just racked my all grain saison. and check the gravity which got all the way down to 1.000.i used 1 lb of candi sugar and the 3711 french saison yeast. i didnt want the gravity that low but it happened. is there a way to prevent the gravity from getting that low? if i were to rack to secondary when i reach the gravity i wanted would that help slow or stop it at all?
fermentation question
- Thread starter zmurda
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(a) check that your hydrometer is reading correctly; it should be 1.000 in distilled water. There's a chance your beer is not as dry as you think (although it's unlikely your hydrometer is off by that much).
(b) what was your mash schedule? Generally mashing lower (under 149) makes your wort more fermentable while mashing high (high 150s) makes it less fermentable.
(c) ensure you select a yeast strain that has the attenuation characteristics you are looking for.
(d) I used a pound of dark candy sugar in a Dubbel recently and had it ferment to the lowest gravity of any beer I've done (1.003). Is it common to use sugar in a Saison? I don't know much about the style. I don't think adding sugar makes a difference to FG; that's all the work of the yeast strain. Just thought I'd mention it given my own recent experience.
(b) what was your mash schedule? Generally mashing lower (under 149) makes your wort more fermentable while mashing high (high 150s) makes it less fermentable.
(c) ensure you select a yeast strain that has the attenuation characteristics you are looking for.
(d) I used a pound of dark candy sugar in a Dubbel recently and had it ferment to the lowest gravity of any beer I've done (1.003). Is it common to use sugar in a Saison? I don't know much about the style. I don't think adding sugar makes a difference to FG; that's all the work of the yeast strain. Just thought I'd mention it given my own recent experience.
beergolf
Well-Known Member
3711 is a beast. It is normal to get an FG that low with it. My last Saison got down to 1.003. Nice as tasty.
Depends on the hydrometer; my last one was calibrated to 68 degrees. It will say somewhere on the hydrometer or its tube. But a temperature adjustment will make only a very small difference.
scoundrel
Well-Known Member
Moving to secondary won't stop fermentation but cold crashing will. When making sour beers and adding brett to secondary, it is a common practice to cold crash the beer early so that the brett will have something to eat over the long aging process.
Take frequent readings during fermentation and when you reach the gravity you want, crash it.
Take frequent readings during fermentation and when you reach the gravity you want, crash it.
did not know that. checking mine now. thank u
I just wanted to point out that using sugar DOES make a huge difference in FG. The reason is that it is fully fermented, unlike malt which leaves some residual body and sweetness behind.
When I make wine or beer with sugar added, the whole point is to create a thinner bodied, drier beverage. Many of my wines are routinely .990.
When I make an IIPA, 15% sugar can make it finish very low and very dry.
Sugar is simply a tool to help get a drier finish.
I'm not a saison expert at all, but most are dry. I don't think with that yeast strain and with sugar added that 1.000 is too abnormal, although I would usually expect to see it at 1.003-1.005. Mash temperatures also play a huge role.
Thanks Yooper...I've got my learning for the day out of the way and it's only 9:00 am!
