F3-05-01-20: (everything but the) Kitchen Sink saison

Label inspiration: Since I was doing my first partial mash and "leaving" the whole Mr. Beer thing, I decided to add whatever the hell I wanted to the recipe. Everything but the kitchen sink...

From the Mr. Beer site:

Flavor: Balanced
ABV (alc/vol): 6.5%
SRM (Color): 5
IBU (Bitterness): 30

This farmhouse style Blonde Ale derives its unique character from its Belgian style yeast, which imparts an earthy, breadiness with a fruity herbal character and wet hay on the nose. A complex beer in the classic style of Belgian Farmhouse Ales that refreshes with a zesty finish.

REFILL INCLUDES: 1 Can Limited Edition Biere De Saison HME 1 Packet Belle Saison Yeast

I ADDED THE FOLLOWING:

2 lbs. of 2-row (base) malt (Briess Organic 2-row, 1.8 degree Lovibond)

4 oz. Franco-Belges Vienna Malt (2.3-4.2 Lovibond)

2/3 C agave nectar

0.5 oz Styrian hops

1 g crushed paradise seeds

1 t tangelo rind

1 oz. crystallized ginger

Brewed on March 21, 2015

 Kitchen Sink Saison…Tales of my first Partial Mash “Mr. Beer” Beer

Saison recipe instructions (partial mash)

1) Sanitize all beer-making equipment as instructed by Mr. Beer.

2) Heat 3 quarts of filtered/spring water to 166 degrees in the small Mr. Beer pot

3) Add 2 lbs of 2-row (base) malt

4) Add 4 oz. of the crushed Vienna malt

5) Mix well, cover.

6) Rest mash (let it sit), 152 degrees for an hour.

7) While the mash is resting, bring 2 quarts of water to 170 degrees in the red Mr. Beer pot.

8) After the hour is up, scoop grain into a colander that’s resting over the biggest pot and smash down with a spatula.

9) Slowly pour the pot with the mash in it into the colander…empty the pot. Smash the grains down again to drain.

10) Next, put the water from the second pot (2 quarts) into the colander and over the large pot (SPARGING)

11) Squish the grains to get the good stuff out!

12) Once it gets to boiling, set a timer for one hour.

13) While it’s boiling, sanitize the Mr. Beer keg.

14) Add 1 gallon of spring water (3.8 L) to the Mr. Beer Keg

15) 10 minutes before the end of the boil, add the Mr. Beer extract and 2/3 C of agave nectar

16) 55 minutes into the boil (5 min left), add .5 oz Styrian hops, 1g crushed paradise seeds, roughly 1 t of tangelo rind and about 1 oz of crystallized ginger

17) Chill the pot with an ice bath, stirring occasionally with a sanitized spoon- cold break! Used sanitized thermometer to check it.

18) When it gets to room temp, add it to the keg and top it off to get to 2 gallons. Try and keep the trub from going into the fermenter if at all possible (this includes the lemongrass, hops, grains of paradise, and ginger).

NOTES: I had a great time doing my first partial mash; however, I think when I was boiling the grains I got them too hot on the stove. I tried to get the temp down to 160 or even the desired 152 in a short period of time, but it took quite a while to get it down. I think it probably made the beer/wort a lot worse.  We’ll see.

Temps started in the mid-60s on brewing day, stayed there for a few days and eventually made it to 70-72 (my reading 5 days later- I forgot to check temps). High krausen after a day or so, still high krausen 5 days later.

Bottled on April 13, 2015. Some of the tops of the bottles came off when I was capping them..stinks. I used to like the black capper but I had to finish capping with and old red capper that I’ve had for years.

Put a beer in the fridge on April 25^th. Tried it April 27^th. Tastes like every other bad beer I’ve ever made. I am still letting it sit for a week and then I’ll put it in the fridge for about 3 weeks. 

NOTES: Not good at all. I still have a lot to learn...OBVIOUSLY.

Overall score: 2 out of 10