Dub Siren Saison

This is a Belgian/French Strong Ale done with the classic Saison Du Pont yeast.  With the acidulated malt, wheat and the bitter orange peel, it has the tart mouth of a classic Wit, but the wonderful phenolic nose of a Saison, plus a pepper bite.  Also, because I couldn’t get the DuPont strain to finish low enough, I brewed-up a Belgian Ardennes starter about three-quarters of the way through fermentation, and pitched that to get the beer to finish, so it also has a little bit of that Belgian funk present.  Think Avery White Rascal crossed with a Belgian Triple and you get close.  The recipe is the Saison Etè from the Woodland Hills HBWC Shop.

• 4 oz. German acid malt
• 12 oz. German wheat malt
• 8 oz. German Vienna
• 9 lbs. pale liquid malt extract
• 1 lb. Belgian rock candy sugar
• 1.65 oz. Styrian Goldings hops (bittering)
• 2 oz. Czech Saaz (aroma)
• 1 tsp. coriander seed
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorn
• 1/2 oz. bitter orange peel
• Fermented with Wyeast 3724 Saison yeast at 68-80, then finished with Wyeast 3522 Belgian Ardennes.

For the label, I started with a Mermaid theme, but found this wonderful Club-Princess mermaid and just cropped the top third of the photo, and “dubbed” her the Dub Siren.  It just felt right.  The QR code takes you here.

Brewed:  June 2011 from a birthday gift, and Bottled July 2011.  Excellent result, will definitely brew again.  Wife loves it.

La Saison Noire

Uh, no, I don’t smoke, those are joke photos.

This is my interpretation of a French Flanders black saison, using Wyeast’s private collection #3711 French Saison Yeast.  The ingredients are very simple, but develop complex flavors during fermentation as a result of the unique yeast – phenolic, citrusy, peppery, dry with a sweet aftertaste.

• 1 lb. Belgian Caramunich
• 0.5 lbs. Belgian Carafa III
• 6 lbs. Pilsen Malt Syrup
• 1 lb. Pilsen Dry Malt Extract
• 2 oz. Argentina Cascade (bittering)
• Wyeast #3711 French Saison Yeast - Fermented at 68°F.

The label is inspired by an African independent film, “Une Saison Noire”, literally One Black Season.  The lobby poster features black revolutionaries and machine guns, so I had my daughters snap some mock “Che” revolutionary leader photos.  The middle photo is licensed from a stock photo company, but the other two are me.  The cigarette is not real – I don’t smoke – but every picture of French Resistance Fighters you ever see has one guy with a cig, so I thought it would be funny.  My 8-yr-old snapped the left panel pic – I think she shows some real promise. 

Brewed November 2008, bottled March 2009 in 22 oz. Bombers.