Digression #1: Saison Dry Yeast Comparison

After just one experiment focused on Cream Ale (search Mottled Moo), I digressed and compared two saison yeasts, Fermentis BE-134 and Mangrove Jack French Saison. I assumed these are similar yeasts. Do they taste the same? Today I pulled hydrometer samples and am tasting them.

Brewing Details:
4.5 gallons, split, with 11 g BE-134 sprinkled in one half and 10 g of Mangrove Jack sprinkled in the other. Yep, sprinkled. Pressing matters prevented me from taking the time to rehydrate. Even if I experienced some yeast death, I probably overpitched. Also, FWIW, I did not seal the bucket fermenters, on the off chance that these yeasts, both unknown to me, acted more like the DuPont strain (seek out Drewbage's podcasts if you don't know what I mean here)

Digression #1: A Tale of Two Saisons
OG 1.046
FG/Calculate ABV: 1.002 / 5.8%(Fermentis); 1.000 / 6% (Mangrove Jack)

Grist: Kind of a kitchen sink approach. I used what I had on hand, partial mashed.
1# Briess 2 row
1# Briess 6 row
1# Maris otter
8 oz flaked oats
8 oz carawheat
7 oz raw wheat (berries, precooked, added to mash)
3.5 oz flaked corn
2lbs Wheat DME

Hops:
1 oz Tradition, 60 min
0.5 oz Crystal 60 min
1.5 oz Crystal 20 min whirlpool

Water profile comparable to Bru'n Water yellow balanced.
Fermented at 70, ramped to 78 over three days. Held at 78 for 11 days.

While the yeasts are similar, I feel pretty confident in saying that I detect differences in these samples, although I did not do a triangle test. I suspect that with carbonation and at lower serving temperature, differences in these beers will be smoothed out. Both batches came out highly attenuated and somewhat tart for a non-soured batch. Neither exhibit the fruity saison flavors that I get from WY3724/WLP565 and WLP 585.Even with an FG of 1.002, the Fermentis batch has a hint of caramel sweetness that went undetected in the MJ batch. In contrast, the MJ batch stood out as a little tarter and a little clovey, with a touch of citrus. As I traded sips or the hydrometer samples, there was a moment where the MJ batch reminded me of Constant Comment, which brought me back to a church social in 1973. Although that is interesting, neither beer is my cup of tea. I personally identify saison with the flavors of the three liquid yeasts mentioned above, and see no reason for me to play around more with either of these dry strains.