Saison Recipe

Rye isn't steepable, unless it's a crystal rye (not common). Same for wheat, unless it's a crystal wheat (also not common). And Aromatic is also not steepable (and I've never heard of a crystal aromatic). These malts and/or raw grains need to be mashed, along with an enzymatic base malt, i.e. a malt like pilsner or pale ale malt that has the enzymes needed to convert the starches in the other grains to sugars and dextrins.

 

Well, he *could* steep them. Just won't get anything much in the way of fermentables by doing so.

 

And a nice starchy beer too.

 

Let me guess. Highly trained LHBS guy?

 

Is it by any chance Rye Malt (i.e. not unmalted/flaked rye)? In that case, you could mini-mash (not just steep) the grains together.

 

Unless you are willing to go get some base malt and do a partial mash with it, I'd brew this with just the DME. Then I'd tell the LHBS guy to read "How to Brew."

 

You should remember that guy and not trust him for anymore advice. The picture of the recipe specifically says "partial mash". Any employee should know what that means and that a partial mash recipe should not be steeped. In fact, I would probably not trust advice from anyone in that store since they all are probably shooting from the hip as far as advice.

 

If you subbed 3# of Pilsner Malt for 2# dme, you could do a mini-mash with the grains you have. It's not that much different from steeping.

 

No, you do not need to steep something in order to make beer. You could make a very good saison with just Pils DME.

 

Is there another LHBS near you?

Cheers!

 

Jeezus. Stop talking to that dumbass.

Brasserie Dupont manages to make a passable saison with one malt. You can too.