Cedar Rapids Brewing Society

I am going to try to clone Boulevard's Saison Brett. I am going to ferment with Wyeast's French Saison. I have Brett lambicus but I,m not sure the best time to pitch. Any help would be appreciated.
Original gravity is calculated at 1061 and I'm hoping for a final gravity around 1008-1006. I will bottle condition at 2.5 volumes CO2.

Just pitched a 3 liter starter of Wyeast 3711 French Saison. All my numbers were dead on with BeerSmith2. (OG 1064) and all parameters were within style bounderies. I'm predicting pitching the Brett (Wyeast 5526) in 10-12 days and bottling 14 to 21 days later. I may get to taste one about Memorial day.
I'll teach Boulevard to "Limited Release" a really great beer.

sounds like a pretty cool experiment, do you have brett only equipment now?

bf514921 wrote:sounds like a pretty cool experiment, do you have brett only equipment now?

I have seperate racking and bottle filler as well as bottling bucket. Secondary ferment is a glass carboy. The glass I'm not worried about and I plan to use boiling water and an iodofor soak on the plastic, even though I'm going to keep them seperate for future sour beers.

Just racked the saison from primary to secondary and pitched the Brett. If the small taste I got from the hydrometer cylinder is any indication, I've got a winner. OG 1058(@100C) and gravity this afternoon was 1012 @ 74C. I'm shooting for 8-10 days in the secondary and ~FG 1008-1004.
A day long soak in iodophor after 180F cleaning of bottling bucket and hoses. I'm going to get new hoses but would like to reuse the bottling bucket.

jjbuck wrote:Just racked the saison from primary to secondary and pitched the Brett. If the small taste I got from the hydrometer cylinder is any indication, I've got a winner. OG 1058(@100C) and gravity this afternoon was 1012 @ 74C. I'm shooting for 8-10 days in the secondary and ~FG 1008-1004.
A day long soak in iodophor after 180F cleaning of bottling bucket and hoses. I'm going to get new hoses but would like to reuse the bottling bucket.

I am really shocked at the short secondary for the sour. Is the idea that the souring will happen in the bottles? I always assumed long secondary times for sours.

I'm assuming 4 to 6 months for the "Brett" character to assert itsself in the bottles. I let a Flanders Red sit in the secondary for a full year and the lactic and acetic acids kind of took over. I used Roselare blend for that one which may be the difference. But for this saison all I want is a tartness and a small nose of Brett. The hydrometer sample I took when I racked to secondary was very tasty and quite dry already, so I don't want the Brett to overpower. Its an experiment. I think I'll like it even if the Brett doesn't assert itsself at all.

If you are using the 750 corked Belgian bottles (and I assume you are) then you should be OK as they can take like 5 volumes CO2 without issue.

With those bugs I'd be afraid to bottle that early in anything else.

Tested my first bottle of the SBClone. Well carbonated, nice "Brett" nose, peppery at first then finishes very tart and dry. In all modesty, my best effort, ever! Hurray the jinx is over (I hope).

I'm really excited to try this when it's ready.  Or before it's ready, for that matter.

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John, Can you post your recipe for this one?

Steven P wrote:John, Can you post your recipe for this one?

Saison Brett clone
Est mash efficiency 79.1%
8 lbs 14.4 oz Belgian pilsner 2.0 SRM
1 lb 1.6 oz White Wheat malt (Belgian) 2.0 SRM
12 oz aromatic (castle) 26 SRM
1.1 oz honey (sage)
6.6 oz cane sugar
2.00 oz Styrian Goldings 4.6% 60 min
1.00 oz Czech Saaz 3.9% 15 min
8.00 g Coriander seed 15 min
French Saison Wyeast 3711 3 liter starter
Brett Lambucus Wyeast 5526 ( add to secondary)
Est OG 1.061
Est FG 1.007
Est ABV 7.0%
32 IBU
Est color 5.8 SRM
Single infusion mash 1.5qt/lb 148-149 F 90 min
Fly sparge with 5 gal @ 168 F
Actual OG 1.064
Actual FG 1.010 - Bottled at 70F 4.45 oz corn sugar 2.5 - 3.0 volumes CO2
The aromatic made the beer a bit more orange. The Brett Lambucus may be a bit more "bright" than I wanted but it has a nice "Brett" nose on first pour. The coriander gave a nice tang and the 3711 finished well with more of the peppery spice notes and not as much fruit. Pitched the yeast at 68F and let it rise on its own for two days (up to 72) Used a heater to keep it at 72 for 3 days and then up a degree a day to 76F til finish. I believe this also accentuated the peppery spice and downplayed the fruitiness. Early bottles (two) have a hard time holding a head about 7-10 min then just around the edges. Still very nice at about 40-45 degrees, colder not so much on the spice.

Beer was repitched with champagne yeast at bottling Corked and wire hooded and stored in 70F room.

Many thanks. I eagerly await the results!

Found a pellicle formed in all of the Saison Brett bottles. I don't think it will affect the taste but I've never seen one in a commercial beer that is supposed to be developing in the bottle. Perhaps it was due to the way it was poured? I can't stay long at Big Brew(I have a family commitment at 12:30) but I'll bring a bottle for inspection and tasting if desired.