Wyeast 3711 -- I'm officially impressed

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heywolfie1015

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In a week, 3711 took my saison from 1.054 to 1.000. Incredible.

Now, granted, 13% of the fermentables were simple sugars (equal parts table sugar and honey), but that is really an amazing job by the yeast. The sample I tasted was just perfect, too. It probably could stand to be a little spicier, but that's what I get for only fermenting at 74F. Otherwise, the taste was just fantastic.

If you are thinking about making a saison and want just an awesome yeast, go for 3711.
 
I just had my pack of this yeast show up today. I'm planning on brewing next weekend with it. Actually going to make a batch and split it between WLP565, WLP566, and WY3711
 
I just had my pack of this yeast show up today. I'm planning on brewing next weekend with it. Actually going to make a batch and split it between WLP565, WLP566, and WY3711

Nice. Best of luck. With those three strains, I'm sure you'll get something super tasty.
 
Brewed my first Saison with 3711 and letting it ferment at room temp (73-75) as we speak. Cant wait to try this one. My LBHS owner swears by this yeast and I am excited. Made a quart starter for 1.060 OG.
 
Used it in conjunction with 3724 to have a Saison in less than two months. It sure did it's job. Great yeast and a great resource for Saison brewers.
 
I have a batch going at room temperature which can get upto 80F sometimes. I am trying to see how the flavor will change at higher temperatures.
 
This post is very timely and very appreciated. I'm brewing a Saison a la Brewing Classic Styles (though, dialed down a bit gravity-wise). Using 3711.

Having a bit of a heat wave lately, so should be perfect.
 
Friends of mine brewed an extreme saison with 3711: og 1105, fg 1005. That is 13 % abv! I have brewed a standard saison with it, and I love it. It truely is a beautiful yeast strain.
 
Friends of mine brewed an extreme saison with 3711: og 1105, fg 1005.

That is, frankly, incredible.

Probably my favorite part about this strain is that saisons are supposed to be bone dry and you don't have to worry about achieving that at all. All you hear about with some of the other strains is how difficult it is to get below 1.010, and this thing just cleans up. Simply amazing. (And tasty, too.)
 
For those that have used this strain, is using sugar as an adjunct necessary to get this beer to an appropriate level of dryness? I know that using sugar in Belgian style ales is very common, but is it necessary with this strain?

:mug:
 
For those that have used this strain, is using sugar as an adjunct necessary to get this beer to an appropriate level of dryness? I know that using sugar in Belgian style ales is very common, but is it necessary with this strain?

:mug:

Not exactly sure if you need sugar or not, but, a little Belgian or Honey can only help.

About the 3711 strain - wow!

I just brewed a Saison last weekend (simple Grain bill and an OG of 1.055).

Fermented at 72 for a day then cranked up the room to 85 degrees for 5. 1.004 already! Totally awesome taste for such a green beer. We added fresh orange zest (from 6 oranges) and that subtle flavor is also there.

Can't wait for the beer to condition out and get on tap!
 
I just started a thread, and then saw this one too. I apologize for double posting, but i thought that I would give this thread a try too. I'm a little baffled?

I brewed a Saison 2 Sundays ago (12 days ago) with the 3711 French Saison yeast, and forgot Whirl-Floc. Like everyone said, that yeast is a MONSTER!!! I started the fermentation temp off at around 65-66 degrees and and started to ramp it up at the 48 hour mark. I raised it till it got around 79-80 degrees. The thing finished up fermentation at about day 7 or 8. I got around to taking a sample yesterday, and it read 1.002 and started at around 1.065.

That makes 8.25% abv, which is crazy.

The problem is that the beer has a VERY bitter taste to it with maybe a note of Sulphur, and the bitterness is different than hop bitterness I believe. The beer initially has that great fruit and belgian taste then it finishes with that strong bitter and sulphur note.

Is this Yeast Bite???
 
Is this Yeast Bite???

It may well be. I had something similar happen. Hydro samples tasted great, as did the beer when I transferred to the keg. Then, the first three pints were off. Just a somewhat nasty taste in the finish. Once the yeast was gone, though, flavor suddenly improved dramatically and I couldn't believe how tasty it was.
 
you know, I've never had any troubles whatsoever with 3724 attenuating fully and haven't been tempted to try a different yeast (in general, I don't like phenolics, so I'm really picky about which phenolic yeasts I'll use). Still, 3711 is starting to sound tempting.

When it's treated right, and used in a very warm, temperature-controlled environment with no temperature swings, Dupont has always attenuated strong and fast. IMO, problems with attenuation are most likely due to large temperature fluctuations - it's tough to maintain a steady 85F - or from folks attempting to ferment too cool with this yeast - i.e. start low and let it free-rise. The initial stages of fermentation are really the key moments for yeast health and this yeast really needs the warmth.
 
I just started a thread, and then saw this one too. I apologize for double posting, but i thought that I would give this thread a try too. I'm a little baffled?

I brewed a Saison 2 Sundays ago (12 days ago) with the 3711 French Saison yeast, and forgot Whirl-Floc. Like everyone said, that yeast is a MONSTER!!! I started the fermentation temp off at around 65-66 degrees and and started to ramp it up at the 48 hour mark. I raised it till it got around 79-80 degrees. The thing finished up fermentation at about day 7 or 8. I got around to taking a sample yesterday, and it read 1.002 and started at around 1.065.

That makes 8.25% abv, which is crazy.

The problem is that the beer has a VERY bitter taste to it with maybe a note of Sulphur, and the bitterness is different than hop bitterness I believe. The beer initially has that great fruit and belgian taste then it finishes with that strong bitter and sulphur note.

Is this Yeast Bite???

I had a mild that had a LOT of sulfur in it. It tasted good going into the keg, but I naturally prime and it carbonated during a real heat spell in the area. I suspect some of that flavor was produced at that time. As, I've drawn off the yeast it has improved. The sulfur taste is basically gone and there is just a sublte hint of it in the aroma at this point.

On another note, this thread has me thinking about brewing up a saison.
 
I made a saison with that strain and I was also very happy with the results. Definitely brew another with it.
 
Me too. I built the Petit Saison from Northern Brewer with 3711 and added another pound of 55/45 wheat DME. It made a great beer that I will do again. I used the cake for another batch six weeks later. It is still in the secondary but seems to be equal.
 
Not exactly sure if you need sugar or not, but, a little Belgian or Honey can only help.

About the 3711 strain - wow!

I just brewed a Saison last weekend (simple Grain bill and an OG of 1.055).

Fermented at 72 for a day then cranked up the room to 85 degrees for 5. 1.004 already! Totally awesome taste for such a green beer. We added fresh orange zest (from 6 oranges) and that subtle flavor is also there.

Can't wait for the beer to condition out and get on tap!

Just an update....I pulled a sample and it is at 1.002. 7 days. Sample really is clear and the yeast looks to have mostly dropped out. Awesome pepper hint, and, the yeast really allows the orange zest we used to come through.

So far so good!

I'll probably keep at 85 for one more week, then, move the primary to another room where it can sit at 66 degrees. My plan is to keep the beer on the yeast cake for 4 weeks, then, move right to bottles, using about 1/4 more corn sugar than normal to carb up. I'll let sit in the bottles for 4 weeks before I cool a few down and try.

Looking forward to my first home-brewed Saison and the first beer with this yeast!


:mug:
 
I can't wait to use my smack pack of 3711 when I brew this Fri. I have been dealing the mercirual 3724 for 6 weeks now and am looking forward to a Saison yeast that is a bit more "cooperative". Montanaandy
 
i brewed up a session saison last thursday (OG 1.042) with a good chunk of wheat malt and a late cascade addition. i'm digging the smells this yeast is putting out and let it ferment around 70 deg. it's already slowed up significantly and i'm sure it'll be done in a week no problem.
 
Wow! That's 100% Attenuation. That yeast is a work horse! There wouldn't be a drop of sugars left after this rate.

That's 100% _apparent_ attenuation. It's 82% real attenuation, so there are still some sugars in there (it's not unusual for wines, ciders, brett/bugged beers, and even some saisons to finish below 1.000 FG).
 
i brewed up a session saison last thursday (OG 1.042) with a good chunk of wheat malt and a late cascade addition. i'm digging the smells this yeast is putting out and let it ferment around 70 deg. it's already slowed up significantly and i'm sure it'll be done in a week no problem.

finally had time to check the gravity today. down to 1.004, very impressed. nice flavor profile on the sample too. i'm gonna try to bottle on sunday and enjoy this badboy for the end of summer.
 
Just in case anyone is wondering what to do with this yeast, the below recipe is absolutely amazing and really lets the yeast shine. Because the recipe is so simple, it lets the yeast take the front row and really show its colors. An excellent beer thats an easy and reasonable all-grain bill.

What attracted me to 3711 is that I have no temp controls (other than AC and central heating) and Im in Chicago. That means my house ambient temp is around 77F. Admittedly, I chickened out and fermented in a swamp, but I have a hunch this yeast would power through at higher temps without adversely affecting flavors.

Seriously, try this recipe, kudos to the author.

Oh, and another thing, this beer conditioned in the bottle in a week. Again, thats a good yeast...

http://www.themadfermentationist.com/2009/11/hoppy-french-saison.html
 
cookiedds slanted this for me the other day when he was brewing his saison. Can't wait to use it, hopefully some time next week. I've had good results with 565, but if this has the flavor profile I'm looking for it sounds like it's much more user friendly.
 
I just thought I would give a quick follow up to my problem mentioned earlier in this thread. I crash cooled the saison with that bitter taste at week 2, and then added gelatin and it's a 100% different beer. It's not totally matured yet, but there is almost no bitterness and absolutely no sulpher taste. The taste that was there I believe was simply the yeast in suspension.

I'm now super excited to taste this beer in a month!!! Another case of RDWHAHB????

I just started a thread, and then saw this one too. I apologize for double posting, but i thought that I would give this thread a try too. I'm a little baffled?

I brewed a Saison 2 Sundays ago (12 days ago) with the 3711 French Saison yeast, and forgot Whirl-Floc. Like everyone said, that yeast is a MONSTER!!! I started the fermentation temp off at around 65-66 degrees and and started to ramp it up at the 48 hour mark. I raised it till it got around 79-80 degrees. The thing finished up fermentation at about day 7 or 8. I got around to taking a sample yesterday, and it read 1.002 and started at around 1.065.

That makes 8.25% abv, which is crazy.

The problem is that the beer has a VERY bitter taste to it with maybe a note of Sulphur, and the bitterness is different than hop bitterness I believe. The beer initially has that great fruit and belgian taste then it finishes with that strong bitter and sulphur note.

Is this Yeast Bite???
 
OK my turn with 3711. Brewed up a variation of Jamil's Saison from BCS. My OG was around1.074 if memory serve me correct. Decanted the 2000ml starter and hit the BB but the wort was only down to 70' because that is as cool as I can get it sans a pre-chiller (which I am going to look into). Place it on a Brew Mat with an insulation cylinder and this stuff took off like a rocket after about 6 hours. Blew the airlock out late last night so I went to a blow off. Still churning like mad this AM and had top mop up some StarSan overflow off the floor and replace the blow off growler with a fresh one. Pretty aggressive yeast. Looking forward to the results and not getting stuck with an OG that moves at a snails pace (3724). Montanaandy
 
tried one tonight. this SOB carbed the bottles in 3 days. i wasn't for sure, but i had a suspicion that they were carbed, so i stuck one in the freezer. VERY dry, still some body (i even mashed at 154), i carbed at 3 vols too, so it's pretty spritzy. not quite the amount of yeast flavor i was hoping for, but i know it will improve with some age.
 
My saison using 3711 went from 1.061 to 1.004 in 3 wks. It is bottle conditioning now. I added some ginger for an edge.

I'm using it in a Houblon Chouffe tripel IPA right now. I'm thinking that is a good match. We'll see.

I'm drinking the 3711 saison now. Although it finished low ( OG: 1.061, FG: 1.004) it still has a smooth, medium mouthfeel. I wanted it to finish dry. I had caramunich and wheat in there so I guess that could explain it.

Taste is superb. 3711 comes off with a slightly farmy, slight bubble gum, and quite a bit of spice (maybe thats the ginger I put in there though). It is very good.

I also used 3711 to make a belgian IPA (Houblon) that might be my best clone ever. I thief'ed a sample today and it is dead nuts. More on that one later. It needs a couple more weeks ferment then at least 2 or 3 weeks cold lagering.
 
Same story as you all: Started out at 1.061, 2L starter pitched at 75F. Within a two weeks, it was down to 1.002 (corrected).

4863968023_b034f73a03_z.jpg


Tastes great so far (3 weeks old, just kegged it today)
 
I really love this yeast too. I used it for my peach saison with really exceptional results. It dried out nicely and left a great silky mouth feel and some nice pepperiness. I fermented pretty warm. It got as high as 86.

I saved the cake and pitched directly onto it with a sour mashed beer.
 
I made a traditional Saison recipe with this yeast and it went from 1.061 to 1.006 within 4 days. Super impressed and it smells fantastic. The sample tasted so good that my next batch was intended to be a belgian Wit but I decided to just pitch onto the 3711. Anyone try a lot of wheat with this yeast? Here is the list. Also used some bitter orange and lemon zest.

5.00 lb Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 48.78 %
4.25 lb White Wheat Malt (2.4 SRM) Grain 41.46 %
0.50 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 4.88 %
0.50 lb Wheat, Flaked (1.6 SRM) Grain 4.88 %
0.75 oz Williamette [5.50 %] (30 min) Hops 8.0 IBU
0.75 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (10 min) Hops 3.1 IBU
 
i couldn't find the comment i'm thinking of (maybe it was in the other 3711 thread), but someone mentioned a little bit of an 'orval-style' aftertaste in this beer, which i'm totally picking up. it kinda hits on the back of your tongue, hard to describe but my buddies that were over trying this beer the other night picked it up right away. anyone else?
 
Be careful with this yeast. I just made a Belgian Tripel IPA. It's gone from 1.082 to 1.007 in 16 days. It might still be dropping. I know for a fact that it has dropped from 1.013 to 1.007 in the last 6 days.

I would consider skipping the sugar addition on a saison or belgian. Or mash high. Or both. My tripel is starting to get a slight alcohol bite that I'm not really happy about. I really hope it is done (it's almost at 10% ABV - ugh). My recipe has 9% beet sugar.

Unfortunately, I did a double infusion mash to maximize the fermentability. Woops.

Also, this yeast seems to be a very poor flocculator. I cold crash and gelatin, so I know I'll be able to knock it down. But for others who don't, there might be a long period for clearing. Of course, since it is still (apparently ) fermenting, I guess I shouldn't expect the yeast to have dropped yet.

Here's a picture of a saison I made with this yeast. You can see that it did not clear well (but is a very fine drink... take my word for it). I don't believe I used gelatin on this beer

saison2.JPG
 
i couldn't find the comment i'm thinking of (maybe it was in the other 3711 thread), but someone mentioned a little bit of an 'orval-style' aftertaste in this beer, which i'm totally picking up.

I think you were looking for this one: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/wyeast-3711-v-3724-tasting-notes-187360/

Be careful with this yeast. I just made a Belgian Tripel IPA. It's gone from 1.082 to 1.007 in 16 days. It might still be dropping. I know for a fact that it has dropped from 1.013 to 1.007 in the last 6 days.

I would consider skipping the sugar addition on a saison or belgian. Or mash high. Or both. My tripel is starting to get a slight alcohol bite that I'm not really happy about. I really hope it is done (it's almost at 10% ABV - ugh). My recipe has 9% beet sugar.

I think your beer is going to finish with something around the specific gravity of air. :mug:
 
Because of this thread, I adjusted my saison recipe to handle the big attenuation.

Fermentables
Belgian Pilsen Malt 9lb 0oz (76.6 %) In Mash/Steeped
US White Wheat Malt 12.00 oz (6.4 %) In Mash/Steeped
US Munich 10L Malt 12.00 oz (6.4 %) In Mash/Steeped
German CaraMunich III 4.00 oz (2.1 %) In Mash/Steeped
Sugar - White Sugar/Sucrose 1lb 0oz (8.5 %) End Of Boil

Hops
US Willamette (4.5 % alpha) 1.76 oz Loose Pellet Hops used 90 Min From End
German Hallertauer Mittlefruh (5.0 % alpha) 1.06 oz Loose Pellet Hops used At turn off

The recipe is essentially from BCS. But I mashed at 154 and doubled the Caramunich to help deter the yeast from attenuating too much. I even kept the table sugar in the recipe. I got it to finish at 1.005 and that's perfect. Exactly what I wanted.
 
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