Something I learned about Saisons

I fermented in a bucket.

I washed the bucket, let some cleanser sit in it for a week. Next brew day I santized it and re-used it. The next beer (a bitter) still smells a bit like a Saison.

The bucket now says "for Saison use only".

Lesson learned.

...or maybe you let the fermenting temperature get a good bit too high on the newer beer, and it created some funky off-flavors? Saison yeast is no more resilient than any other strain...

zachattack said:

...or maybe you let the fermenting temperature get a good bit too high on the newer beer, and it created some funky off-flavors? Saison yeast is no more resilient than any other strain...

Click to expand...

Exactly my thought. I've used the same plastic carboy for Saison, Kölsch, IPA, and more with no flavor carryover.

Don't think that is it, I controlled my temp to 62 when I fermented. Interesting both of you had no issues. No big deal for me just to use the bucket for Saison's though, they are relatively inexpensive, the beauty of using buckets.

I've been using the same buckets for years brewing many different styles and like the others I have never had one beer resemble a prior beer because of a bucket or the yeast strain used

geckholm said:

Don't think that is it, I controlled my temp to 62 when I fermented. Interesting both of you had no issues. No big deal for me just to use the bucket for Saison's though, they are relatively inexpensive, the beauty of using buckets.

Click to expand...

Under pitching can sometimes produce certain phenols as well. Hmm.

Brulosopher said:

Under pitching can sometimes produce certain phenols as well. Hmm.

Click to expand...

1.035 OG.....

Maybe it's in my head.

duboman said:

I've been using the same buckets for years brewing many different styles and like the others I have never had one beer resemble a prior beer because of a bucket or the yeast strain used

Click to expand...

This is me too!

Every once in a while when my buckets seem to be getting discolored and smelly I do a soak with mild bleach solution. Then I do a soak with hot oxiclean to make sure no chlorine from the bleach stays behind. After that treatment my buckets become bright white again and have only a faint beer smell. This process is probably overkill, but I still do it.

No issues here either. I think it's just you

What strain did you use? 3711? What was the FG?

geckholm said:

Don't think that is it, I controlled my temp to 62 when I fermented. Interesting both of you had no issues. No big deal for me just to use the bucket for Saison's though, they are relatively inexpensive, the beauty of using buckets.

Click to expand...

I brew a lot of saisons and it is no issue. I also use buckets and if you sanitize properly, no problems.

Saison yeast is not some super strain that will take over the world. It is just like every other yeast. Some Starsan and you are good.

If yo are picking up flaors that should not be ther it is not the yeast but a problem with your process.

Kreusen get up in the lid gasket area perhaps?

emjay said:

What strain did you use? 3711? What was the FG?

Click to expand...

Used 3724 and FG was 1.009

Don't think I notice the smell anymore, who knows.

I've had this issue with 3711, but it was only aroma. I think that the plastic may hold some smells that got off-gassed by the CO2 coming out of the fermentation from the beer I brewed after the saison. The beer didn't have any saison flavor, but I was definitely afraid that it was going to be a saison. All turned out well though.

USMCPayne said:

I've had this issue with 3711, but it was only aroma. I think that the plastic may hold some smells that got off-gassed by the CO2 coming out of the fermentation from the beer I brewed after the saison. The beer didn't have any saison flavor, but I was definitely afraid that it was going to be a saison. All turned out well though.

Click to expand...

The only bad news, you guys are still fermenting in 5 gallon paint pails. I mean food grade FDA approved "buckets".

HAHA, hey....it makes good beer and it's easy to clean!

bethebrew said:

The only bad news, you guys are still fermenting in 5 gallon paint pails. I mean food grade FDA approved "buckets".

Click to expand...

This statement would lead new brewers reading this thread to think that using buckets is not good or even bad, and that is most certainly not the case. Lots of people including myself make very good beer with buckets all of the time. I personally don't have any intention to change that. So, just to set the record straight there is nothing wrong with using buckets.

Stauffbier said:

This statement would lead new brewers reading this thread to think that using buckets is not good or even bad, and that is most certainly not the case. Lots of people including myself make very good beer with buckets all of the time. I personally don't have any intention to change that. So, just to set the record straight there is nothing wrong with using buckets.

Click to expand...

Agreed! Every beer I make is done in a 6.5gallon ale pale and they work beautifully and are easy to clean and dry hop in as well. Also relatively cheap if you take care of them they last a long time

Stauffbier said:

This statement would lead new brewers reading this thread to think that using buckets is not good or even bad, and that is most certainly not the case. Lots of people including myself make very good beer with buckets all of the time. I personally don't have any intention to change that. So, just to set the record straight there is nothing wrong with using buckets.

Click to expand...

That's why they have their own subforum!