Wyeast 3726 help

I started fermenting Northern Brewer's Saison de Noel on Sunday night with Wyeast 3726. By Monday morning it was fermenting so vigorously, I was concerned that I might have a blow off. (I also used Wyeast nutrient and 60 seconds of oxygen into a 5 gallon batch.)

I did some research on the strain and it appeared that it liked temps around the 90s the best, although it was started in the 70's and in a heated room around 78.

I bumped the ambient heat of the room to 90F. The fermentation had slowed by Tuesday evening.

I just checked the temperature of the beer and it was 97F.

Should I be concerned about the health of the yeast in the batch? The heat in the room has been shut off and lowered into the 70s.

I am trying to bring the beer down to around 90F or a little lower.

Thanks! (Just a little concerned since I have never fermented this warm.)

I'm not a Belgium expert, however I think your yeast are fine (in terms of viability) at that temp, it is not until you go over 100 degrees that you are going to affect your yeasts viability. Higher temps in other yeasts will bring out fusel alcohol and more esters. Belgium beer like it hot and I guess there for don't make fusels at the elevated temps or Belgium beer would be renound for give you head aches. Of course your temps went a little higher so I would be worried accept it was late in the fermentation of your beer.

If your fermentation was slowing then chances are it was all over, by the time your temp was raised. Remember that CO2 and will continue to be released after your fermentation is over so you will see a krausen even after the yeast are just doing their clean up. So your temp raise probably just helped them clean up your beer and the bulk of your fermentation happened at the lower than recommended temps.

So chances are your Saison might be a little quieter than expected but that is for a more experience Belgium yeast user to say.

Clem

The spec for that yeast says 95 F as the top, so you should be OK. I wouldn't worry about it.

Just try not to lower the temp too quick. Some Belgian yeasts are known to drop out with rapid temperature changes and will not re-start in the alcoholic environment.

Once you think fermentation is over, you should probably maintain the temperature for a few days to allow the yeast to clean up some of the esters and fusels that they have made.

Thanks guys...it was around 90F this morning...we will see what happens at bottling.