Saison Meer: Dandelion
Afterthought Brewing Company
ALL-GRAIN
Batch size: 5 gallons (19 liters) Brewhouse efficiency: 75% OG: 1.038 FG: 1.000 IBUS: 25 ABV: 4.9%
MALT/GRAIN BILL
6 lb (2.7 kg) Pilsner malt 1.5 lb (680 g) wheat malt 0.5 lb (227 g) Munich malt
HOPS AND ADDITIONS SCHEDULE
0.6 oz (17 g) Centennial [8.8% AA] at 60 minutes 0.6 oz (17 g) Cascade [7.2% AA] at 0 minutes 0.75 lb (340 g) dandelion flowers at 0 minutes (see Brewer’s Notes)
YEAST
House culture. We use our fermentation blend for bottle conditioning. If you don’t have access to a bottle of our beer, we recommend a blend of at least two strains of saison yeast, Brettanomyces, and lambic dregs. The following are some of the organisms in our house blend: Wyeast 3724 Belgian Saison (or equivalent); Wyeast 3726 Farmhouse Ale (or equivalent); White Labs WLP644 Saccharomyces “bruxellensis” Trois (or equivalent); Omega Saisonstein’s Monster; The Yeast Bay Wallonian Farmhouse; Brettanomyces claussenii; Brettanomyces bruxellensis var Trois; Pediococcus.
DIRECTIONS
Mash for 60 minutes at 150°F (66°C). Aim for a mash ph of 5.2–5.3. Boil for 60 minutes, following the hops and additions schedule. Chill to 70–75°F (21–24°C), oxygenate the wort, and pitch the yeast. Allow the temperature to free rise until fermentation is complete. Bottle the beer using heavy glass bottles and carbonate to 3.3 volumes.
BREWER’S NOTES
Use only the dandelion flower heads, none of the stems or leaves as those will impart additional bitterness.
Acidify the mash by adding food-grade lactic acid or substituting a portion of acidulated malt for some of the Pilsner malt. Keep an eye on the water profile. We use the following: calcium: 82; magnesium: 1; sodium: 40; chloride: 100; sulfate: 60. Use your favorite beer software to calculate the proper additions based on your local water profile. Ensure that you use either distilled water or have a way to remove chlorine and/or chloramine from your water before brewing. The water adjustments plus the use of lactic acid or acidulated malt take the mash ph to 5.2–5.3.
For a twist on this beer, soak 0.5 ounces (14 g) of medium-toast oak cubes in your favorite gin and add those after primary fermentation to add another dimension to the beer.