Youngs New World Saison - Questions

[deanobrfc]

Evening all!

First post in here - please forgive me if this has been written elsewhere, but can't find anything so far.

I'm a complete newbie, but really keen to get started - have bought myself an equipment starter kit and Youngs New World Saison for my first brew and have a couple of questions for you seasoned Brewers:

- Bottling length: I have read various reports on how long this should be in the bottle for before being consumed, some 2 weeks and some 6-8 weeks. What's everyone's experience of this?

- Temperature: how do you all maintain temperature for your brews? I don't really want to leave the heating on all day for weeks as I'm out of the house at least 12 hours a day every weekday. Any tips? Have also seen a couple of pieces that maybe temperature isn't the biggest thing to worry about?

- Any special advice or tips for either this brew or someone who is just starting out with all the basics?

Thank you all for your help!

Sam.

 

[Oneflewover]

Hello. I brewed this in August during the 'heatwave' :lol:
It benefits from higher temps - up nearer 30 degrees - so sorry to say it might not be the best time of year to brew it....
That said, it is a lovely drink, and mine has been improving from about 6 weeks in the bottle from memory. Was not good very young. I think that there will be a sweet spot in terms of when to drink as the hops will fade over time.

 

[deanobrfc]

Hello. I brewed this in August during the 'heatwave' :lol:
It benefits from higher temps - up nearer 30 degrees - so sorry to say it might not be the best time of year to brew it....
That said, it is a lovely drink, and mine has been improving from about 6 weeks in the bottle from memory. Was not good very young. I think that there will be a sweet spot in terms of when to drink as the hops will fade over time.

Thank you!

If I was to brew it at a slightly cooler temperature, would it then just take longer to ferment?

How was the taste after three weeks in the bottle?

 

[Graz]

Well you have picked the one kit that really benefits from higher brewing temperatures! With a normal ale so long as it's in the 18-20C range it will ferment albeit more slowly at lower temperatures.

Long term you might want to think about a brew fridge, this is one of the most useful things I've done for homebrewing, so much so that I now have two of them. http://www.berrybrew.co.uk/fermentation-fridge-build-brew-fridge/ Note you can now use an Inkbird controller that is ready made rather than the STC-1000 shown in the link.

For now though you might want to think about a heating belt for your fermenter or what some others do is put the fermenter in a water bath and heat that to the desired temperature using an aquarium heater, dirt cheap on eBay.

Good luck!

 

[Oneflewover]

Thank you!

If I was to brew it at a slightly cooler temperature, would it then just take longer to ferment?

How was the taste after three weeks in the bottle?

TBH I wasn't that keen on the young beer, definitely needs a while to condition - I understand that saison is meant to be stored before drinking. Really enjoying it now though.

Have you started it off yet? Might be best to start the IPA you've got next in line instead?

 

[deanobrfc]

TBH I wasn't that keen on the young beer, definitely needs a while to condition - I understand that saison is meant to be stored before drinking. Really enjoying it now though.

Have you started it off yet? Might be best to start the IPA you've got next in line instead?

Might go for the IPA instead - have you brewed that before?

Just keen to get something going - will start on Sunday. Have a place to brew and all equipment sorted now so looking forward to it!

In terms of temperature, will around 20 degrees be more suitable to the IPA?

Thanks for your help!

 

[deanobrfc]

Well you have picked the one kit that really benefits from higher brewing temperatures! With a normal ale so long as it's in the 18-20C range it will ferment albeit more slowly at lower temperatures.

Long term you might want to think about a brew fridge, this is one of the most useful things I've done for homebrewing, so much so that I now have two of them. http://www.berrybrew.co.uk/fermentation-fridge-build-brew-fridge/ Note you can now use an Inkbird controller that is ready made rather than the STC-1000 shown in the link.

For now though you might want to think about a heating belt for your fermenter or what some others do is put the fermenter in a water bath and heat that to the desired temperature using an aquarium heater, dirt cheap on eBay.

Good luck!

Thanks!

Have you got any links to fermenting belts?

As you can tell I'm very new to this but very keen!

May go with the St. Peter's IPA due to lower temperatures. Would you recommend that? Agree the Saison should be done at a higher temperature - just excited to brew this given my taste in beer and the rave reviews.

Sam.

 

[deanobrfc]

Evening all,


Will be starting this brew tonight and just wondered about the yeast for it.

The instructions state to stir in the yeast gently, though I have previously just sprinkled onto the surface and left it alone.

Should I stick with the instructions or just sprinkle it on top?

Is it the type of beer that determines the yeast pitching method?

Thanks!

Sam.

 

[Linalmeemow]

I was in almost exactly the same place as you 18 months ago - I did this as my second ever brew but bought a heating belt specifically to get it warm enough to get the best out of the yeast. It was definitely one of the best kits I did - benefited from a few weeks in the bottle before drinking, but generally all kits do as you'll learn...

 

[deanobrfc]

I was in almost exactly the same place as you 18 months ago - I did this as my second ever brew but bought a heating belt specifically to get it warm enough to get the best out of the yeast. It was definitely one of the best kits I did - benefited from a few weeks in the bottle before drinking, but generally all kits do as you'll learn...

I am starting this tonight as my second ever brew! Snap!

Did your stir in the yeast as per the instructions or did you sprinkle onto the surface?

 

[Linalmeemow]

I am starting this tonight as my second ever brew! Snap!

Did your stir in the yeast as per the instructions or did you sprinkle onto the surface?

You'll be fine sprinkling it on. The saison yeast really works best at higher temperatures - pitch it at around 22c as usual then ramp it up a degree or two a day til you get to 28/29c and it'll come out really well.

 

[deanobrfc]

Evening All!

People have mentioned using a hop bag for this when adding hops - does anyone please have a link for this? Hoping to buy very soon.

Also, the beer looks like it has finished fermenting and is sat at between 6.45-6.7%abv depedning on which calculation method you use. Would it do any harm if i left this (at around 27 degrees) until Sunday/Monday night to add the hops?

One further question - it mentions to stir in the sugar until disolved before bottling. How long would people advise waiting until this is fully disolved? Half an hour or so?

Thanks,

Sam.

 

[Jakeyboi]

Evening All!

People have mentioned using a hop bag for this when adding hops - does anyone please have a link for this? Hoping to buy very soon.

Also, the beer looks like it has finished fermenting and is sat at between 6.45-6.7%abv depedning on which calculation method you use. Would it do any harm if i left this (at around 27 degrees) until Sunday/Monday night to add the hops?

One further question - it mentions to stir in the sugar until disolved before bottling. How long would people advise waiting until this is fully disolved? Half an hour or so?

Thanks,

Sam.

Hi Sam,

I bought some muslin bags from this site http://www.thehomebrewcompany.co.uk/muslin-hop-grain-bags-p-84.html

I boil one of these bags and allow to cool, put my hop pellets in them along with 4 tablespoons. The spoons in the bag stop it from floating once the pellets have absorbed some wort. It won't do your brew any harm leaving in the fv until then. You want to dry hop for another 5 days once you put them in, this also will do no harm.

The best way to dissolve the priming sugar is to add it to half a cup of boiling water. Let it cool and put it in the bottom of your bottling bucket (separate bucket to your fv) and syphon your beer onto being careful not to splash it. Once it's syphoned I give it a spin with a spoon for about 30 seconds. again try not to splash as introducing oxygen at this stage can be bad for your beer later. I started bottling straight away and they all seem to have carbed up fine.

Good luck! Jake

 

[neal]

The best way to dissolve the priming sugar is to add it to half a cup of boiling water. Let it cool and put it in the bottom of your bottling bucket (separate bucket to your fv) and syphon your beer onto being careful not to splash it. Once it's syphoned I give it a spin with a spoon for about 30 seconds. again try not to splash as introducing oxygen at this stage can be bad for your beer later. I started bottling straight away and they all seem to have carbed up fine.

Good luck! Jake

same way I do it, always works :thumb:

 

[deanobrfc]

Hi Sam,

I bought some muslin bags from this site http://www.thehomebrewcompany.co.uk/muslin-hop-grain-bags-p-84.html

I boil one of these bags and allow to cool, put my hop pellets in them along with 4 tablespoons. The spoons in the bag stop it from floating once the pellets have absorbed some wort. It won't do your brew any harm leaving in the fv until then. You want to dry hop for another 5 days once you put them in, this also will do no harm.

The best way to dissolve the priming sugar is to add it to half a cup of boiling water. Let it cool and put it in the bottom of your bottling bucket (separate bucket to your fv) and syphon your beer onto being careful not to splash it. Once it's syphoned I give it a spin with a spoon for about 30 seconds. again try not to splash as introducing oxygen at this stage can be bad for your beer later. I started bottling straight away and they all seem to have carbed up fine.

Good luck! Jake

Thanks!

Just bought some hop bags with a drawstring on the top. How should these be used - are they simply placed into the beer for the specified amount of time?

With regards to the bottling, I don't have a second container and just bottle straight from the FV using a bottling stick. What would be the best way to do the sugar using this method, would it be to stir it into the beer just before bottling?

Thanks again!

Sam.

 

[Jakeyboi]

Thanks!

Just bought some hop bags with a drawstring on the top. How should these be used - are they simply placed into the beer for the specified amount of time?

With regards to the bottling, I don't have a second container and just bottle straight from the FV using a bottling stick. What would be the best way to do the sugar using this method, would it be to stir it into the beer just before bottling?

Thanks again!

Sam.

Just sanitize the bag, add the hops and drop them in. Adding the priming sugar to fv could cause you some problems as you could disturb the yeast cake, I would want to gently stir it, I've never done it this way. Worst case you will have a bit more sediment in your bottles once they've conditioned. I would still dissolve in boiling water first.

Jake

 

[deanobrfc]

Just sanitize the bag, add the hops and drop them in. Adding the priming sugar to fv could cause you some problems as you could disturb the yeast cake, I would want to gently stir it, I've never done it this way. Worst case you will have a bit more sediment in your bottles once they've conditioned. I would still dissolve in boiling water first.

Jake

Haven't got a secondary container at all let alone 23L!

Will take your advice and stir gently.

Just a thought - does the sugar have to be mixed in or can it go into the bottles individually in some way?

Sorry for all the questions - only the second brew and want to make sure it's decent!

Thanks!

 

[Oneflewover]

Haven't got a secondary container at all let alone 23L!

Will take your advice and stir gently.

Just a thought - does the sugar have to be mixed in or can it go into the bottles individually in some way?

Sorry for all the questions - only the second brew and want to make sure it's decent!

Thanks!

I wouldn't add the priming sugar to the FV if you have been unable to rack it off the trub. Just use a funnel and add a teaspoon to each 500ml bottle of the dextrose Youngs provide. You may have a bit left over because I think this is quite a well-carbonated beer, but it's roughly a teaspoon full.

 

[deanobrfc]

I wouldn't add the priming sugar to the FV if you have been unable to rack it off the trub. Just use a funnel and add a teaspoon to each 500ml bottle of the dextrose Youngs provide. You may have a bit left over because I think this is quite a well-carbonated beer, but it's roughly a teaspoon full.

Thanks! Will try this - will be bottling around Tuesday or Wednesday.

Do you put it into the bottle before adding the brew or put it into the top after bottling?

 

[Oneflewover]

Thanks! Will try this - will be bottling around Tuesday or Wednesday.

Do you put it into the bottle before adding the brew or put it into the top after bottling?

You need to do it before siphoning your beer on top. I think that it would be a bit messy to do it the other way around. I only have one fv and always do it this way. I use one of those teaspoon measures you get in kitchen shops for consistency.

Had one of these brewed in August. Very very good even if I do say so myself. I think that the hops will fade from now on.