Black India Saison??

[Rake_Rocko]

So, I was really wanting to brew something different. Different than the usual Pales, Ipas, porters, stouts, etc. I have always wanted to do a Black IPA, so I said, why not spice it up with the Saison portion stuck in there. So here it is. Let me know what you think of this.

Black India Saison

Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Style: Belgian Specialty Ale (16E)
Boil Size: 7.48 gal
Style Guide: BJCP 2008
Color: 30.3 SRM
Equipment: Stainless Keg (5.5 gallon batch)
Bitterness: 45.5 IBUs
Boil Time: 90 min
Est OG: 1.056 (13.8° P)
Mash Profile: BIAB, Medium Body
Est FG: 1.010 SG (2.5° P)
Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage
ABV: 6.1%


10 lbs Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM)
1 lbs Special Roast (50.0 SRM)
12.0 oz Carafa III (Dehusked) (525.0 SRM)
1.0 oz Pacific Jade [13.0%] - Boil 60 min
1.0 oz Nelson Sauvin [12.0%] - Steep 20 min
1.0 oz Wakatu [7.0%] - Steep 20 min
1.0 oz Ahtanum [7.0%] - Dry Hop 7 days
1 pkgs French Saison (Wyeast Labs #3711)

I plan on cold steeping the Carafa for 24 hours and adding it back in with 10 minutes left in the boil. Also, I really liked the idea of using all NZ hops so thats what I did for everything except for the dry hop, because I just recieved a pound of ahtanum, I think that will fit right in though.

Any suggestions on fermentation temps though? I'd like it to be clean and crisp. I was thinking of pitching low (low 60s) then letting it naturally rise to mid 70's.

Also, For the pilsner grain, It is actually weyermann BoPils. My understanding is that it is undermodified and that I would have to do a step mash. I can definitely do this. I was actually planning on doing a rest at 131 F for 15-20 minutes and then raising it up to 152 F for the rest of the way. Would this method be the way to go for that type of grain?

 

[sptaylor70]

Step mash - If you are concerned about the modification of your malt, then this should be fine. Alternatively, you could use a decoction schedule (I like the Schmitz mash).

Yeast - The French Saison yeast seems, from the reviews, to be the better behaved yeast. I'm hoping to brew a saison in the summer, and will be interested in your result.

Recipe - Did you consider putting in some dark Munich malt? Also, most of the saison recipes that I've seen incorporate some variety of brown sugar, and have an OG north of 1070.* Otherwise, I think that this looks fine.

*To get the same apparent bitterness as this recipe, with an OG of 1070 you would want to shoot for 55-60 IBU.

 

[Rake_Rocko]

Cool thanks for your response. As far as the munich and brown sugar, I wanted to make the backbone of this beer a true to style saison. I made one about a year ago and all it was, was Pilsner, a low amount of special roast, and two styrian goldings hop additions, and I let the yeast shine. It was absolutely fantastic. That is what I want here for the backbone of the beer. =)

I am really looking forward to this beer because I feel that I have never heard of anything like this. Here's to uniqueness