Pitching rate for 1bbl saison?

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JustinG

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If I'm brewing a 1bbl batch of a light saison (around 1.045 OG), the "proper" pitching rate would be over 1 trillion cells. Really though, how should I approach this if just using Wyeast packs from the LHBS? It would be Wyeast
3724. I think that underpitching is a good way to go, as we'll be fermenting this pretty warm (around 70F), and I want the yeast to work hard, to promote ester production. Could I get away with 6 smack packs (only about 600M cells, which is just over half of the recommended rate)? How would you approach this?
 
Under pitching the yeast by that much would definitely make them work harder. So hard that their stress may produce some really unwanted flavors.

I would look at making some starters and pitch the rate that will develop the basic flavor profile of the yeast.

Not to long ago there was a thread started for WY3724. You may find information that will apply to your brew plans.
 
What flars said, plus 70 degrees is way too cool for 3724- you'll need to get it up to 80-85 minimum to make it finish. Prepare for a slow ferment and stall around 1.030 also. Let it finish, after pitching the right amount of yeast, and enjoy a good beer. For 5 gallons of a 1.045 beer with 97% yeast viability you would need a 1.5L starter, for 31 gallons of that beer you would be seriously underpitching that beer with 6 packs. You might get away with it, or you might have 31 gallons of junk to pour down the drain too.
 
Thanks for the input, guys. How would you feel about 5 packs in a 5L starter instead? Still severely underpitching, or a little more realistic? Obviously, I'm somewhat out of my comfort zone here, ha ha
 
Thanks for the input, guys. How would you feel about 5 packs in a 5L starter instead? Still severely underpitching, or a little more realistic? Obviously, I'm somewhat out of my comfort zone here, ha ha

What does YeastCalc have to indicate about this play? How about a step up starter?
 
Definitely reconsider underpitching with this yeast. You'll get plenty of ester production with a proper pitch using this yeast strain. As others have already said, 3724 is very finicky. Start it out at 68ish, then ramp it up every day by a degree or two until you hit about 85*F, then keep it steady at that temperature for the remainder of fermentation.

http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html

According to mrmalty, if you can get those ~5packs on a stirplate you're not too far off of your target number of cells provided they're FRESH yeast packs. Many brewers using this strain will also pitch a neutral secondary yeast when this one slows down. To do this you'll want the second yeast to be healthy and ready to ferment in an environment that already contains alcohol.

Jamil over at the Brewing Network has a great talk about brewing Saisons that would be worth listening to.

http://thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/The-Jamil-Show/Saison-The-Jamil-Show-09-10-07
 
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