Small Batch (Kitchen Brewing) - Coriander Saison

[klaus]

A while ago, in another thread, small batch brewing was discussed including a book entitled "Kitchen Brewing". Never been really interested in a one gallon brew, always preferred doing 5 gallon (= loads of beer!). However I was curious about the book so got a secondhand copy and decided to try one of the recipes, Coriander Saison, page 46. Followed the recipe more or less, as follos:

- 100g crushed wheat malt
- 100g crushed amber malt
- 500g spray malt
- 50g Citra hops (4 tbsp!)
- 1/2 pack of Mangrove Jacks French Saison M29 (recipe suggested Lallemand Belle Saison)

Method (using two kitchen pots):
- Steep grain in 1.7l water @ 68C for 20 minutes (recipe: 15)
- Lauter/filter wort through the grains a few times
- Pour wort into large pot, top up with water, bring to the boil
- Boil for 30 minutes, add Citra hops @ 20 minutes
- Cool down to 25C using kitchen sink cold water bath (less than 10 mintes).
- Pour wort into fermentation bucket (didn't have a spare DJ...)
- Add 1/2 packet of yeast.
- Leave to ferment for 10 days (took 24hrs to start)
- TO BE DONE: Day 10: add chopped coriander to flavour
- TO BE DONE: Day 14: Bottle
- TO BE DONE: Leave bottles to mature for 14 days.

I know this is quite fast but I'm sure (I hope) it works.

After 24 hrs in the FV - the Citra aroma is amasing:

 

[klaus]

Of course, the 500g spray malt was added for the boil ....

 

[FakeBiffa]

Just ordered that book from a certain well known online seller of everything for 4.99. Could be the tipping point to send me to the dark side....

 

[klaus]

Just ordered that book from a certain well known online seller of everything for 4.99. Could be the tipping point to send me to the dark side....

I found it for £3.50 on a well-known "auction" site
It certainly is an encouragement to do some low tech brewing and try different styles without worrying about the 40 pint batch. Great if you have a selection of malts hanging around. I had to buy small quantities which is expensive, but at least the results should be rewarding. By the end of the year I should be able to open the first bottle.

 

[klaus]

The brew has been in the FV 10 days now, per recipe I added "half a bunch" of coriander, washed and chopped. First time I ever added kitchen herbs to a brew ... The quantity stated was vague so I used half a small bag of fresh coriander, bought at Aldi. Another four days and I'll bottle (and then wait another fortnight before sampling). Should be interesting.

 

[Jim Brewster]

Unusual to see coriander leaf as opposed to the seeds, very intriguing

 

[klaus]

Unusual to see coriander leaf as opposed to the seeds, very intriguing

Yes I have read about seeds being used.
Though didn't brewers in the middle ages use herb leaves, before hops were introduced for brewing?

 

[samale]

Interesting, I normally use seeds and crack them before adding.

 

[klaus]

I have now bottled this brew, in the end it turned out to be just four litres, didn't compensate for boil-off.... Having tasted a sample it seems the coriander is over-powering the Citra aroma, probably put in too much coriander. Maybe once carbonated the herb aroma won't be as strong?
Anyway, I can taste the c.5% ABV suggested by the recipe. Primed the bottles with a level tsp of granulated sugar and left them in a warm corner for a few days, then to my beer storage (recipe suggests leave to condition for 14 days).
Also should have just used a hop sock, makes is easier for bottling, i.e. no straining off the leaves.
Got enough ingredients left to do the same brew, this time will leave out the coriander to see how the beer itself turns out.

 

[klaus]

The Coriander Saison has been in the bottle for over a week. Today I opened a small (quarter pint?) bottle for a quick QC.

There was quite a bit of sludge in the bottle as it was the drags from the bottom of the FV, so not clear when pouring. A bit darker than I expected.

I must say I'm pleasantly surprised. Nicely carbonated. Aroma coming off was distinctly Coriander, but on taste it wasn't overpowering - nice malty and fresh taste Citra coming through a bit, perhaps should have used more than the 50g.

Overall a nice result from a simple recipe and kitchen process. Using the remaining ingredients I put on the same brew in the morning, this time without Coriander. Should come out nice as well, fingers crossed.

 

[klaus]

As mentioned above Friday morning I started the same brew basically to see how it turns out without coriander and to use up the remaining malt and hops. To recap here's the recipe, same procedure - 5 litres:
- 100g crushed wheat malt
- 100g crushed amber malt
- 500g spray malt
- 50g Citra hops
- 1/2 pack of Mangrove Jacks French Saison M29 (recipe suggested Lallemand Belle Saison)

Pic shows the low-tech fermenting arrangement - have already cleaned the blow-out tube and is now bubbling away at a steady pace after the initial eruption. Had to move this to another spot as my usual brewing space is occupied by groceries for the holidays

 

[Jim Brewster]

I'm an advocate of the 5L water bottle FV

 

[ToGGoT]

Interesting! I got this book for Christmas, and it's given me a nudge to move from extract kits to something a bit more...

In your second batch, did you compensate for the boil off? Wondering how much water to add.

Also, my recipes ask for the malt in 200ml quantities - I presume you found that 200ml weighs out to 100g each does it?

 

[klaus]

There's an explanation as to the quantities: 200ml is about 100g - suspect the author used a measuring jug for liquids ....
As to the volume, I'm sure I put in too little water in the first place, with a half hour boil there can't be a boil loss of 1.5 litres .... so I made sure there's five litres in the demijohn to start with. Hoping to bottle the second brew next week.

 

[klaus]

Just bottled this second batch (no coriander this time) - 9 bottles this time. Opening the FV I was surprised by a nice fruity aroma. A taste test confirmed, it's fruity, nicely hoppy and malty. Should be very nice once carbonated. It's still too dark for a traditional saison, I did use amber malt and medium DME, I think pale malt and DME would be a better choice.
Taster bottle:

 

[ToGGoT]

I'll add this here if its OK, as I don't think its worth its own thread doing the same;

A week ago I followed exactly the same recipe, except quantities doubled, and with Muntons 'light' DME. My local did actually have the Lallemand yeast, so I used that. I am leaving one demi 'unseasoned' and will be adding leaf coriander to the second one in a few days.

Mine is literally the same colour as yours, so I suspect the caraAmber is the bulk of the colouring...


Klaus, what sort of temperature are you fermenting at? My kitchen is 17.5-18degC and I think its possibly a bit slow. May need a heat pad...

 

[klaus]

I'll add this here if its OK, as I don't think its worth its own thread doing the same;

A week ago I followed exactly the same recipe, except quantities doubled, and with Muntons 'light' DME. My local did actually have the Lallemand yeast, so I used that. I am leaving one demi 'unseasoned' and will be adding leaf coriander to the second one in a few days.

Mine is literally the same colour as yours, so I suspect the caraAmber is the bulk of the colouring...


Klaus, what sort of temperature are you fermenting at? My kitchen is 17.5-18degC and I think its possibly a bit slow. May need a heat pad...

The temp for the first one (w/coriander) was between 16 and 20C - we just had that frosty weather so moved it to an upstairs bedroom, in the end it was a steady 20C for a couple of days. But no issue, Second batch I also left upstairs that was 20C throughout, but again it's still a passable result.
I have read from various sources that Saison yeast does well at higher temps (up to 28C?) which produces a more fruity flavour.
I have only ever used jumpers or insulation material to keep to reasonable temps. This time because of the frost the upstairs had more stable temps, even with reduced heating.

 

[klaus]

Taster bottle - last QC for this batch - very impressed - as described above when this was bottled.