Sésquac Imperial Stout

A huge bold RIS fermented with Wyeast 3711, French Saison. I brewed this with Great Divides Yeti RIS in mind. On a recent visit there I was able to try many of the variations of Yeti that they have produced. I most enjoyed the Belgian Yeti and decided to try and produce something similar.

This beer was brewed late September, so I suspect it is no where near its flavor peak. Still even this early on it is an incredible stout.

 

Grains & Adjuncts (10 Gallons)
Amount	Percentage		Name	Time	Gravity
29.00 lbs	79.45 %		Pale Malt (2 Row) Bel	60 mins	1.037
1.50 lbs	4.11 %		Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L	60 mins	1.033
1.50 lbs	4.11 %		Chocolate Malt	60 mins	1.034
1.50 lbs	4.11 %		Black (Patent) Malt	60 mins	1.025
1.00 lbs	2.74 %		Roasted Barley	60 mins	1.025
1.00 lbs	2.74 %		Rye, Flaked	60 mins	1.036
1.00 lbs	2.74 %		Wheat, Flaked	60 mins	1.035

Hops
Amount	IBU's		Name	Time	AA %
2.50 ozs	33.64		Chinook	60 mins	11.90
2.50 ozs	25.86		Chinook	30 mins	11.90
1.00 ozs	6.68		Chinook	15 mins	11.90

Yeasts
Amount	Name	Laboratory / ID
9.00 pkg	French Saison	Wyeast Labs 3711

Mash at 150

The term Sasquatch is an Anglicized derivative of the word sesquac which means "wild man" in a Salish Native American language.

Recently we discovered our very own wild man living right here in the Wasatch mountains. Dubbed the Wasatch Sasquatch, or Wasquatch. He is reported to be black as night with 4x the strength of the average man.

This beer is brewed in the tradition of those rarely seen phenomenon... those that stir great debate between the believers and non-believers. 

In the beer world this is one of those debates. Can an Imperial Stout be made with Belgian yeast? A Saison yeast in fact? The non-believers will tell you it cannot be done, or rather, it should not be done. 

This then is not a beer for the non-believers.This beer is comprised of light and dark malts from Belgium and England, Belgian saison yeast, and a mountain of hops from the Pacific Northwest.

This brew was created by and for those who believe in starting a movement, challenging status quo, and not being afraid of being who you are.

Sip slowly, be who you are, and share it with someone.

UPDATE 8/24/2012
Well this beer is almost a year old now. Last weekend this beer took first place in the Imperial Stout category of the Beehive brewoff. I always knew this beer was something special. So I guess a RIS can be brewed with a saison yeast successfully! I can pretty much guarantee that none of the beers this went up against used a non-standard yeast like this one did.