Added fruit to early freaking out.

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Jcmccoy

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I made 10 gal of saison with 3711 yeast 1.058 gravity. 9#pils 10# pale 1#munich 1# cara40L. Mashed 150. Split into 2 carboys pitched a activator pack into each on Thursday the 1st at 65 degress let rise to temp 75 had a nice fermentation ..now its the 6th karisen fell and I decided to add my fruit. I added 4.5# of raspberry to the secondary and racked on top. I took a gravity reading after I racked and its at 1.025! I had assumed because of the very active fermenation it would have been lower but I was way off! >< My other 1/2 of my batch is still in primary so I roused up with yeast and that is also reading 1.025. Now im kicking myself because I should have just taken a reading and waited the whole 10 days. nothing I can really do but hope it gets down. If it doesn't I will probably order some brett and have that finish it up.

Thoughts or comments?
 
When was the fruit added and what kind of fruit? By that, I mean was it fresh or pureed or whatever. If after you added the fruit it was at 1.025, then it could have been because of the additional sugars in the fruits. If you did all this today, then you will likely see some additional fermentation throughout the next few days. If this was done a few days ago, then it could be done. Also, are the temps still on the higher end? This could help it along with some rousing of the yeast.

If you wanted to try something else besides Brett, you could use Beano (or whatever it's called) to convert the sugars to fermentables, and try and get it finished that way. Good luck!!!
 
But the other half of the batch without fruit is also at 1.025. I'd be very surprised if 3711 finished that high with that beer. Maybe it just needs more time but a little worrisome that the krausen already fell.
You're not by chance taking readings post fermentation with a refractometer and not correcting for alcohol content, are you?
 
But the other half of the batch without fruit is also at 1.025. I'd be very surprised if 3711 finished that high with that beer. Maybe it just needs more time but a little worrisome that the krausen already fell.
You're not by chance taking readings post fermentation with a refractometer and not correcting for alcohol content, are you?

Good point. I think I'm more surprised that both batches are at the same gravity when 1 batch got a ton of fruit put into it.
 
Saison yeasts are typically pretty temperamental (French strains like 3711 are easier than the Belgians) but still, not overly surprising that it wasn't fully died out yet.

Don't worry though, if anything that fruit and the extra sugar just have the yeast a little kick. Don't worry about racking it off the cake, the yeast that had already settled out wasn't doing much anyway, there's still plenty in there to finish the job.

Be patient, if it's stalled and not fermenting further, move it somewhere a little warmer. You definitely don't have to resort to Brett, you could always add a little more fermentable sugar and/or another pack of 3711. But you shouldn't even be thinking about that for another 2 weeks...

My only problem with raspberries that early is that sometimes you can pull some tannins out of the seeds. I usually try to only let my beer sit on raspberries (or blackberries or strawberries) for a week, 2 at most.
 
I took the gravity reading from some beer left in the primary. I did this about 30 min ago and I already see mad fermentation. The fruit is fresh from the backyard I froze them and crushed then re froze the thawed over night in fridge.

I didn't take a reading after I added the fruit but just from some beer/wort that was left behind.
 
Looking at the airlock now the fruit one is going crazy and the one still in primary bubbles every 15 sec. To clear up any confusion both are at 1.025 after 4 days of active fermentation. I bet If I would have waited another week they would have gotten down to the target of 1.005
 
Looking at the airlock now the fruit one is going crazy and the one still in primary bubbles every 15 sec. To clear up any confusion both are at 1.025 after 4 days of active fermentation. I bet If I would have waited another week they would have gotten down to the target of 1.005

Good to hear things are progressing now. I've heard about Saison yeasts being very tempermental so give it time. Increasing the temps and rousing helps with them I believe.

As you've said yourself, just give it time and it should finish where it's supposed to. I'm thinking of doing a Saison also so let me know how they turn out.
 
Refractometer or hydrometer for your readings?
 
Refractometer or hydrometer for your readings?

Still wondering this too. Although agreed, 4 days is too early to start freaking. Some saison yeasts are reported to be temperamental like 3724 but in my experience 3711 is not - it's a beast if anything. My last saison I thought I accidentally mashed too high and it took it down to 1.002.
 
UPDATE:

First off hydrometer reading gave me the gravitys

Today 10 days later raspberry saison is at 1.002 !!!! Tastrs great nice and tart. Non fruit saison is now at 1.010 and still has visible action. I'm going to transfer tgr fruit saidon to secondary to get off the raspberrys, clear up and I can cold crash.
 
So everthing is working out with the beer and I just needed to relax don't worry and have several home brews!
 
So everthing is working out with the beer and I just needed to relax don't worry and have several home brews!

This is something I still do when things just don't seem to be moving as they are I "think" they should be with the fermentation. Having a hombrew always help me relax :tank:
 
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