Perdue; Spelt Saison Tasting Notes

Perdue; Spelt Saison Tasting Notes

I have been enjoying this beer for a little while now.  It has always been a solid drinking beer that has hit the spot and quenched the sensations I was aiming for when pouring it out.  However, today, as fall is fully setting in around us it does a good job of helping me to reflect and smile on a good summer of brewing.  The leaves are changing, it is now in the low 40s/high 30s here some mornings, and our garden is being put to bed.  But, I can pour a bulb of this beer and when I taste it, it reminds me of sitting on the back porch not too long ago when it was 90 degrees.

This beer was a success in a lot of ways because it was a mystery to me for a couple of reasons.  I was using a new Saison Yeast (ECY08), a new grain (Spelt), and I built the recipe around what I have had success with in other saison recipes I have created and enjoyed.  But the biggest success comes from the fact that it is a pleasure to drink.  It does exactly what it should; it tastes great, smells great, and reminds me of a wonderful summer.  This was the summer of brewing for me...I brewed five of them alone and while this one wasn't the last one I brewed (That would be Autumnal Saison, which is sitting on a brett cake right now) it is my favorite thus far.

Mission accomplished.

Look: I must say that this beer turned out to be much more golden than I had expected.  During fermentation, both secondary and primary, it was a lot milkier looking than expected.  I had chalked it up to the spelt being high in proteins but was still interested to see how it would clarify.  The yeast did a wonderful job of chewing everything up and this beer turned out a wonderful yellow & golden straw color that just screamed refreshing.  The fluffy white head doesn't stay around too long but once it thins out it remains for the duration of the drink.  There is also minimal lacing.

Aroma: This yeast is really the star of the show here.  In similar recipes I can usually pick up some of the Styrian Goldings in the nose but this one really showcases the yeast.  The overwhelming characteristic on the nose is peachy spiciness.  The nose is also slightly tart but that really bleeds into the peachy spice.  I also get hints of wheat and lemon/lemongrass.  The aroma is right where I want it.  I really like my saisons to be spicy and peppery.

Taste: On the front end I get a bit of tangyness.  This balances really well with the nose.  The lemon/lemongrass really comes through in the taste as well.  There is a pleasant alcoholic warmth that you pick up on the backend of the taste that does not last too long.  The taste is also quite dry but does not feel thin at all.  

Mouthfeel: As mentioned before this beer is dry and a bit tart.  When you get a sip in your mouth you get that tartness in the cheeks and the tongue.  The tartness doesn't last long and you are left with that nice alcoholic feel.

Drinkability & Thoughts: I really like this beer.  It is fun to drink and leaves you with a nice refreshing feeling.  This beer is meant to be consumed during the hotter months of the year.  When brewing this again next year I would like to brew it earlier in the summer when the temps are warmer.  I want to do this not only because it will drink better during that time of year but because it would be fun to push this yeast to higher temps to see what kind of esters it produces when pushed to the higher end (and maybe beyond) of its ranges.  I would also like to use different hops with it next time.  Maybe some German Tradition and or Hersbrucker to accentuate the spiciness of the yeast and a finishing yeast that compliments the fruitiness.


Overall, it was a crowd pleaser and it was fun to use the two different spelts I got from Valley Malt.

10/7/2012-  Took second place in Category 16 (Sub cat E; Belgian Specialty) Belgian and French Ales in Southern New England Regional homebrew competition.