This is a review of my first attempt at all grain brewing. I decided to make a hoppy saison since I still don't have a good temperature control system. It turned out to be a smashing success - far and away better than the extract brews that came before it! Here's my review:
Look: Orange-yellow, straw colored. Slightly hazy, but as a farmhouse ale I think it is fitting. Pours a lush white head that is rich and stiff (it can support a bottle cap). Lots of staying power. When the head dissipates, it leaves behind some beautiful lacing. The body on this beer really is spot on!
Aroma: Spice and citrus. Slightly fruity. I am having trouble placing the particular spices. If I make this again, I will dial back the hops a touch. It is just a little bit too hoppy for the bitterness to play well off of the spiciness, which is what I wanted.
Taste: Spice and hop character mesh well and play off one another. Again, a little bit too hoppy. Dialing back hops and bumping up gravity would benefit this beer.
Mouthfeel: This beer has some nice body, but it is also pretty strongly carbonated. These two factors play off one another and make the beer seem light but not thin. The carbonation level accentuates the hoppiness, causing a slight puckering sensation when drinking. The overall result is a very strong but clean feeling beer.
I'm very satisfied with this beer, and it can easily be improved when making it a second time.
Recipe Name: India Pale Saison
Recipe Volume: 5 gallons
Yeast: White Labs WLP568 Saison Blend
| Malts: | Amount |
|---|---|
| 1. 2-row malt | 8 lbs. |
| 2. Vienna malt | 1 lb. |
| 3. Carapils | 0.5 lb. |
| 3. Honey malt | 0.5 lb. |
Brewhouse Efficiency 77%
Calculated Original Gravity 1.055
Caclulated Boil Gravity 1.044
Measured Original Gravity 1.056
| Hops: | Amount | Boil Time | IBUs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Nugget (13.5%) | 1 oz. | 60 | 49 |
| 2. Warrior (16.7%) | 0.5 oz. | 30 | 23 |
| 3. Saaz (2.4%) | 1 oz. | 1 | 0 |
Calculated IBUs 73
