All-Grain Recipe

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.050 FG = 1.005
IBU = 45 SRM = 3 ABV = 5.9%

A modern take on a classic French saison with an addition of grains of paradise to provide additional citrus and peppery spice notes.

Ingredients

8 lbs. (3.6 kg) German Pilsner malt
1.5 lbs. (0.68 kg) German wheat malt
8 oz. (230 g) flaked corn
3.2 AAU Saaz hops (60 min.) (0.9 oz./26 g at 3.5% alpha acids)
4.5 AAU East Kent Goldings hops (60 min.) (0.9 oz./26 g at 5% alpha acids)
4.9 AAU Saaz hops (3 min.) (1.4 oz./39 g at 3.5% alpha acids)
7 AAU East Kent Goldings hops (3 min.) (1.4 oz./39 g at 5% alpha acids)
1 g yeast nutrient (10 min.)
1 Whirlfloc tablet (10 min.)
0.69 g grains of paradise (5 min.)
Wyeast 3711 (French Saison), White Labs WLP590 (French Saison Ale), or LalBrew Belle Saison yeast
¾ cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step

With a mash thickness of 1.75 qts./lb. (3.7 L/kg), heat 4.15 gallons (16.6 qts., 15.7 L) to achieve a stable mash temperature of 145 °F (63 °C). Hold at this temperature for 60 minutes or until complete. If using reverse osmosis or very soft water, add 1 tsp. of gypsum to the mash. When mash is complete, raise temperature to 168 °F (76 °C) for mash out, recirculate, and prepare for sparge.

With sparge water at 170 °F (77 °C) and as close to 5.2 pH as possible, collect about 6.5 gallons (24.6 L) of wort then raise to boil. Boil for 60 minutes, adding bittering hops at beginning of boil. Add a yeast nutrient and/or a clarifier such as Whirlfloc or Irish moss, spices, and the final hop additions per the ingredients list. Whirlpool at knockout, let wort sit for about 20 minutes.

Upon completion of whirlpool, chill as quickly as possible to 65 °F (18 °C), pitch yeast, and aerate. Allowing the beer to free rise is fine as the optimum fermentation range is 65 °F to 77 °F (18 to 25 °C). Exceeding this range usually has little negative impact on the final product, so you have a lot of flexibility with fermentation temperature as long as it ramps up relatively slowly. Fermentation should be fully complete in two weeks. If you want to achieve further clarity, chill before kegging or bottling. Carbonate to 2.65 v/v or bottle condition.

Extract-Only Recipe

(5 gallons/19 L, extract only)
OG = 1.050 FG = 1.005
IBU = 45 SRM = 3 ABV = 5.9%

Ingredients

4 lbs. (1.8 kg) Pilsen dried malt extract
1.7 lbs. (0.77 kg) wheat dried malt extract
3.2 AAU Saaz hops (60 min.) (0.9 oz./26 g at 3.5% alpha acids)
4.5 AAU East Kent Goldings hops (60 min.) (0.9 oz./26 g at 5% alpha acids)
4.9 AAU Saaz hops (3 min.) (1.4 oz./39 g at 3.5% alpha acids)
7 AAU East Kent Goldings hops (3 min.) (1.4 oz./39 g at 5% alpha acids)
1 g yeast nutrient (10 min.)
1 Whirlfloc tablet (10 min.)
0.69 g grains of paradise (5 min.)
Wyeast 3711 (French Saison), White Labs WLP590 (French Saison Ale), or LalBrew Belle Saison yeast
¾ cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step

Raise 3 gallons (11.36 L) of water to near boiling temperatures, then slowly stir in half of each of the extracts. Return to the heat source and raise to boil. Boil for 60 minutes, adding bittering hops at the beginning, Whirlfloc/Irish moss (if desired) at 10 minutes remaining, the rest of the extract (slowly) and spices at 5 minutes, and the final hop additions with 3 minutes remaining. Upon completion of the boil, whirlpool, then let wort sit for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, boil and chill about 2.5 gallons (9.46 L) of water so you can “top up” your wort later.
Upon completion of whirlpool, chill wort quickly to 65 °F (18 °C). Add pre-boiled and chilled water to top up to 5 gallons (19 L). (Ideally, your chilled water is also 65 °F/18 °C.) Pitch yeast and aerate if using a liquid yeast strain. Follow the all-grain instructions for fermentation and packaging instructions.

Tips For Success
7venth Sun Brewery employs a 60-minute boil. Since the majority of the base malt is a Pilsner malt, feel free to extend the boil to 90 minutes if you choose to drive off DMS (dimethyl sulfide) precursors. Just be sure to account for the extra boil volume loss if doing so.

Remember, brewing spices go a long way. It is better to be conservative than to overdo it. You can always add more, but you can’t undo an overspiced batch.

Making a yeast starter will ensure you have enough healthy and vibrant yeast to fully ferment this dry saison when using a liquid strain.

Saisons have a lot of leeway regarding fermentation temperature. The key is not letting it free rise too fast. Ideally, you want to be in the optimum fermentation temperature range during the important primary fermentation stage. Exceeding this temperature after primary is over rarely negatively impacts this forgiving beer style.