Spiced Belgian Saison

So... What is it?

This is farmhouse funk turned up to eleven – dry, peppery, citrusy, and built for refreshment. Clocking in at 7%, this crisp Belgian Saison keeps things lively with traditional Spalt hops, a dry champagne-like finish, and a burst of bright citrus and spice from bitter/sweet orange peel and crushed coriander seed. Fermented hot with BE-134 for that classic Belgian phenolic zing, this beer is rustic, refreshing, and unapologetically lively. The complexity is layered, the carbonation is sky high, and the pour is pure sunshine.

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Batch Size & Stats

• Style: Belgian Saison
• Batch Size: 48 L (12.7 gal)
• OG: 1.057
• FG: 1.004
• ABV: 7.0%
• IBU: 24 (Tinseth)
• Colour: 7 EBC (3.5 SRM)
• BU/GU: 0.41
• Carbonation: 3.0 CO₂-vol (very high for effervescence)

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Brewfather link

What ingredients?

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Water & Mash

• Mash Water: 30 L (7.93 gal)
• Sparge Water: 30 L (7.93 gal)
• Total Water: 60 L (15.85 gal)

Mash Schedule (Step Mash):

• 45°C (113°F) – 10 min – Ferulic Acid Rest
• 64°C (147°F) – 30 min – Beta-Amylase Rest
• 70°C (158°F) – 30 min – Alpha-Amylase Rest
• 77°C (171°F) – 10 min – Mash Out

Water Profile:
Ca 100 | Mg 8 | Na 16 | Cl 80 | SO₄ 163 | HCO₃ 57
(SO₄ / Cl ratio: 2.0 – promoting dryness)

• Mash pH: 5.5
• Sparge pH: 5.5

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Grain Bill (11.08 kg / 24.43 lbs)

• 7.202 kg (15.88 lbs) Pilsner Malt – Craft Export (65%)
• 2.216 kg (4.89 lbs) Gladfield Rolled Wheat (20%)
• 1.662 kg (3.66 lbs) Gladfield Vienna Malt (15%)
• 500 g (1.1 lbs) Rice Hulls (for lautering aid)

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Hops (174 g / 6.13 oz total)

• 60 min – 58 g (2.05 oz) Spalt Spalter – 12 IBU
• 30 min – 58 g (2.05 oz) Spalt Spalter – 9 IBU
• 5 min – 58 g (2.05 oz) Spalt Spalter – 2 IBU

Yeast

• 3 packs Fermentis Safale BE-134 (Belgian Saison strain)

Fermentation Schedule:

• 25°C (77°F) – 9 days Primary
• 26°C (79°F) – 2 days Diacetyl Rest
• 1.5°C (35°F) – 2 days Cold Crash

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Step by step process

1. Water Preparation

• Add 30 L (7.93 gal) of water to your BrewZilla for the mash.
• Adjust the mash water chemistry:
  • 8.6 g Calcium Chloride (CaCl₂)
  • 10.7 g Epsom Salt (MgSO₄)
  • 8.65 g Gypsum (CaSO₄)
  • 3.5 ml Phosphoric Acid (85%)
• Heat to 45°C (113°F).

2. Mash In

• Add the crushed grain bill to the strike water:
  • 7.202 kg Pilsner Malt
  • 2.216 kg Rolled Wheat
  • 1.662 kg Vienna Malt
  • 500 g Rice Hulls (for flow aid)
• Stir well to avoid dough balls.

3. Step Mash Schedule

• 45°C (113°F) – 10 min: Ferulic acid rest (for yeast spice expression)
• Ramp up to 64°C (147°F) – Hold for 30 min (beta-amylase rest for fermentability)
• Ramp to 70°C (158°F) – Hold for 30 min (alpha-amylase for body)
• Final step: 77°C (171°F) – 10 min mash out

4. Sparge

• Sparge with 30 L (7.93 gal) of water heated to 77°C (171°F).
• Adjust sparge water chemistry:
  • 2.53 g Calcium Chloride
  • 3.15 g Epsom Salt
  • 2.55 g Gypsum
  • 0.83 ml Phosphoric Acid
• Collect a total pre-boil volume of around 58.6 L (15.5 gal).

5. Boil – 60 Minutes Total

• Bring wort to a rolling boil.
• Add hops and spices as follows:

Time Remaining

• 60 min 58 g Spalt Spalter (12 IBU)
• 30 min 58 g Spalt Spalter (9 IBU)
• 5 min 58 g Spalt Spalter (2 IBU)
• 5 min 22 g Crushed Coriander Seeds, 28 g Bitter Orange Peel, 28 g Sweet Orange Peel

6. Chill & Transfer

• Chill wort down to 25°C (77°F) using an immersion chiller or counterflow chiller.
• Transfer to fermenter.
• Aerate well (e.g. by shaking or using an aquarium pump).

7. Pitch Yeast

• Pitch 3 packets of Fermentis BE-134 into the fermenter.
• No starter needed – dry yeast direct pitch is fine.

8. Fermentation Schedule

• Primary Fermentation:
  • 25°C (77°F) for 9 days
• Diacetyl Rest:
  • Raise to 26°C (79°F) for 2 days
• Cold Crash:
  • Drop to 1.5°C (35°F) for 2 days before packaging

9. Packaging

• Bottle or keg with appropriate carbonation target:
  • 3.0 vol CO₂ (Use around 9.5 g/L priming sugar / 1.25 oz/gal for bottling)
• Store cold and enjoy after a few weeks of conditioning.

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