RJSkypala
Well-Known Member
I was a little wary of using this strain with all of the reports of it under-attenuating and taking up to 4 weeks or more to finish out. I didn't want to wait this long so I was taking a chance on using this strain.
I made a 2L starter, pitched the tube and let it go on the stirplate for 24 hours. There was tons of visual activity, something I don't usually get in starters. Brewed a 1.048 saison mashed @148 for 90 minutes the next day and pitched the decanted starter while it was still active. All fermentation was at an ambient temp of about 76 degrees so it was probably 81 or more inside the bucket. 48 Hours later I added 10oz of table sugar dissolved in a syrup. 5 days after pitching the gravity is at 1.005 and the gravity sample tastes awesome already: its dry, fruity and crisp. I can only imagine how it will taste once its had some more time and is nice and carbonated in the keg.
Given this wasn't a high gravity brew I still think mashing low and long, the big starter and the delayed feeding of sugar can all be used in combination to get this strain to perform a little better, even with a bigger wort.
I made a 2L starter, pitched the tube and let it go on the stirplate for 24 hours. There was tons of visual activity, something I don't usually get in starters. Brewed a 1.048 saison mashed @148 for 90 minutes the next day and pitched the decanted starter while it was still active. All fermentation was at an ambient temp of about 76 degrees so it was probably 81 or more inside the bucket. 48 Hours later I added 10oz of table sugar dissolved in a syrup. 5 days after pitching the gravity is at 1.005 and the gravity sample tastes awesome already: its dry, fruity and crisp. I can only imagine how it will taste once its had some more time and is nice and carbonated in the keg.
Given this wasn't a high gravity brew I still think mashing low and long, the big starter and the delayed feeding of sugar can all be used in combination to get this strain to perform a little better, even with a bigger wort.