4 weeks vs. 12+ months. Whats the difference?

[dawn_kiebawls]

I finally got my hands on some ECY bugfarm, bugfarm II, bugcountry and the saison blend from the Mad Fermentationist and am STOKED to get brewing. As i've been getting recipes put together and convincing the wife having 8 carboys kicking around wont be a big deal (and trying to get the green light on a barrel), I noticed quite a wide range of fermentation times. I'm fully prepared to sit and stare at airlocks for a year, but I've noticed with the Saison blend (Mad Fermentationist) that people are going from grain to glass in 4-6 weeks.

My question is simple: whats the difference?

Its my understanding that they all have 'similar' compositions (Sacc., Brett, Lacto, Pedio, etc). I'm absolutely thrilled that I will have some quick turnaround funk coming my way, I just wasnt expecting such a short ferment time on that blend. Cheers!

 

[madscientist451]

Where did you get the ECY? I've been looking on line and its always out of stock.
I've used the Bugfarm, but not the others, so I can't answer the question directly, but when I used the Bugfarm in a Rodenbach inspired beer, the sourness developed pretty quickly, but after a year or so there was more of a depth of flavor. With a saison, you're not trying to achieve that, so go ahead and drink it in 6 weeks.

 

[dawn_kiebawls]

Where did you get the ECY? I've been looking on line and its always out of stock.
I've used the Bugfarm, but not the others, so I can't answer the question directly, but when I used the Bugfarm in a Rodenbach inspired beer, the sourness developed pretty quickly, but after a year or so there was more of a depth of flavor. With a saison, you're not trying to achieve that, so go ahead and drink it in 6 weeks.

I had to go on the deep dark web to find it (page 2 of a google search lol) but came across this little shop in NJ that has it. Their stock is holding up insanely well (its been available for 2 weeks) which leads me to believe that not many people know about this new vendor quite yet. Cheers! The Mad Fermentationists Saison blend is still available here as well. I'm tempted to pick up one of ECYs saison blends as well but with 8 packages of funk/sour yeast I think I'm set for a while. Cheers!

 

[brownni5]

Any mixed culture will likely develop in the bottle over time. I've bottles and drunk bottles of beer fermented with the MF blend well within 3 months, but I prefer this blend with plenty of age. In my experience, young it is kinda blah, but with time, it's candied apricots.