saison strains by the yeast bay

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

andrea93

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 4, 2014
Messages
76
Reaction score
4
Location
Forli
hi!
I'm going to brew a classic belgian saison (pils, 10% flaked wheat, noble hops). As you know the most important element for this style is the yeast.
French saison get me bored and I don't want use dupont's strain, so I'd like to give a chance to one of the two strains by the yeast bay: saison blend and wallonian farmhouse.
From their website the former seems to be similar to dupont's strain (from a flavor and aroma standpoint) the latter seems rustic and spicy (I don't really understand what it means that it imparts a "clean" profile); is it similar to wyeast 3711?
Anyone has tried these strains, some descriptors? Which do you prefer for a classic saison?
 
I speculated on the strains in that blend here:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=542346&page=6
If we're lucky, @Biobrewer can clear it up, but from going from their descriptions and knowing that wallonian farmhouse is distinct from WY3711 (which I usually see it compared to), here's my best guess

Wallonian Farmhouse
Isolated from a unique farmhouse-style ale that hails from the Walloon region of Belgium, this yeast is one of the funkiest "clean" yeast we have in our stable. It imparts a slight earthy funk and tart character to the beer, and is a very mild producer of some slightly spicy and mildly smokey flavor compounds.
This yeast exhibits absurdly high attenuation, resulting in a practically bone-dry beer. If desired, we recommend controlling the dryness by adjusting the mash temperature or adding malts or adjuncts to the mash tun that will lend some body and residual sweetness to the beer.
When fermented cool this yeast will provide a cleaner profile, and the character development will increase proportionally with increasing fermentation temperature.
Use this yeast for any farmhouse style or experimental Belgian ale.


Temperature: 72-80+ ºF
Attenuation: 81 - 88%
Flocculation: Medium


Saison Blend I
A blend of two unique yeast strains isolated from beers that embody the saison style, this blend is a balance of the many characteristic saison flavors and aromas. One yeast strain is a good attenuator that produces a spicy and mildly tart and tangy beer with a full mouthfeel. The other yeast strain is also a good attenuator that produces a delightful ester profile of grapefruit and orange zest and imparts a long, dry and earthy finish to the beer. Together, they produce a dry but balanced beer with a unique flavor and aroma profile.


Temperature: 66-74 ºF
Attenuation: 78 - 84%
Flocculation: Medium - Low

I think the first is WY3711. Tart, tangy, lower flocculation, good attenuation, but most of all, the full mouthfeel. Describes it to a T, I think. I believe the second is WLP565 due to my experience in that it gives a very dry earthy finish, definitely has some citrus"

Saison Blend II
This saison blend is the Saccharomyces portion of our Farmhouse Sour Ale, available to you as a result of popular demand from the commercial brewing crowd. Thiscombination of Saccharomyces strains embodies the balanced fusion of the two foremost saison flavor/aroma characters, fruitiness and earthiness.
Each Saccharomyces strain in this blend produces flavor compounds that serve as the yin to the other's yang, and the result is an exceptionally complex yet balanced flavor and aroma profile. One strain will serve to create an ester profile of grapefruit and orange zest, while the other will produce a mild earthiness and spiciness.
Close your eyes while drinking a beer fermented with this blend, and you'll feel like you're laying on freshly turned earth in an old citrus grove.


Temperature: 68-80 ºF
Attenuation: 80 - 86%
Flocculation: Medium

I think the first one is Wallonian Farmhouse. Note the higher attenuation (from Wallonian) and the better flocculation (due to absence of WY3711). I think the second is still WLP565/WY3724 due to the obvious reuse of "grapefruit and orange zest"


I dunno, just my best guess. I havent used either of these blends, and they may not be a simple 50/50. Be curious to hear anyone's experience with them

I've only personally used wallonian farmhouse but it is definitely different than 3711. I'd consider it to have more "classic" saison character in terms of rustic spice and complexity. To me, 3711 is all clean lemon flavors
 
Back
Top