[REVIEW] Craft Range LME w/ Bulldog Citra Hops + Danstar Saison Yeast

[DrowningManatee]

Fair play to Homebrewwest for raffling off these fine new products.

I chose to make a citra saison to coincide with the Summer beer comp, but i drank all 50 (yes 50, to bring the percentage down for the comp) before I could enter.

The craft Range LME comes in a pouch the same as the 'Simply' range of beer kits. Just steep em in hot water for 15mins and yer ready to go. LordEoin's done a tester on it here: http://www.nationalhomebrewclub.ie/forum/index.php?topic=7034.0. and there's other HBW reviews there too. All seem to testify to the quality of the new LME.

I chose 'Citra' hops as they've never failed my pallette. I used them all, but if i hadn't, they have a convenient resealy thing like everything these days, handy out!

I bittered it with 30g, 35g @ 5mins, and dry-hopped with 35g too.

It came out beautiful, drank it within a week (with help). I found the LME very clean and grainy. I thought I had bottles in reserve for the review (done with aroma, taste etc and pics) and the comp, but seemed to conveniently forget that around 4am

Highly recommend the products, yeast performed as expected (fermented high around 24-26) which is good since it was my first nonkit Belgian. Im using this LME now for kits/extract beers etc exclusively

Cheers again HBW!!

[nigel_c]

That Belle Saison yeast really is a class yeast. Use it now if you have it when its warm for best results.

[DrowningManatee]

I stuck a brewbelt on the FV to try and get the most esther's out of the yeast, it worked a treat, nice whack off it!

Meant to say, I used 500g crystal 30 as well.

[Garry]

I've just ordered some saison yeast to try out. It's getting a bit too warm in the garage for the ale yeasts!

I don't even know what a saison should taste like  Can anyone recommend a commercial one I could try?

[irish_goat]

I don't even know what a saison should taste like  Can anyone recommend a commercial one I could try?

Trouble Brewing have just realised one but I'm not sure what it's like. Saison Dupont would be a classic commerical example.

Or see if you can get one from Rossa. 

[LordEoin]

Just pretend it's supposed to taste exactly how it turns out.
Works for me every time!

[TheSumOfAllBeers]

Saison DuPont is the classic, also search for interesting bottles in good beer bars.

Some London breweries do a fab job on saisons with a lot of hop flavour. Partisan and brew by numbers especially

[TheSumOfAllBeers]

Also Brooklyn sorachi ace. It's pricey but good.