Rustic French Ale

Rustic French Ale

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.052 FG = 1.006
IBU = 38 SRM = 3 ABV = 6.1%

This recipe will create a French-style ale that is similar to Brasserie Thiriez’s Blonde d’Esquelbecq. Brewer Daniel Thiriez recommends using French Pilsner malt if you can source it.

Ingredients
9.5 lbs. (4.3 kg) French or Belgian Pilsner malt
1 lb. (454 g) wheat malt
9 AAU Brewer’s Gold hops (60 min.) (1.5 oz./43 g at 6% alpha acids)
4 AAU Czech Saaz hops (10 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 4% alpha acids)
Wyeast 3711 (French Saison) or White Labs WLP890 (French Saison Ale) or Lallemand Belle Saison yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step
The is a multi-step infusion mash. Dough-in the grains at 113 °F (45 °C) in 10 qts. (9.5 L) of water, and hold this temperature for 15 minutes. Raise the temperature by infusion of 5.8 qts. (5.5 L) boiling water, to 145 °F (63 °C) for a beta-amylase rest. Raise mash bed by infusion or direct heat to 162 °F (72 °C) and hold for 20 minutes for an alpha-amylase rest. Sparge with 168 °F (76 °C) water until 6.5 gallons (25 L) of wort is collected. Boil the wort for 75 minutes, adding the hops at times indicated in the ingredients list.

Chill to 70 °F (21 °C). Oxygenate, then pitch the yeast. Ferment at 72 °F (22 °C) until fermentation is complete, about 5 days. Cool the beer to 54 °F (12 °C) for 2 weeks. Cool the beer to 40 °F (4 °C) and condition an additional week. Prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate to 2.5 to 3 volumes.

Rustic French Ale

(5 gallons/19 L, extract only)
OG = 1.052  FG = 1.006
IBU = 38 SRM = 3 ABV = 6.1%

Ingredients
6.6 lbs. (3 kg) Pilsen liquid malt extract
0.5 lb. (227 g) wheat dried malt extract
9 AAU Brewer’s Gold hops (60 min.) (1.5 oz./43 g at  6% alpha acids)
4 AAU Czech Saaz hops (10 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 4% alpha acids)
Wyeast 3711 (French Saison) or White Labs WLP890 (French Saison Ale) or Lallemand Belle Saison yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step
Use 6 gallons (23 L) of water in the brew kettle; heat to 158 °F (70 °C) then turn the heat off.
Add all the malt extracts and stir thoroughly to dissolve the extract completely. You do not want to feel liquid extract at the bottom of the kettle when stirring with your spoon. Turn the heat back on and bring to a boil. Boil the wort for 60 minutes, adding the hops at the times indicated in the ingredients list.

Chill to 70 °F (21 °C). Oxygenate, then pitch the yeast. Ferment at 72 °F (22 °C) until fermentation is complete, about 5 days. Cool  the beer to 54 °F (12 °C) for 2 weeks. Cool the beer to 40 °F  (4 °C) and condition an additional week. Prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate to 2.5 to 3 volumes.