High ABV Saison

Couldn't get the link to open, but Saisons are typically very simple (Pilsner, maybe a touch of wheat). For Rye character you want to be near the 20% range . . . that sounds high but is needed if you want it to shine. For interest maybe add Wheat in the 5 - 8% range. If shooting for 9% ABV you'll probably want some sugar. The monks push 20% sugar, because I am not cloistered I keep my sugar <10%.

Not to be discouraging, but everything in this beer depends on your yeast and how it attenuates. With 15 gals you have a serious investment in grain/money/time . . . personally I'd do a smaller batch first to understand how much the yeasties are going to cooperative. Good luck.

 

At 8% to 9% you are well beyond a the limits of a Saison.
Rye is not anything you might find in a Saison, not even the loosest interpretation. Rye is just not style appropriate, but that's not a crime.

I'm personally not against re-interpreting beer styles, and as homebrewers we should not be held down by style guidelines. Go for it.

BUT your plan is not for a Saison. Based on that you are free to go your own way. It wont be wrong and it wont be right but it will be beer. You can not realistically expect to end up with a Saison given your parameters.

This is your fist all grain? or your first 15 gallon brew? or both?
Whoa partner!

Cheers.

 

I am a little skeptical of a saison that big, but here's a recipe/review from @OldSock for a rye saison that he considered a great success. Note that his saison was much lower gravity than the one you are contemplating. His version was also funky from brettanomyces, while it sounds as though you are planning a clean beer. Anyway good luck!

 

Couple of high gravity Saisons in here. I've also done the Ete recipe with Rye subbed for the wheat. Worked pretty well.

 

I've done something similar to the Tank 7 clones out there, but lower abv. It turned out well. No reason you couldn't sub in some flaked rye in the the place of the other flaked grains.
Yes, I realize this isn't a true "Saison", but it shares some similarities and is a damn fine beer.
I would recommend using WY3711. The Dupont strain can be finicky in a low abv saison, would probably be worse in a big beer. But if you're feeling brave, go for it, it makes a better saison IMHO. Good luck.

 

That looks like a 5 gallon recipe, so you'll basically triple that, right?

 

Did you plug this into a recipe calculator? Better check your IBU's, because I'm guessing they are really high. Also, if you want rye flavor- you will need more. I'd shoot for around 15-20%. And yeah, this looks more like 5 gallons.

 

You can call it a french farmhouse ale, but no Frenchman or French-speaking Belgian would ever put Munich or Aromatic in a Saison. It would only take another ounce or two of hops to make this a pretty good looking Douple IPA. Do you have any idea what your IBUs are? FG?

I can guarantee that rye at 3% with your hops will be invisible.

 

Honest opinion is that your recipe is muddled. Maybe not a mistake but
at least 4 hop varieties?
5 hop additions?
and dry hopped?
5 malts?
and dextrose?
elderberries? hemp? coriander? etc.

This beer needs focus. Farmers made Farmhouse Ale. Farmers did not have the LHBS to stock up on all this. This is not a Farmhouse Ale. But it is your brew and that is ok.
Toss 50% the malts, 50% of the hops and choose what you where you want your beer to be.

And you will have 15 gallons, so you really want to be sure you are making something you can go back to 124 times.
Cheers.

 

@jimboothdesigns

Drew is kind of a big deal I would recommend you try one of these recipes. When brewing 15 gallons, I would definitely brew a 5 gallon batch first or use a tried and true recipe. Good Luck.

 

Here is a tried and true rye saison that has become a favorite of mine, and winds up around 8.2%.

12 lbs Pilsner
2 lbs flaked rye
5 oz acid malt

Mash at 149F

0.5 oz Columbus at 60
0.5 oz Amarillo at 15
0.5 centennial at 15
1 lb light Belgian candi sugar at 5 min
0.5 Amarillo at flameout
0.5 centennial at flameout

Ferment with yeast bay saison blend II or their original saison blend

 

Just going to note that the acid malt is specific to @Lukass's water, you should figure out your own water situation using a spreadsheet and adjust the acid malt to achieve an appropriate mash pH. This is also a distinctly American-inflected saison. Other than that, looks good. However, I second @jmich24's suggestion to take a look at the recipes @drewbage was kind enough to share.