[Megary]

I finally got a chance to use Farmhouse yesterday, and I'll update as I go.

90-minute Mash at 152°
One 11g packet into 3 gallons of 1.052 wort.

67% Pilsner
22% Spelt
11% Munich

I decided against any sugar because 1) that's my typical Saison grain bill and 2) I'd like to see what kind of attenuation I get from Farmhouse without inflating the number by adding sugar.

Pitched at 66°, fermentation showed some life in about 4-5 hours, chugging along with conviction at 12hrs.  The fermentation has bumped the temp up to about 68° right now, and I think I'll just let it go until fermentation settles down.  Maybe then I will move the fermenter into a mid-70's area.  Not sure though.  I may just let it finish at ambient cellar temp of 67°.  If my intention is to play around with this yeast, I'll need to set some baseline.

Kegged this morning.

So I just let the yeast run it’s course without futzing with temperature changes.  The yeast took the temperature up to 74 at peak activity and then it gradually fell back to about 68, where I let it be.  I use a small Speidel without a lot of head space so I set up a blowoff tube as is normally needed for any Saison I brew.  But this was unwarranted as the activity never got that crazy, fermenting out like a typical beer.  2 weeks in the fermenter.

Went from 1.052 —-> 1.008, almost 85%.

Sample taste was really nice. Definite Saison character, clove/pepper, a bit of lemon (hopped with Nelson Sauvin, so there’s that), spicy bite, no banana, no tropical fruit, dry-ish but not overly so, nothing funny or “off”.

Looking forward to this.

One final update (I promise!):

Almost two weeks in the keg, carbed to about 13psi.

I'm getting lemon notes with a classic Saison bite of pepper/clove. The Lallemand flavor wheel suggests "tropical fruit" is a major player with Farmhouse, but I'm getting none of that.  Maybe if I fermented at a much warmer temperature this flavor would have been more apparent, but maybe it would also unbalance and mess up the whole works.  Also not getting any banana/hot phenols.  It's hard to describe, but the flavor feels right and seems less forced on the tongue as opposed to Belle/3711, which are fine but maybe a bit...mechanically uninspired.

This is certainly not as bone dry as Belle/3711, the yeast (and spelt?) has left a bit of a smooth mouthfeel. Not sweet mind you, just not as crisp and sharp like some Saisons are.  Would a touch of sugar dry out, crisp up and improve the mouthfeel, or take away that nice touch of softness?

The beer pours with a nice white head that stays clingy as she goes. It's not clear at all and I'm assuming it never will.   Very refreshing.  I dare say it's the best Saison I've ever made, though I'm certainly no great Saison brewer.

Maybe next time I'll add a smidge of sugar, and maybe I might push the temp just a wee bit further.  Or maybe not.

There's a pic here if you are interested.

There are so many nice Saison yeasts out there, all offering a little something different.  Personal preference picks the winner, but I would not hesitate to use Farmhouse again.  I'm sure I will.

[dmtaylor]

Thanks for the detailed tasting notes!  I've been following this thread with interest.

A couple of little questions:

Based on the photo, is that a haze in the beer, or does the glass just have some condensation?  I'm curious about beer clarity and how well the yeast floccs out.  Or maybe there might be a protein haze that clears as it warms up.

I guess along those same lines, do you detect any tartness/acidity to the beer?

Regardless of these details, this yeast definitely seems like a great one to try, especially for those who don't want the 95% attenuation of Belle Saison/3711.  The lemon and low spice seem right in line, but with lower attenuation.  Another tool in the toolbox!

[Megary]

Thanks for the detailed tasting notes!  I've been following this thread with interest.

A couple of little questions:

Based on the photo, is that a haze in the beer, or does the glass just have some condensation?  I'm curious about beer clarity and how well the yeast floccs out.  Or maybe there might be a protein haze that clears as it warms up.

I guess along those same lines, do you detect any tartness/acidity to the beer?

Regardless of these details, this yeast definitely seems like a great one to try, especially for those who don't want the 95% attenuation of Belle Saison/3711.  The lemon and low spice seem right in line, but with lower attenuation.  Another tool in the toolbox!

Good questions.

For the record, I have used this base recipe about a half dozen times, changing only the yeast.

That is mostly haze in the beer, though the glass may have had a touch of condensation.  Full disclosure, that was the first full pour from a top draw after one week in the keg.  The recipe used 22% Spelt and from the spec sheet this malt has a roof scraping protein % of 15.5.  The maltster also recommends its usage in "Saisons, Hazies and traditional wheat recipes".  How much of the haze in the picture can be attributed to the yeast and how much to the spelt...I can't answer that.  And in all fairness, the same question can be asked about the smoothness of the mouthfeel.  I'm sure the spelt played a part in that as well.

Unfortunately, I didn't follow the beer's clarity as I drank it.

Yes, some tartness and acidity are certainly present.  I'd describe it as more acidity on the tongue and not really tartness in the cheeks, if that makes any sense at all.  So now you have me wondering if that acidity mixed with the Nelson Sauvin hops is what is giving me "lemon".  Again, more questions than answers.  One oddity, normally I get a distinct "white wine" from Nelson Sauvin in my Saisons, but that flavor is pretty hard to find here.  Maybe it's just the nature of hops and that they must always be difficult... or maybe the yeast is enhancing this flavor and stepping on that one.

Just my one data point, but, as you say, I definitely think Farmhouse has its place.  And not just because its STA-1 negative, which never really factored in my decision to use this in the first place.

Another interesting quote from Lallemand is this:
"the strain will not produce hydrogen sulfide (H2S) off-flavors, therefore enhancing the saison yeast aroma characteristics."

I can buy into that and maybe that's why I'm liking this yeast better than Belle/3711.

[Megary]

90-minute Mash at 152°
One 11g packet into 3 gallons of 1.052 wort.

67% Pilsner
22% Spelt
11% Munich

I decided against any sugar because 1) that's my typical Saison grain bill and 2) I'd like to see what kind of attenuation I get from Farmhouse without inflating the number by adding sugar.

Pitched at 66°, fermentation showed some life in about 4-5 hours, chugging along with conviction at 12hrs.  The fermentation has bumped the temp up to about 68° right now, and I think I'll just let it go until fermentation settles down.  Maybe then I will move the fermenter into a mid-70's area.  Not sure though.  I may just let it finish at ambient cellar temp of 67°.  If my intention is to play around with this yeast, I'll need to set some baseline.

So I just let the yeast run its course without futzing with temperature changes.  The yeast took the temperature up to 74 at peak activity and then it gradually fell back to about 68, where I let it be.

Went from 1.052 —-> 1.008, almost 85%.

I brewed with Farmhouse again and this time I substituted 4oz of base malt for 4oz of corn sugar.  I was hoping to see if I could dry the beer out a bit further.

Mashed for the same time and temperature, hit the same OG, fermented slightly warmer this time. 

And I ended with exactly the same final gravity (and attenuation) as above.  Maybe 4oz of sugar (just slightly less than 4% of the grain bill) wasn’t enough to move the needle.  Or maybe adding sugar isn’t the best way to try and coax a few more gravity points?  Maybe 84-85% is the best I’ll get from Farmhouse?

Kind of interesting, anyway.

Sample tasted nice though. 

[dmtaylor]

90-minute Mash at 152°
One 11g packet into 3 gallons of 1.052 wort.

67% Pilsner
22% Spelt
11% Munich

I decided against any sugar because 1) that's my typical Saison grain bill and 2) I'd like to see what kind of attenuation I get from Farmhouse without inflating the number by adding sugar.

Pitched at 66°, fermentation showed some life in about 4-5 hours, chugging along with conviction at 12hrs.  The fermentation has bumped the temp up to about 68° right now, and I think I'll just let it go until fermentation settles down.  Maybe then I will move the fermenter into a mid-70's area.  Not sure though.  I may just let it finish at ambient cellar temp of 67°.  If my intention is to play around with this yeast, I'll need to set some baseline.

So I just let the yeast run its course without futzing with temperature changes.  The yeast took the temperature up to 74 at peak activity and then it gradually fell back to about 68, where I let it be.

Went from 1.052 —-> 1.008, almost 85%.

I brewed with Farmhouse again and this time I substituted 4oz of base malt for 4oz of corn sugar.  I was hoping to see if I could dry the beer out a bit further.

Mashed for the same time and temperature, hit the same OG, fermented slightly warmer this time. 

And I ended with exactly the same final gravity (and attenuation) as above.  Maybe 4oz of sugar (just slightly less than 4% of the grain bill) wasn’t enough to move the needle.  Or maybe adding sugar isn’t the best way to try and coax a few more gravity points?  Maybe 84-85% is the best I’ll get from Farmhouse?

Kind of interesting, anyway.

Sample tasted nice though.

4 oz isn't enough to notice (in 3 gallons).  Next time try 12 to 16 oz.  That should make a noticeable dent in attenuation and ABV.

[House Of Ales]

I really like the Lalbrew Farmhouse yeast. I ferment it at 72 degrees. I haven’t tried the high side of the temperature range.