Dark Brett Saison w/ Candied Figs, Star Anise, Cinnamon & Sweet Orange Peel

My second Saison is based on an article in BYO with several saison recipes by Michael Tonsmeire who is the master mind behind the mad fermentationist. I'm going to make a Dark Saison with French Saison yeast and brettanomyces, flavored by candied figs, star anise, cinnamon, sweet orange peel, and candi sugar. If I have any czech saaz left over I'll bitter with that. My recipe will be different then his in a few ways but similarly spiced, bittered, and colored. The final gravity will vary slightly depending on the sugar content of the figs.

To design this beer I wanted to go with the traditional saison base malt, Pilsner. I also wanted to give it a touch of nutty sweetness to accentuate the fruit and spice flavors. I'm kinda counting on the brettanomyces to clean this all up and get the sweetness back in check; we'll see. To gain complexity and build the beer I wanted to include a bit of melanoidin malt for aroma and flavor(smells like fruity malt, wonderful), Caramunich for flavor(toasted nuts), Special B for flavor and aroma as well as color (black in appearance, dark fruit in flavor and aroma) Debittered black for color (dark 500-600 srm dark), and wheat malt for feel and head retention (it's Belgian after all). The yeasts should have these profiles: 3711 French Saison should have a profile of highly aromatic (estery), peppery, spicy and citrusy. This strain enhances the use of spices and aroma hops, and is extremely attenuative but leaves an unexpected silky and rich mouth-feel, and the brett should contribute a pie cherry-like flavor and sourness along with distinct classic “sweaty horse blanket” character flavors.

(read more after the break.)

Specs:
Boil Size: 1.21 gal
Estimated OG: 1.066 SG
Estimated FG: 1.003 SG
Estimated Color: 21.7 SRM
Estimated IBU: 21.3 IBUs
Brew-house Efficiency: 72.00 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Recipe:

Grain Bill/Hops:
1 lbs 6.0 oz Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) 50.9 %
6.5 oz Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) 15.0 %
5.6 oz Wheat, Flaked (1.6 SRM) 12.9 %
1.6 oz Melanoiden Malt (20.0 SRM) 3.7 %
1.1 oz Caramunich Malt (56.0 SRM) 2.5 %
0.7 oz De-Bittered Black Malt (550.0 SRM) 1.6 %
0.7 oz Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) 1.6 %         
0.30 oz Saaz [4.00 %] - Boil 90.0 min 21.3 IBUs

Spices/Fruit/Yeast:
1.0 items Anise, Star (Boil 5.0 mins)
0.25 tsp Cinnamon Stick (Boil 5.0 mins)
0.25 tsp Sweet Orange Peerl (Boil 5.0 mins)
0.6 pkg French Saison (Wyeast Labs #3711)
0.5 pkg Brettanomyces Lambicus (White Labs)
3.5 oz Fruit - Figs (0.0 SRM) 8.1 % (w/ sugar)
1.5 oz Candi Sugar, Amber (45.0 SRM) 3.4 %
(see candying instructions)

Mash Schedule: 
Saccharification Add 6.54 qt of water at 163.4 F 156.0 F 60 min
Mash Out Heat to 168.0 F over 7 min 168.0 F 10 min

Candying Figs:
Candied figs are relatively easy to make. You simply take figs, add water and sugar to a pan and slowly cook them. You cook it for two hours or so, if the water runs low just add a touch more. Low heat is good, just enough to boil the whole thing.

Brew day thoughts:
This brew smelled delicious the when I put it into the carboy. I mean delicious. The anise, candied figs, cinnamon and orange peels added a special scent. The whole thing was complex and interesting, I can't wait to try this fermented out. The Brett L should increase the flavors by adding a tart edge, some funk, and fruity depth.