BE-134 fermentation temperature - Experiment

[Alan_Reginato]

Hi!

Here's the recipe:



And I split in two fermenters. One was put in ice bath and the other remain at room temperature. Average fermentation temp for the first one, 22 C. The second, 28 C.

Initially I found a huge difference between them, the high temp has a distinct clove/cinnamon aroma. The low temp a more fruit, pear like.

At bottling, the clove/cinnamon seems to be much more interesting. But after 2 months, I clearly prefer the low temp. Was less "aggressive".

The beer itself, was fine. High carbonated, good head, bitter. An spicy, malty combination. Melanoidin malt has a dry, bread crust taste and I put too much. Maybe some earthy/citrus flavor of topaz hops remains, not sure about it. Too much flavors here. Plus clove and cinnamon in the high temp.

Now that's interesting. After 5 months the clove/cinnamon flavor, that should be caused by polyphenols (BE-134 is POF+), mellows down and I can't tell them apart.

Everywhere I read that polyphenols shouldn't fade away. I took that for sure.

What do you think about it?

 

[Sadfield]

Has the phenols in one faded or has the other crept up? I'm inclined to think the topaz hops have mellowed out and aren't clashing with or underpinning harsher flavours.

I do like BE-134 though and this is an interesting experiment, as I tend not to force any particular temperature profile with Saisons, I just pitch at 20c and let the fermentation do its own thing.