Hopfenstark: Saison Station 16 clone

Hopfenstark: Saison Station 16

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.051 FG = 1.002
IBU = 25 SRM = 7 ABV = 6.5%

This is an extremely well balanced, easy-to-drink saison brewed with rye. The hops are not the star here, it’s all about the rye and the brewer’s skill.

Ingredients
8 lbs. (3.6 kg) Belgian Pilsner malt
2.25 lbs. (1 kg) flaked rye
7 oz. (200 g) Weyermann Caramunich® III malt (56 °L)
6 oz. (170 g) rice hulls
5.4 AAU German Magnum hops (60 min.) (0.4 oz./11 g at 13.5% alpha acids)
5 AAU German Tettnang hops (10 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 5% alpha acids)
Wyeast 3711 (French Saison) or Lallemand Belle Saison yeast
¾ cup (150 g) dextrose (if priming)

Step by Step
This is a single infusion mash. Mash the grains and rice hulls at 151 °F (66 °C) to develop a balanced mouthfeel and light body. Collect 6.5 gallons (25 L) of wort in the kettle and boil the wort for 90 minutes, adding the first hop addition 30 minutes after the beginning of the boil. With 10 minutes remaining in the boil, add the final hop addition. Chill the wort to 73 °F (23 °C) and aerate well. Pitch the yeast and fermentation should commence within 24–48 hours. Let the fermentation temperature rise up to about 79 °F (26 °C) over the course of the week and hold at a warmer temperature until fermentation is complete. After primary fermentation, let the beer condition one to two weeks before you bottle or keg. Carbonate to 2.5–3 volumes of CO2.

Partial mash option:
Reduce the Pilsner malt to 3 lbs. (1.36 kg), add 3.3 lbs. (1.5 kg) Pilsen liquid malt extract, and eliminate the rice hulls from the all-grain recipe.

Steep the crushed grains in 9 qts. (8.5 L) of water at 151 °F (66 °C) for 30–40 minutes. Wash the grains with 1 gallon (4 L) of hot water. Add the malt extract to the wort and top off with water to achieve a boil volume of 5.5 gallons (21 L). Boil for 60 minutes. Follow the remaining portion of the all-grain recipe.