Lemon Ginger (Saison-ish)

I brewed my first Belgian style ale this weekend. I was shooting for a saison. My local shop did not have any Saison yeast so I settled on WLP570 (Belgian Golden Ale). I had issues with my mash tun manifold clogging so I think I lost a little efficiency but, I think the recipe will be decent. I tasted decent prior to piching so, if the yeast does it's job I think it will be a nice ale. I will continue to develope this on and then share it.

Fermentation is going crazy! I have a continuious bubbling from the air lock.

ODG34 said:

Fermentation is going crazy! I have a contiuos bubbling from the air lock.

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Glad to hear it! Keep us informed and let us know how it turns out!

It has been 6 days since I pitched the yeast. I had 2 days of crazy activity and continuous bubbling from the airlock and then it slowed down a bit but, it is still going.. I have high hopes for this batch...

Over 2 weeks in the primary and this yeast is still working (very slowly). Not sure is this is normal for the Belgian ale yeast.

Sounds like you are going to have a nice beer. I'm curious to know your recipe for this. The idea of a lemon ginger saison sound interesting.

ODG34 said:

Over 2 weeks in the primary and this yeast is still working (very slowly). Not sure is this is normal for the Belgian ale yeast.

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Yeah, most yeasts probably. Don't trust airlock activity, it'll be working still even when it stops bubbling. Check hydrometer, when you get 2-3 days of no change, you're good. I just leave mine in the fermenter for 3 weeks (sometimes longer), then bottle.

I will probably rack this beer to the secodary this weelend and give it another week or two before I bottle it. Once I taste it, I will post the recipe.

Your choice, but no need for secondary racking unless you have fruit in it or something.

Komodo said:

Your choice, but no need for secondary racking unless you have fruit in it or something.

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No fruit. I put lemmon zest and fresh ginger in the last 5 minutes of the boil. I like the secondary because I think it settles more out of the beer and I get less sediment in the bottle. Just seems that way to me.

Decided to bottle this today. I turned out very dry with apricot flavors in it. ABV of 8%. It's going to be more like a dry champagne than an ale I think. Will be very interesting once it conditions.

I like the color. I have never had a saison like beer before.

I actually tasted this again last night. I has changed alot since bottling and is already beginning to carb up. The citris has taken over and the apricott seems to be gone. This is going to be a really good summer ale.

Yummy!

Saison is one of my favorite spring/summer beers. How is the ginger flavor? I want to make a ginger saison with sorachi ace hops. How did you handle the ginger?

mikeysab said:

Saison is one of my favorite spring/summer beers. How is the ginger flavor? I want to make a ginger saison with sorachi ace hops. How did you handle the ginger?

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To me, the lemmon took over and I dont taste much ginger. Next time i might up the ginger a bit. I zested one lemmon and graited a piece of fresh ginger. I added both to the boil with 5 minutes to go.

How big of a piece if ginger about? An inch, two inches?

mikeysab said:

How big of a piece if ginger about? An inch, two inches?

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maybe 1 x 1 give or take. didn't have a scale to weigh it.

Looks great. I was hoping to make something just like this for my next batch. Mind posting your recipe?

huckleberry said:

Looks great. I was hoping to make something just like this for my next batch. Mind posting your recipe?

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Sure, I will post it as soon as i get a chance. I personally think it could use a few changes though.

Here is the recipe I did. I would make a few changes the next time I brew it though. I zested 1 whole lemon and grated about a 1 1/2 piece of fresh ginger and added them to the boil for 5 min.

BIG ASS BlONDE Lemon Ginger Saison - Belgian Specialty Ale (16E)
Brewer Nobody
Date 2/5/13
Batch Size 5.000 gal Boil Size 5.750 gal
Boil Time 60.000 min Efficiency 75%
OG 1.075 FG 1.014
ABV 7.9% Bitterness 30.5 IBU (Tinseth)
Color 4.9 srm (Morey) Calories (per 12 oz.) 246
Fermentables

Total grain: 15.000 lb
Name Type Amount Mashed Late Yield Color
Briess - 2 Row Brewers Malt Grain 10.000 lb Yes No 80% 2.0 srm
Briess - Vienna Malt Grain 1.500 lb Yes No 78% 3.5 srm
Briess - Wheat Malt, White Grain 1.500 lb Yes No 86% 2.6 srm
Honey Extract 16.000 oz No No 75% 1.0 srm
Oats, Flaked Grain 16.000 oz Yes No 80% 1.0 srm
Hops

Name Alpha Amount Use Time Form IBU
Amarillo 9.5% 1.000 oz Boil 60.000 min Pellet 23.5
Fuggles 4.5% 0.500 oz Boil 30.000 min Pellet 4.3
Hallertau 4.5% 0.500 oz Boil 15.000 min Pellet 2.8
Misc

Name Type Use Amount Time
Ginger Root Flavor Boil 2.000 tsp 5.000 min
Lemon Zest Flavor Boil 0.000 tsp 1.000 min
Irish Moss Fining Boil 0.250 tsp 10.000 min
Yeast

Name Type Form Amount Stage
WLP550 - Belgian Ale Yeast Ale Liquid 2.367 tbsp Primary

I did a similar brew, but with a pale ale instead of a saison. I used three ounces of peeled, sliced ginger. I think I used two lemons zest (1.5oz worth). It was mostly citra and amarillo, and to be honest, I have tasted a couple samples between racking and kegging, and I don't get any lemon. Ginger has mellowed out over the last three weeks, but it was super gingery on brew day. Now that flavor is really melding well with what I think of as a typical pale ale flavor. I should be able to pull my first carbed sample tonight.

Oh, I thought about using sorachi ace with it next time, but I'll get a better idea of what I want to do with the next batch throughout this keg.

I brewed a second saison a couple weeks ago. I used the same grain bill but, I left out the lemon and ginger. I replaced the honey with candy sugar disolved into boiling water. I replaced the belgion golden ale yeast with actual saison yeast and I added corriander.
I racked it to the secondary last weekend. It is very citrusy withought the lemon zest. It tasted delicious flat and warm so, I think it will be a good beer. The yeast rocked and I ended up at 8.6%ABV. I will bottle it this weekend.

At What temperature did you ferment with the saison yeast? Looks like a refreshing summer beer.

p

ak_hop said:

At What temperature did you ferment with the saison yeast? Looks like a refreshing summer beer.

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The white labs saison yeast likes 75+ degrees. I was between 75 and 80.

Thanks! I will have to brew this one soon.