I’ve been on a bit of a saison kick lately, starting mixed fermentation batches in April and May. Those are still bulk aging with probably a few months left to go before bottling. In the meantime, I feel like experimenting with a quicker 100% Saccharomyces saison.

I’m going to try out a new yeast for this brew, Omega Saisonstein’s Monster (OLY-500). It’s a hybrid strain, bred from Belgain and French saison parents.

I came across this yeast in Union’s Tart Saison, and liked it enough that I thought it was worth a try at home.

Omega says:

[Saisonstein] is versatile, aromatic and attenuative with a silky mouthfeel. It excels in high gravity and it ferments more reliably and thoroughly than its parents. It is spicy, complex, tart, dry and crisp with some bubblegum character present from its Belgian parent, and more fruit and fewer phenolics than its French parent.

This test batch won’t be as tart as Union’s. I think they kettle soured theirs, or possibly aged it traditionally with sour bacteria. I couldn’t find a firm answer. This beer will use a simple recipe with just the Saisonstein’s Monster to let the yeast show what it can do.

Recipe

I really liked the way my rustic saison was tasting when I transferred it to secondary recently. The grain bill for that was Pils, Rye, and some light Candi Sugar.

I’ve never brewed much with Rye, but I think I’ve been missing out. For this batch I’m going to use just Pils and Rye.

The hopping schedule is inspired by The Mad Fermentationist’s hoppy french saison.

Batch size:      5.5 gallons
Target OG:       1.052
Target FG:       1.003
Calculated IBU:  29.3
Calculated SRM:  4.0

Grain bill:
9.25 lb  Pislner Malt (84%) 
1.75 lb  Rye Malt     (16%)

Mash (Batch Sparge): 148 °F @ 1.5 qts/lb

Hops:
0.35 oz Columbus @ 60 minutes 
2.25 oz Czech Saaz @ 15 minutes
1.75 oz Czech Saaz @ Flameout

Yeast:
1.5L starter (stir plate) of Omega Saisonstein's Monster (OLY-500)

Notes

2020-07-06 - Thought the grains looked a little too intact after milling. Milled a second time.

Overly high efficiency. Added 0.7G water after getting pre-boil OG. The water addition either wasn’t enough or I boiled too much. OG 1.056 instead of targeted 1.052

2020-07-07 - Fermentation started around 70 °F, ramped up to 76 °F over the course of the first day. About one degree every two hours. Going to leave it at 76 °F for the rest of fermentation.

2020-07-18 - Looks like there hasn’t been any activity the last few days. FG 1.005, ~6.8% abv. The gravity sample tastes pretty nice!

Transferred to a keg and added 1 tsp gelatin dissolved in 4oz of 150 °F water. Into the kegerator to chill and carb.