Brewer's Best Mango Saison

[jsharp4684]

Being a total beginner I'm a bit worried about the BB Mango Saison in my primary. This is my second brew, my first was the BB Oatmeal Stout. The stout went the same way as everyone else's experience on here (fast, short, 36hr primary). Then I put it in secondary for 10 days, then bottled since the SG wasn't changing anymore.

Well, with this saison, I brewed on Sunday, had bubbles Monday evening (about 24hrs), but now it seems like I don't have anymore activity. When there was airlock activity it was significantly less than with the stout. Am I expecting too much too soon? Or should I take action to get a stalled ferment going again?

The primary is in my completely dark basement, which stays a very stead 70F.

 

[crookedibrews]

My last beer bubbled for 6 days and blew the lid off the bucket twice. And other brews just bubbled for 24 hours. Give it more time and get a good Gravity reading to see if your stuck or not. It's probably all good RHAHB. getting a stuck fermentation is pretty rare.

 

[jsharp4684]

I just went to take a SG reading and when I popped the lid of the bucket off, I could see the krausen bubbling away. All that worry for nothing. It's funny, I have three boys and I haven't been this nervous about something I've created, in a long time. LOL

Thanks for the input crookedibrews. I think I'll be replacing my bucket with a 6.5gal glass carboy before brewing my next batch. Being able to see the fermentation would be nice. I got this nice piece of kit called a brew hauler from my LHBS. It's a sling that fits on buckets and carboys and makes it a whole lot easier to move stuff around.

I wish I could RHAHB, but I'm trying to patiently wait for the first brew to finish bottle conditioning.

 

[crookedibrews]

I like your selection for your first 2 batches :rockin: I have three carboys and two buckets. I find myself using the buckets alot because they are easier to clean. But you have to replace them after a year or so. The straps for the carboys would be nice. Cheers. And good luck

 

[RM-MN]

I like your selection for your first 2 batches :rockin: I have three carboys and two buckets. I find myself using the buckets alot because they are easier to clean. But you have to replace them after a year or so. The straps for the carboys would be nice. Cheers. And good luck

Why? My oldest bucket is approaching 10 years and it still makes good beer.:rockin:

 

[RM-MN]

I just went to take a SG reading and when I popped the lid of the bucket off, I could see the krausen bubbling away. All that worry for nothing. It's funny, I have three boys and I haven't been this nervous about something I've created, in a long time. LOL

Thanks for the input crookedibrews. I think I'll be replacing my bucket with a 6.5gal glass carboy before brewing my next batch. Being able to see the fermentation would be nice. I got this nice piece of kit called a brew hauler from my LHBS. It's a sling that fits on buckets and carboys and makes it a whole lot easier to move stuff around.

I wish I could RHAHB, but I'm trying to patiently wait for the first brew to finish bottle conditioning.

I have an idea that will save you a bit of money in the short term and may save a ton of money in the long term. Interested?

Instead of buying a carboy, get a glass jar. No particular size needed but quart jars are pretty common. Pour all but about 3/4 quart of your wort into your bucket fermenter. Pour the rest including the trub into the jar and add a tiny bit of yeast to this as you add yeast to your bucket. Now you can see how the fermentation looks without buying a carboy. With no big, heavy carboy around you miss out on the chance of an accident with that causing you a trip to the emergency room and that is where you save the ton of money.:rockin:

 

[crookedibrews]

Why? My oldest bucket is approaching 10 years and it still makes good beer.:rockin:

I used my first bucket for three years. Then I got all paranoid due to some scratches. So now I try to replace them once they get discolored or scratched. Although I have never really had with any issues with older buckets or infections. Guess it's just a piece of mind thing.

 

[jsharp4684]

I appreciate all the input folks. I don't have any troubles handling the carboy with my brewhauler sling, though.

An update on the brew: it's been in the primary for 4 days and is near where the FG should be (1.010). It's a bit higher in alcohol than planned (5.5%), but I won't be complaining about that. I tasted the test sample and it should turn out pretty well. Tomorrow I'm putting it in the secondary, where I'll leave it for another week or so.

 

[RM-MN]

I appreciate all the input folks. I don't have any troubles handling the carboy with my brewhauler sling, though.

An update on the brew: it's been in the primary for 4 days and is near where the FG should be (1.010). It's a bit higher in alcohol than planned (5.5%), but I won't be complaining about that. I tasted the test sample and it should turn out pretty well. Tomorrow I'm putting it in the secondary, where I'll leave it for another week or so.

Why? Why not leave it where it is, let the big yeast cake do it's magic, let the suspended yeast fall, and then just bottle it?

 

[jsharp4684]

Why? Why not leave it where it is, let the big yeast cake do it's magic, let the suspended yeast fall, and then just bottle it?

There's a lot of large chunks floating in the beer, from the spice pack. The yeast has completed most of its work, since it's nearly at final gravity. I might as well make it easier to clarify the beer by putting it in the secondary.

 

[jsharp4684]

Why? Why not leave it where it is, let the big yeast cake do it's magic, let the suspended yeast fall, and then just bottle it?

If I leave the beer on the yeast cake too long, won't it cause the beer to taste autolysed?

 

[RM-MN]

If I leave the beer on the yeast cake too long, won't it cause the beer to taste autolysed?

Sure can, but it might take months or years. I usually leave my beers in primary for 3 to 4 weeks but I have gone as long as 9 weeks with no problem.

 

[jsharp4684]

Well after tasting a very young bottle of my first brew, I am inclined to leave the saison in the primary for the extra time. I think my stout has a fair bit of diacetyl, due to a very quick ferment and a short primary...hard for me to tell as this is my first. It comes on as a warming finish then what I think is a buttery taste. I wish I knew someone local with beer tasting experience.

 

[jsharp4684]

Brew update: Today makes 16 days in primary for the saison. I just took a gravity reading and it's at 1.004, about 8 points below the FG on the recipe. That will make it a 6.5%. The citrus character seems to have mellowed a good bit, but the mango will be going in during bottling, so that should pick back up. Is there anything I should be worried about with having overshot the FG by so much?

 

[RM-MN]

Brew update: Today makes 16 days in primary for the saison. I just took a gravity reading and it's at 1.004, about 8 points below the FG on the recipe. That will make it a 6.5%. The citrus character seems to have mellowed a good bit, but the mango will be going in during bottling, so that should pick back up. Is there anything I should be worried about with having overshot the FG by so much?

What form is the mango, juice or extract. If it is extract you will be fine. If it is juice it will have sugars that will ferment in the bottles and cause them to burst. If you add juice let the beer sit for another 4 to 7 days before bottling.

You as the brewer get to choose the OG of each batch by your choice of malts. The yeast get to choose the FG. If they want to take it low, just accept it since the only recourse you have is to make another batch with different yeast.

 

[jsharp4684]

The mango is the extract/concentrate that comes with the ingredient kit. The directions state to put it in the bottling bucket (2oz for light flavor, all 4oz for more), after the dissolved priming sugar solution, then rack the beer on top of that. I'm going to check the gravity again tomorrow, then bottle if it hasn't changed from Tuesday.

I'm anxious to get the temp controller and heater setup for my newly acquired fermentation chamber chest freezer, in preparation for my next brew.

 

[jsharp4684]

So I had an opportunity to try one of the saisons. It is well carbonated, but there's very little detectable mango flavor. It's picked up in the aroma though.

 

[jsharp4684]

Just thought I'd update this, for posterity's sake. The saison has turned out to be a favorite of some of my family. The mango is still pretty understated, but it's a tasty beer none the less.

 

[RM-MN]

Just thought I'd update this, for posterity's sake. The saison has turned out to be a favorite of some of my family. The mango is still pretty understated, but it's a tasty beer none the less.

Here's something to think about for the next time you brew this. This is my perception and yours may be different but I think Citra hops give a mango flavor. You might try adding and ounce at flameout or dry hop with the Citra and see if it enhances the mango to you.

 

[jsharp4684]

I may have to give that a try. Thanks

 

[moose5180]

i am getting ready to bottle/keg this same beer. Curious how much of the mango flavoring you added? Thanks

 

[jsharp4684]

I used the full bottle of flavoring. The beer is a party favorite whenever I serve it. The mango flavor isn't too strong, IMO. It seems to come across more in the nose, rather than the taste. I'm looking forward to making it again, when I have an empty keg.

 

[moose5180]

i just kegged it and dumped the whole bottle, i tried a taste uncarbed and yes its not strong at all, more for aroma. Glad i used all of it. Thanks for the reply!