Wyeast belgian 3724 Saison questions

I just converted to all grain. My first batch is going to be a Saison, using the 3724 Wyeast pack. I chose a saison specfically because I'm going on vacation, and planned to brew this a few days before going on vacation, and coming back 2 weeks or so after... assuming gravity is correct, I'll bottle. I live in Southeastern Pa, and temps will most likely be in the 80 range. I ferment in my basement, and ambients will be in the 75-80 range. Has anyone just let their Saison go with no regard to temperature? Will this develop any Fusels or anything? I'm taking the RDWHAHB to the extreme here, and wont be able to take a peak at my fermentor or anything. I'm excited and nervouse at the same time...

I've been reading about saisons over the last week or so and the general consensus seems to be that this yeast LOVES higher temperatures.

I live in south central PA and just brewed a batch today using the dupont strain...it's sitting in my upstairs bathroom at a nice, cool, 88*F

we'll see how it turns out

*edit* I just checked on the primary upstairs.....its bubbling away already at just about 5 hours after pitching. I'm thinking adding that blowoff tube straight off was the right decision

Also, you might want to give this more than 2 weeks to fully ferment before you bottle. In addition to reading that saison yeasts generally love higher temperatures, I've also read that they are quite prone to staggered fermentations. I plan on giving mine about a month in the primary before I bottle as it will give the yeast plenty of time to clean up after itself and I'll be pretty sure that the final gravity is where it should be.

Thanks for your reply... I'm glad yours is doing well. I remember doing an extract of this that started on fathers day 09 and was bottled beginning of august 09... I checked my notes...I had to throw yeast nutrient in after about 2 weeks because fermentation stalled around 1.025. I'm mainly concerned with the higher august temps in a non air conditioned evnironment. The highest temp I hit in June was 78...

Again, I wouldn't worry about the "high" temperatures at all.

According to wyeast this strain "benefits from elevated fermentation temperatures." The optimal range for the yeast is 70-95*F!

I chose to do a saison this weekend because temperatures have been out of control lately and I'm sick of constantly swapping out frozen water bottles in my swamp cooler. It seems a little weird to do something that you've been constantly trying NOT to (keeping temps so high) but if that's where the yeast produces the best flavors, I'll do it.

I just finished a saison using this strain. It stalled at 1.030 but eventually with lots of swirling and high heat (mid 80's) I was able to get it to finish at 1.004. Took 6-7 weeks to finish out completely. This yeast starts off crazy fast and then slows to almost nothing... it'll get there, you just need to give it time.

this yeast has a reputation for stalling, unless active fermentation temperature control is used to keep temps in the 80-90 degree range. Large temperature fluctuations or too low a temperature will cause this yeast to pack up early. I'm sure low pitching rates can play a role as well, so treat your yeast well and make a starter, and oxygenate your beer well.

However, when treated well in a temperature controlled environment, I've never had any issues with attenuation - fermentations start fast and strong, and get into the '0's' in a few days.

I've used this strain many times during the Georgia summers. After the predictable stall, I move it upstairs where it gets into the 90s. The results are always very very nice.

First of all, you have brass balls to take on a Saison with 3724 for your first AG (either that or you are insane

I brewed a Saison with 3724 on June 11 and it still had not hit terminal gravity after 4 weeks. I will be coming upon the 6 week mark this Fri. and I will take (another) gravity reading to see if I have reached TG. I hit the Saison with Notty about 10 days ago to dry it out further and I transferred to secondary a few days ago. Smells heavenly and is still kicking the airlock so I am confident that I have finally reached TG. I plan on taking a reading and (hopefully) kegging it this weekend. Montanaandy

I'm ballsy I guess...actually I figured a saison is such a broad style, that it'll be more forgiving if flavors aren't quite right. Last time I brewed an extract with this strain it took 6 weeks to hit FG. Well after 4 hours the airlock was bubbling like mad. I messed up taking gravity so I'm not 100% sure of mash figures. So we'll see how it goes...

I've got a batch of Saison in fermentation with the 3724 as well. I've had the temperature at between 84-89 for the better part of the week... Still bubbling away, haven't taken a hydro reading yet, probably won't until Sunday.

So my question is, once you transfer this beauty to secondary, do you still keep it at 85F+ or drop it down in temp? What do these yeasties want?

Brewticus said:

So my question is, once you transfer this beauty to secondary, do you still keep it at 85F+ or drop it down in temp? What do these yeasties want?

Click to expand...

I'd be more inclined to leave it in the primary in the higher temps until you reach terminal gravity, even if it takes 6-7 weeks which it very well may.

Double post

I just made a Dupont clone with this yeast using 100% pilsner AG. Per some advice I pitched at 68F on 4/6/14 and raised temp to 75F the next day. It took off within hours and had a nice 2" kreuzen and copious airlock activity. The next day I raised it to 85F and by then the kreuzen had started to fall the the airlock activity to decrease. Yesterday (4/9) I raised the temp to 93F. The kreuzen is all but gone and I get a bubble every 20 secs or so. I'm using a Brew Belt, thermowell probe, and a Ranco controller. I also wrapped the carboy in an old ski coat -- the setup ain't pretty but it works.

I've made saisons with 3711 but found them okay not great -- none of the real funk that I like about saisons. 3724 is supposed to be the Dupont strain and I was anxious to give it a go.

From what I've read, my results are normal. I know it'll take 6+ weeks to finish, but here're my questions: 1) how long do I keep the temp at 93F? and 2) should I rack to a secondary to let the yeast finish working?

Markowski in "Farmhouse Ales" says Dupont primaries for 5-7 days at 85-95F. Then they secondary at 65-70F for 10-14 days. They they bottle condition and are done. Obviously Dupont gets faster results than the rest of us with this yeast.

Just to update this, I kept it at 93F for about three weeks then let it fall to about 73F. After nearly six weeks the gravity measured 1.021. Ten days after that, the gravity hadn't moved and virtually no airlock activity.

So, what to do? My recipe called for a FG of about 1.010. I considered pitching some Danstar Belle Saison or some 3711, but in the end I reattached the belt heater and upped the temp to 84F. Guess what, after only a few hours on the heat it began to bubble away. Today, after about a day at 84F I'm getting a bubble every 15 seconds. I'll let it go another week or so then resample. I'm currently at nearly two months in primary . . . but heat seems to be the secret to 3724.

Another update: ten day after reapplying heat to a fermentation stuck at 1.020 I hit my predicted FG of 1.010. Hurrah, but here's the question: the airlock is still bubbling once every 15 seconds which tells me the fermentation is very much alive.

Should I let it go, or unplug the heat, cold crash, and carbonate? This beer has been in primary two months.