White Peach Farmhouse

I snagged a slant of WLP 670, American Farmhouse Blend, out of curiosity and without a plan of how to use it. The blend includes brett and also claims to impart mild tartness. A few weeks later I saw white peaches and nectarines for sale at the supermarket and an idea for a beer was formed. I purchased 5 lbs. of peaches and 3 lbs. of the nectarines.

I generally juice my fresh fruit, adding it to secondary and that is the approach I took with the peaches and nectarines which I pitted and ran through the juicer. I froze the juice and reserved the skins etc. that were discarded by the juicer to add to primary fermentation. I don't always do this but I figured this was a rustic beer and it would add character.

The grainbill is a bit cumbersome but I wanted to have a bit of maltiness and have it be a bit hearty as I was searching for a balance for the yeast rather than letting the brett runaway with the beer. I made a sour peach wit last year that was delicious but the peaches and light grainbill really accentuated the sourness of the beer and I wanted to make something distinctly different from that beer. I also have a bad habit of throwing in the kitchen sink when constructing a recipe while I am looking at the jars of speciality malts on my shelf.

White Peach Farmhouse Ale Recipe:

Specifics:
5.25 Gallons
Anticipated OG 1.052
Anticipated FG 1.013 (terminal gravity likely lower with bugs involved)
Anticipated SRM 9.1
Anticipated IBU 32.3
60 Minute Boil

Grain:
6 lbs. Pilsner
1 lbs. Light Munich 10L
1 lbs. White Wheat Malt
.5 lbs. Aromatic
.5 lbs. Oat Malt
.5 lbs. Golden Naked Oats
.5 lbs. Carapils
.25 lbs. Honey Malt
.25 lbs. Acidulated

Hops:
1 oz Hallertau @ 60 minutes
1 oz Hallertau @ 30 minutes
2 oz French Strisselspalt @ 5 minutes

Yeast:
WLP 670 American Farmhouse Blend

Extras:
5 lbs. White Peaches Juiced (reserve skins/pulp)
3 lbs. Nectarines, juiced (reserve skins/pulp)
--Added pulp to primary and juice to secondary

Water:
Well water from Ogallala Aquifer

Notes:
Single infusion mash at 155 and batch sparged to draw 7 gallons of wort. Boiled 60 minutes and cooled 5.25 gallons to 80 degrees before adding frozen peach/nectarine skins (refuse from juicer) to assist with cooling then pitched WLP 670.

After ten days in primary I transferred beer to secondary and added the peach/nectarine juice. Remained in secondary for 6 weeks before bottling with 2/3 Cup of cane sugar.

Tasting Notes:

The beer has a nice white head on top of an orange colored ale containing little peach and nectarine floaties. Peaches are dominate the aroma and are forefront in the flavor along with a bit of tartness that balances well with the malt and a hint of earthy brett. This is overall a very nice and interesting beer.