Not overly spicy at all.

As for the general question - there is no right answer. Saison covers such a wide array of beers that the BJCP can't possibly pigeonhole as much as they try. My favorite saisons are low gravity table versions, and even those I often will let sit for a couple months. Often simply because I don't have time to fit them in the rotation. In general I aim for about a month. But I've got some that a couple years old and still great. I entered one into our county fair back in early summer that was over a year old and it scored a 44. I think Major tasted that one. It was good - I miss it.

/rambling

[majorvices]

That was the same beer I sent you, Tank. I have move it into my regular rotation. Good post about aging, I agree 100%.

I entered one into our county fair back in early summer that was over a year old and it scored a 44. I think Major tasted that one. It was good - I miss it.

I missed that one as soon as my glass was empty! 

[tankdeer]

That was the same beer I sent you, Tank. I have move it into my regular rotation. Good post about aging, I agree 100%.

I entered one into our county fair back in early summer that was over a year old and it scored a 44. I think Major tasted that one. It was good - I miss it.

I missed that one as soon as my glass was empty! 

Man you're tellin' me. I wish I had more. Unfortunately, it seems like one of those beers that I'll never quite be able to reproduce.