Saison attempt

[SMP Brewery]

Sounds like my cup of tea. Where did you get the leaves?

Our local India supermarket always has some in stock.

 

[Sadfield]

But what if you are in the UK?

 

[Keruso]

Sounds like my cup of tea. Where did you get the leaves?

Asian supermarkets sell frozen ones, best value. Everyday supermarkets sell them too, usually dried ones but they are more expensive

 

[Nicks90]

Saisons suit simple ingredients - as generally the yeast will kill off anything you are trying to do to be clever.
Simple pale malt, maybe a bit of crystal and then some noble hops and let that temp spiral out of control to peak in the high 20's

Wouldn't bother with mandarina Bavaria, you won't taste it with a saison yeast. I've tried twice and it's just pointless.

 

[Sadfield]

Crystal is the last thing I'd want in a Saison. Dryness is one of its main characteristics.

https://beerandbrewing.com/brasserie-de-la-sennes-yvan-de-baets-explains-saisons-greatest-myth-the/

Unfortunately paywalled, but if you can see it, or know away around it. This article contains a great guide to brewing saison and a good argument that you don't need a Saison yeast to brew a Saison. A couple of bullet points, I'd cut and pasted in the past.


A saison should be:

• pale in color (up to dark amber)
• light in alcohol
• well-attenuated and/or dry
• “rustic,” i.e., not too clean—not easy to define, but important to distinguish it from other styles
• quite bitter or tart/sour
• spicy, or not
• without fruit
• refreshing and balanced

 

[Nicks90]

Crystal is the last thing I'd want in a Saison. Dryness is one of its main characteristics.

Agree but not agree...
I'm taking 100gm of light crystal in a 3.5kg grain bill, and it's not for sweetness or take away the dryness, but more for a bit of body in what is otherwise just a smash brew.

 

[Agentgonzo]

Agree but not agree...
I'm taking 100gm of light crystal in a 3.5kg grain bill, and it's not for sweetness or take away the dryness, but more for a bit of body in what is otherwise just a smash brew.

Agree. Saisons benefit from a little bit of crystal/Munich/biscuit malt to give a little bit more body and interest.