First Saison still going or Ready?

Brewing my First Saison. Northern Brewer kit.

3724 Yeast.

Started it 4-19 and had initial 13.5 / 1.055 using my refractrometer

It's been bubbling all this time in a heated fridge hitting around 89-91 depending.

I didn't secondary it, but left it in it's 6.5 gallon carboy.

I just checked it last night and got 8.1 / 1.033 on my refractometer.

Now I'm just figuring out this calculator thing and came up with current gravity at 1.018

From reading I think it should closer to 1.008 correct to bottle?

Should I secondary at this late stage or let it go a few more weeks?

There is definitely no reason to secondary this. But 1.018 is too high for a saison. Is this the extract kit? If so I think that might be your final gravity for that yeast. Though it is only 70% attenuation. I've read that 3724 is notorious for stalling out, but if you've kept it around 90F the whole time I wouldn't think that would be the problem. If I were you I would add some Danstar Belle Saison yeast or maybe Wyeast 3711 to finish it out. Those both usually get 90%+ attenuation. Since you already have alcohol present, I would pitch an active starter.

Give it a swirl to get the yeast up off the bottom but not too much - don't want to get any oxygen into it.
I did that and it dropped through the floor - my last 2 have been 1.006 and 1.002 with that yeast (albeit not that kit)
Try to get it as warm as you can. I had mine on a heat pad in the middle of summer where days were in the 90s and it came out great.

Let me swirl it and bring up the heat to 93-94. I have it in a small fridge with a light attached to my thermostat and it works pretty good at keeping it right on temp.

I would leave it or, 3764 slows down at the end of fermentation. If it totally stalls, I would then try raising temp a couple of degrees. This is from Wyeast:

This strain is the classic farmhouse ale yeast. A traditional yeast that is spicy with complex aromatics, including bubble gum. It is very tart and dry on the palate with a mild fruitiness. Expect a crisp, mildly acidic finish that will benefit from elevated fermentation temperatures. This strain is notorious for a rapid and vigorous start to fermentation, only to stick around 1.035 S.G. Fermentation will finish, given time and warm temperatures. Warm fermentation temperatures, at least 90°F (32°C), or the use of a secondary strain can accelerate attenuation.

I would take another reading using a hydrometer. I realize there are people who use a refractometer even when fermentation begins, but I have tried it and gotten more consistent and accurate results with a hydrometer. I use my refractometer for brew day only.

I did actually use both yesterday and got about 1.0 15 on the hydrometer but a 1.018 on the refractometor using the calculator. Both still to high though.

Trust your hydrometer. Even an adjusted refractometer is not as accurate once alcohol in solution.

okay… now 11 days later I took another reading after giving a swirl or two and bumping up the temp to a solid 93-94.

things are looking up.

5-31 I get

1.011 hydrometer and 7.5 / 1.030 refractometer

I let my saison sit for a month after I thought it had finished at 1.011, it ended up at 1.005.

thanks wham, I think I'm just going to let it sit too. It just needs time I guess. 1.005 would be great. It did taste pretty good though...

Good info. I've never brewed a saison before but I'm going to this summer once it gets nice and hot in my garage. What yeast did you use?

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I use danstar belle saison. No need to increase temps. It does the saison thing without the work. Tastes amazing.


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WhamFish said:

I let my saison sit for a month after I thought it had finished at 1.011, it ended up at 1.005.

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was yours grain or a kit?

DrinkingLounge said:

was yours grain or a kit?

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All grain, I used yeast I cultured and slanted from a bottle of Dupont Vieille Provision. Thats WLP 566 I think. I've used it several times and I love the Farmhouse character.

I've not tried the dried yeast for Saison yet. When I brew Saison I'm generally trying to get as close to Dupont as I can so I figure I should use that yeast. It doesnt seem to have any problem getting dry.

bottled today. Finished at 10.06 to 10.05 tough to tell with the bubbles.

I did a Northern Brew Saison kit using the 3724 yeast. I had the same results. It stalled out. I heated it up to 80+ and it went like gang busters. It turned out pretty good, I actually just polished it off last week The Belgian Saison yeast gives it a really unique flavor. Cloves, fruity, very complex.

I just kegged up another saison last night. A cottage house saison that I found in the recipes here on home brew talk. I ended up using a hybrid saison yeast from Omega Labs. Right out of the fermenter it seems a little smoother and fruitier than the Belgian. Also it hit over 7% ABV so it got a slight hint booziness. I can't wait to get into it.

sounds good Roger! This one should be right about 6.4-6.5%

I'm going to try another yeast next time to see how it's different. It tastes pretty good already without the carbonation.

How long did you bottle condition yours till cooling and drinking?

DrinkingLounge said:

How long did you bottle condition yours till cooling and drinking?

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I let it set in the keg almost a month, probably not needed but that's what I did. I don't know about you but I actually like to drink a few of them after a couple of weeks, and compare to how they tast after a month or so. They almost always get better after sitting a while.

opened a bottle or two this weekend and I was blown away. Absolutely amazing. Excellent!

roger_tucker said:

I did a Northern Brew Saison kit using the 3724 yeast. I had the same results. It stalled out. I heated it up to 80+ and it went like gang busters. It turned out pretty good, I actually just polished it off last week The Belgian Saison yeast gives it a really unique flavor. Cloves, fruity, very complex.

I just kegged up another saison last night. A cottage house saison that I found in the recipes here on home brew talk. I ended up using a hybrid saison yeast from Omega Labs. Right out of the fermenter it seems a little smoother and fruitier than the Belgian. Also it hit over 7% ABV so it got a slight hint booziness. I can't wait to get into it.

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did you use the saisonstein yeast? i heard it's a beast and ferments out nicely!

jaydog2314 said:

did you use the saisonstein yeast? i heard it's a beast and ferments out nicely!

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No I used Wyeast 3724 Belgian Saison Yeast