Worth it to brew extract saison?

[tom9d]

Is there a consensus on whether it makes sense to brew an extract saison?

I know it's tough to get the wort as fermentable as is ideal for this style with extract, since you can't mash long and low. But I've done some digging on here and a few people have said you can add some sugar or honey to dry it out and compensate a bit for the fact that the wort won't otherwise be as fermentable.

Thoughts? Have people ended up with good saisons using extract?

 

[Seven]

There's a recent podcast available from basic brewing radio about brewing saisons and I know they mentioned brewing with extract. I vaguely remember them saying something about replacing some of the extract with sugar but I don't recall the details. Maybe give it a listen...

 

[amandabab]

5lb of pilsen/ex-light DME
1lb light DME
1/2 lb 15-20L crystal for color.
WYEAST 3724

should put you around 1.012-1.09 in 5-6 weeks

 

[kmos]

I just did AHS's Summer Saison and it came out pretty good -- I'd definitely recommend giving it a swing. I was encouraged enough to try my hand at an extract table beer next week.

If you are worried about having it dry out enough, maybe try Wyeast 3711 -- that yeast is crazy!

 

[temptnmonkey]

Just bottled a saison extract--tastes great so far

If I remember correctly:
6lbs pilsen LME
1lb wheat DME
1lb amber DME
1/2 lb candi sugar

used WYEAST 3711

Got down to 1.004 in a couple weeks

 

[tom9d]

Awesome. Thanks, all. I'm going ahead with it. I have my recipe on BeerSmith on my other computer, but it's something like this ...

3.14 lbs pilsen LME
2 lbs pilsen DME
1 lb wheat DME
.5 lb carared
1 lb honey
1.5oz styrian goldings (60 minutes)
.5oz saaz (15 minutes)
.5oz saaz (5 minutes)
WLP 566

 

[kmos]

Awesome. Thanks, all. I'm going ahead with it. I have my recipe on BeerSmith on my other computer, but it's something like this ...

3.14 lbs pilsen LME
2 lbs pilsen DME
1 lb wheat DME
.5 lb carared
1 lb honey
1.5oz styrian goldings (60 minutes)
.5oz saaz (15 minutes)
.5oz saaz (5 minutes)
WLP 566

Sounds delicious! Let us know how it turns out.

 

[txaggie]

I have one in bottles right now, just bottled it sunday. It was a kit from Midwest, but I used the WL565 Saison yeast instead of the yeast that came with it. OG was 1.056, FG was 1.004(way lower than recipe specified).

Hard to gauge on just the samples I've tried so far, but when taking last gravity reading, it had a finish similar to other Saison's I've had. I guess I won't know for a month, but why not give it a shot.

 

[Pie_Man]

Many Saisons have a pretty simple grain bill, so extract should be fine. The yeast is extremely important to this style, so use the correct yeast and try to get the beer to finish with a low OG to give a drier taste. I just listened to the brewing network's Can You Brew It podcast about Saisons. They recommend starting the fermentation cool (about 68) for a day or two and then letting the temperature warm up. This yeast can handle temps in the high 70s and low 80s. Good luck, let us know how it comes out.

 

[beergolf]

One of my first brews (probably about brew 5 or 6) was an extract Saison. It turned out great and finished at 1.006. I got a later one down to 1.004. So yes an extract Saison is very doable.

 

[Face Eater]

I have done 2 extract saison kits a while back and they both turned out great. One was the petite saison from northern brewer with the French saison yeast. I believe that one finished at 1.004. I did the same one again but added Belgian candi sugar and some other stuff and that one finished around 1.006-1.008. Both were great beers. Both were fermented in the mid to upper 70's.