Three Distinct Farmhouse Ales

[tagz]

If you were going develop three distinct farmhouse ales with a single saison strain or blend, what ingredients would you make? I'm going to try this myself over the next few months, so I'd like to see what grains, spices, fruit, candi syrup, etc. you folks might feature.

Maybe something like:

Table Saison (4%) with Rye and Oats
6% Saison with Ginger, Paradise Seeds and Corriander
8% Dark Saison with D-90, Munich, and Dates

 

[specharka]

I enjoy the complexities imparted by saison yeast far more than any spice additions or malt character. I am doing something similar shortly, but it's the same grainbill and different yeast combinations. I'm using a base of 65% Pils, 20% flaked wheat, 10% Munich I and 5% flaked barley and bitterness to 25 IBU.

Rye imparts a very interesting character to a saison. I'm not really a fan of dark saisons though, and depending on the recipe it can come out like a super dry BDSA...a little more challenging to the palate.

 

[DonRikkles]

I've had a lot of luck with Sorachi Ace and lemon peel.

 

[ArkotRamathorn]

You could keep a general theme. I am working on a series of three beers with the same Hefeweizen yeast and the only thing I'm going to change in the grain bill is 50% of the grain bill will be rye, wheat, or oats. (Roggenbier with lots or rye malts and flaked rye, dunkelweizen with wheat malt and flaked wheat, and a freaky flaked oats with oat malt/golden naked oats). The idea being I am going to make all three beers end in the same color range, Gravity, IBU,and yeast.

So if I was going to do that to a saison I would approach it similarly. Same yeast, significant Pilsner malt, and then mix it up such as a wheat saison, oat saison, and a rye saison and shoot for them to all have similar numbers. You can purchase bulk of the primary ingredients and then get only small amounts of the grains you are changing between the three beers.

Or for example, keep the beer recipe the same between all three but spice each differently. So first beer no spice, next beer black pepper/coriander/citrus peel, third beer ginger and Thai basil.

 

[tagz]

You could keep a general theme. I am working on a series of three beers with the same Hefeweizen yeast and the only thing I'm going to change in the grain bill is 50% of the grain bill will be rye, wheat, or oats. (Roggenbier with lots or rye malts and flaked rye, dunkelweizen with wheat malt and flaked wheat, and a freaky flaked oats with oat malt/golden naked oats). The idea being I am going to make all three beers end in the same color range, Gravity, IBU,and yeast.

So if I was going to do that to a saison I would approach it similarly. Same yeast, significant Pilsner malt, and then mix it up such as a wheat saison, oat saison, and a rye saison and shoot for them to all have similar numbers. You can purchase bulk of the primary ingredients and then get only small amounts of the grains you are changing between the three beers.

Or for example, keep the beer recipe the same between all three but spice each differently. So first beer no spice, next beer black pepper/coriander/citrus peel, third beer ginger and Thai basil.

Nice. Sounds like an interesting project. Make sure to post your results.

 

[tagz]

I enjoy the complexities imparted by saison yeast far more than any spice additions or malt character. I am doing something similar shortly, but it's the same grainbill and different yeast combinations. I'm using a base of 65% Pils, 20% flaked wheat, 10% Munich I and 5% flaked barley and bitterness to 25 IBU.

Rye imparts a very interesting character to a saison. I'm not really a fan of dark saisons though, and depending on the recipe it can come out like a super dry BDSA...a little more challenging to the palate.

Yeah, I've done a fair amount of experimenting with different strains. 3726 and 3724 are my favorites, but I've also tried 3711, WLP Saison II, YB Wallonian.

This time I'd like to approach it like a brewery that is limited to a house yeast. I wonder if I can make a series of beers that would be interesting and distinct enough to keep people coming back.

As for dark saisons, I typically make my saisons super light on the SRM scale but I recently had a Christmas saison by brasserie de blaugies that was delicious. It had a bit of BDSA character similar to ST Bernardus but also a bit rustic too. So I believe it can definitely be done well. Although it will probably take some work to hit it just right.

 

[NTexBrewer]

I brew a dark Saison that I modeled after Goose Island Pepe Nero. They add black pepper to their beer. I used T58 yeast to add a little pepper flavor.
70% pilsner
20% flaked rye
5% Crystal 90
5% black malt(500L)
60 minute addition of challenger hops for 23ibus
1 minute addition of czech saaz 1oz.
Received good comments on this beer from friends

 

[m00ps]

I would have a clean saison, a brett saison, and a black saison. Maybe sub a spiced saison for one of them, but definitely keep the clean one.

Some of my favorite saison strains (mostly tending towards fruity esters):
WY3711
INISBC-291
Omega Yeast Saisonstein
Omega Hothead
WLP585
YB Amalgamation (for the brettd one)

If I were you though, id try blending strains.

 

[TWAL]

I really like the 3726,I've done a few saisons w/ it.
I did a rye saison that was a about 6% ;

Pilsner 83.0 %
Rye Malt 13.2 %
Cara-Pils 3.8 %

Used All Styrian hops,Celia and Aurora @ 60,20,5 for 28 ibu's

The yeast played really nice w/ the rye a little tart w/ the touch of the dry/spiciness of the rye w/out the rye stealing the show.

I also have 15 lbs of Tart Mich. cherries in my freezer to go into a saison w/ the 3726.

Blaugies does the Darbyste w/ fig juice,if you aren't familiar w/ this beer I would suggest finding one as it's delicious and may give you some inspiration