Brandon & Katy Holy Matrimony Saison

Style: Belgian Saison
Brewed: 06/27/2010
OG: 1.048 (before honey)
FG: 1.010

Summary:
This is a dry, highly carbonated saison with notable fruit characteristics, a yeasty spiciness, and slightly warming alcohol finish. It is reminiscent of a champagne, but less sweet and more complex.

Recipe:

Holy Matrimony - Saison
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Batch Size: 5.500 gal
Boil Size: 3.000 gal
Boil Time: 1.000 hr
Efficiency: 70%
OG: 1.056
FG: 1.012
ABV: 5.7%
Bitterness: 26.4 IBUs (Tinseth)
Color: 7 SRM (Mosher)

Fermentables
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                    Name        Type   Amount Mashed Late Yield Color
       Wheat Dry Extract Dry Extract 4.000 lb     No  Yes   95%   8 L
 Extra Light Dry Extract Dry Extract 3.000 lb     No   No   95%   3 L
Total grain: 7.000 lb

Hops
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       Name Alpha   Amount  Use      Time   Form  IBU
   Tettnang  3.2% 1.500 oz Boil  1.000 hr Pellet 15.3
 Saaz (USA)  5.8% 0.500 oz Boil  1.000 hr Pellet  9.3
 Saaz (USA)  5.8% 0.500 oz Boil 5.000 min Pellet  1.8

Misc
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           Name   Type       Use    Amount       Time
 Yeast Nutrient  Other   Primary 1.000 tsp  5.000 min
      Whirlfloc Fining      Boil 1.000 tsp 10.000 min
          Honey Flavor   Primary  1.312 lb    0.000 s
    Peach puree Flavor Secondary  3.000 lb    0.000 s
 Steeped pecans Flavor Secondary 1.500 cup    0.000 s

Yeast
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                    Name Type   Form    Amount   Stage
 Wyeast - Belgian Saison  Ale Liquid 0.528 cup Primary

Primary:

5.5 gallon batch split into two halves for primary.
One half on Minnesota honey (~12oz)
Other half on Ohio honey (~12oz)

Secondary:

Add in nylon bag:

0.6 lbs crushed, roasted pecans steeped in vodka (decanted)
4 chopped and boiled georgia fuzzy peaches
1 oz whole leaf Kent Goldings hops

Notes: Minnesota batch onto peach & pecan secondary after 30 days Ohio batch combined into secondary after 32 days Pecans roasted, steeped in vodka.

Roasted 0.6 lbs of GA Pecans on paper towel in oven, 15 mins @ 350F
Cooled, then crushed with rolling pin. Left a mix of large and tiny pieces.
Roasted 3 more times, 15 mins @ 350F on fresh paper towels each time, let cool between roastings.
Barely covered with Ketel One Vodka, 06/20/10

Fermentation temperature swings from 70F to 80F, with ~75F being average. Warmed up to 80F at end. Took a LONG time to fully attenuate.

'Katy' in bucket
'Brandon' in Better Bottle

07/26/10 - 'Brandon' airlock still bubbling, yeast cake on surface, air bubbles visibly popping. 'Katy' shows no activity in airlock, but has yeast cake on top.
07/27/10 - 'Katy' bubbling now after bumping it a bit, reseating lid, and cooling/warming by 3F.
07/27/10 - 'Katy' reads SG 1.012 before fruit addition. Mixed one reading full into 'Brandon'. Tastes absolutely awesome.
07/27/10 - Added 4 chopped georgia fuzzy peaches (boiled), vodka steeped pecans, and 1 oz Kent Goldings whole leaf hops
07/29/10 - 'Katy' read 1.012, both still bubbling. Racked both to bottling bucket, cleaned out yeast, and racked all 5+ gallons back to bucket with bag of fruit+pecans+hops. Combined gravity 1.018.
08/15/10 - Iced bed sheet over the fermenter to bring temp down to 68.
08/15/10 - FG read at 1.010. Tastes great uncarbonated, sweet fruity front and dry, tart, alcohol finish.
08/15/10 - Bottling with 5.3 oz corn sugar