Making starter from stalled yeast and repitching

My saison decided it was done at 1.030, that was 3 weeks in primary ramped up to 90 degrees. It just wasn't going to go any further, no change over the last week. I was racking the beer off the cake and going to pitch champagne yeast to dry it out. Then I decided why not take the yeast from the bottom, clean it, make a starter, and then repitch at high krausen.

It was late so I didn't have any time to research doing this, but I didn't see how it was much different than making any normal starter other than it would be pitched into unaerated beer. I thought the oxygen and nutrients in the starter could get it going again especially since it didn't do that much work in the first place and was always within the yeasts temperature range. It formed some krausen even with the stir plate and I pitched about 10 hours later.

Think it will work? Bad plan? Should have just pitched the champagne yeast?

i dont know what the protocol is for this but it seems like a good idea. Ive had the same one at times but never as high as 1.030. Whats the worst that could happen? as long as you sanitizing properly, worst case is your gravity doesn't drop... Make sure you post back what ends up happing! im curious

WLP565 and wyeast 3724 are both very slow to finish. They start off big and mean and then slow down at the end. The yeast will finish out very dry if you leave it for a few more weeks at room temps.

I was listening to the Jamil podcast about Saisons and he said the when he tries to take the temp above about 85 degrees, the yeast stop working. Then when he brings the temp back down to the lower 80's, they start back up again. Not sure if that's a hard rule or just something he experienced, but it might be worth trying.

BargainFittings said:

WLP565 and wyeast 3724 are both very slow to finish. They start off big and mean and then slow down at the end. The yeast will finish out very dry if you leave it for a few more weeks at room temps.

Click to expand...

The gravity was not budging, was stuck for the last week and barely dropped the week before. I was very uncomfortable leaving beer on a yeast cake at 90 for more than 3 weeks.

ChshreCat said:

I was listening to the Jamil podcast about Saisons and he said the when he tries to take the temp above about 85 degrees, the yeast stop working. Then when he brings the temp back down to the lower 80's, they start back up again. Not sure if that's a hard rule or just something he experienced, but it might be worth trying.

Click to expand...

Actually listed to that too, but tried higher when it slowed down because I read that Saison Dupont ferments at 92. Also read about Wyeast recommending higher temps to finish. I used the Wyeast 3724 so went with the higher temps as fermentation slowed. I did repitch at 80 with the starter at 80, figured I would try the slightly lower temperature.

scinerd3000 said:

i dont know what the protocol is for this but it seems like a good idea. Ive had the same one at times but never as high as 1.030. Whats the worst that could happen? as long as you sanitizing properly, worst case is your gravity doesn't drop... Make sure you post back what ends up happing! im curious

Click to expand...

After a short burst of activity, it looks to just be sitting there. I am going to leave it for another day or two just to see what happens. If nothing, I am going to just pitch the champagne yeast. Want to have this beer ready in a month or two for the warm months.