Saison in spring – using a variety of nz hops to give a fruity quality, keeping some saazer roots. Lalbrew Farmhouse hybrid and a step mash to hopefully allow a dry finish. Variety of grains to build a body, colour and flavour, a little rye to compliment the yeast peppery notes.
Brew overall went well – very long brew day with about 2 hours of mash, then a very slow sparge, and long 90 minute boil to ensure reduction to the right volume. Sluightly stuck mash i had to agitate gently to encourage it through. Due to the increased particulate there was a slight browning of the buildup on the bottom plate where the heating coil is.
Mash beta glucan rest 45C for 10min
Mash rest 63C for 60min
Mash alpha rest 72C for 10min
Mash out 76C for 10min
Sparge 76C 16L
Fementation set the bottom at 22C – meaning target 22.5 with a 0.5 heating hystereisis. I want to allow free-rise as it ferments so set the cooling hysteresis to 6C (allowing a max of 28.5C). Due to the outside temperateure I’m not sure it’ll rise much.
OG 1.060 so was on target with the calculated value (1.061).
Fermentation started very quickly and by 9am sunday monring (<24hours) gravity had dropped to 1.045.