Hard Cider Using a Belgian Saison Yeast

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StoatFloat

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This is my first post here.

I am about to start a batch of hard cider, using fresh 100% raw cider and wyeast labs Belgian Saison. Has anyone else had experience using a saison yeast for hard cider? I've heard it turns out sweeter than most other yeasts, but was hoping to get some more feedback.

Thanks
 
I have always used champagne yeast to get a fast dry fermentation. I'm curious what your outcome will be. Nothing at all wrong with a sweeter finish to cider in my opinion. I usually save a gallon of my fresh pressed apple juice, freeze it, and blend it back into the final product many months later after giving it ample time to settle down and age. I prefer a sweeter more apple flavored cider. Best of luck and let us know how it comes out.
 
I love that yeast and I use it a lot in saisons. You just have to get it hot and it does its thing very well.

I did this with my friend and it was awesome! We both used the same split yeast slurry, same recipe, but different fermentation temperatures. I did the more traditional start at 75F ramp to 95F over a couple of days and keep it there for almost a week (it was the middle of summer and I didn't have AC). Mine ended up very dry, well bellow 1.000. My friend did it a little lower at was 75F to 85F or so, and his stopped at 1.005 or something. I can't say which one I liked more, but they were both good, spicy, and apple flavored. We sampled throughout the aging process (1 month, 3 months, 4 months, 6 months, and so) and I think mine was better younger because the stronger yeast flavors were there and compensated for dryness, although still good at 6 months. The lower attenuation in his worked well too, just depends on what you want.
 
togabear said:
I love that yeast and I use it a lot in saisons. You just have to get it hot and it does its thing very well.

I did this with my friend and it was awesome! We both used the same split yeast slurry, same recipe, but different fermentation temperatures. I did the more traditional start at 75F ramp to 95F over a couple of days and keep it there for almost a week (it was the middle of summer and I didn't have AC). Mine ended up very dry, well bellow 1.000. My friend did it a little lower at was 75F to 85F or so, and his stopped at 1.005 or something. I can't say which one I liked more, but they were both good, spicy, and apple flavored. We sampled throughout the aging process (1 month, 3 months, 4 months, 6 months, and so) and I think mine was better younger because the stronger yeast flavors were there and compensated for dryness, although still good at 6 months. The lower attenuation in his worked well too, just depends on what you want.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the input! I used this yeast once before to make a saison. I have a room that i keep snakes in that is at a constant 84 degrees, so when I made the saison I put it in there and it turned out great. This time I'm letting it do it's thing in my living room at 72 degrees and after a week it is still very actively fermenting. I'm going to rack it into a secondary fermenter eventually. At that point in going to split it up into a 5 gallon plain batch, a gallon with fresh ginger and a gallon with apricots. I'm pretty excited to see how they turn out.
 
Update: just sampled the batch after 9 days. It is tart and very flavorful. Should be amazing after some aging.
 
Wyeast 3711 french saison is my normal cider yeast. Produces a great cider. I've done a 5% cider as well as a 10% cider, and it turns out great every time. Strong attenuater, leaves great apple flavor, slight spicy note, not too dry not too sweet. As a bonus, you can make a saison with it. Don't even think about temp controlling it. Let it go as hot as possible for more character
 
Good call! I need something that actually prefers this weather. I have a wyl Ira 004 going on a cider now, gonna have to line up a saison this spring.
 
Cider with beer yeast is about as easy as it gets :)

(Unless you use nottingham, urg.)

If you want it sweet, just buff it with sugar til the yeast get drunk or cold crash it at the desired ABV.

My brother made one with *mart juice that tasted like Martinelli's sparkling cider to the tune of $4/gallon.. I'll admit that this one event was enough to get me started brewing :)
 
My brewing area is in the basement...probably 65-70. Any suggestions on dealing with this? Don't really want to add a secondary strain. BUT if I need to, what should I use?
 

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