Saison Fermentation Really Slow/Stalled

I brewed a saison 11 days ago and had an OG of 1.068. I double pitched the Wyeast 3724 at 75∘ on day one. (Might want to mention here it is in a warm bath of water with a fish tank heater.) There was promptly activity within 12 hours and I then slowly over three days took the temperature up to 82∘ where it sat for four more days and activity in the airlock drastically slowed after the fourth day. On the eighth day I checked the gravity and it was at 1.025. I then shook the carboy to get the yeast back into suspension and cranked up the temp to 84∘. Activity picked back up in the airlock causing movement in the airlock every 10 seconds. Day ten took it up to 86∘ and on the 11th day(today) I noticed the activity virtually stopped. Naturally I rechecked the gravity only to find it at 1.023. Suggestions anyone?

Let me mention one more thing. Only during the first few days was there a krausen and it was minimal. Since maybe day three its fallen in on itself and hasn't even begun to reform in any way. Not sure if that information is important.

Thanks everyone.

I made a saison with about that gravity, using that yeast, and it took about a month to finish. And that was in August with no A/C. I like the flavors it makes, but this yeast likes high temps (even up in the 90s F), and is picky even then. This is a well-known and much complained about problem with this yeast.

I waited mine out, but since you get most of the flavor in the beginning of the ferment, pitching a second more reliable yeast probably won't change the flavor/aroma too much. I'd pitch some rehydrated Notty, S-04, US-05, or a starter of any mostly neutral yeast you have around.

Thanks for the prompt reply. If I were to repitch another neutral yeast should it be done at the higher temps or at a more common fermenting temperature of lets say 68∘ or so?

i would think more common temps. you don't want the new yeast to throw weird esters. who knows what notty at 90 degrees would taste like but i doubt it would be fun.

Gracias all

what temperature did you mash at or was this an extract brew?

Saisons are notoriously hard to get to reach terminal gravity as others have said. let it run its course at those temps. If the water bath is at 86, the beer is even warmer due to activities of the yeast. If it doesn't go as low as you would like i would consider pitching another belgian strain to dry it out- i have had good results using wlp500 for that purpose and while the flavor is still not exactly the same, the flavors from the saison yeast comes through quite nicley even so..if you do that make sure you have a big healthy slurry.

I've heard nothing but complaints about that yeast. Next time you want to brew a saison, try 3711 instead. It runs like a freight train through your wort!

It was a mini mash brew. What about making a starter of the 3711 and pitching it on top at a cooler temp?

If you do that, I wouldn't go with the cooler temp. That's a saison yeast and she likes it hot.

Your options, as others have mentioned, are three:

1) Shake/stir/rouse yeast, and pump that b!tch up to 90 degrees

2) Pitch neutral yeast and drop temp to 65-68

3) Pitch 3711 and keep it hot


I made my saison this last summer with 3724, and the heat wave we had ended around day 3 of the fermentation. I used option 1 above, and it finished out a few weeks later after stalling every time the temp went under 85. It tasted great, though, and I'm preparing to deal with the finicky 3724 again. I'll ferment one with 3711 this year as well, just to compare, but I don't want to miss out on the awesomeness that was the original.

She likes it hot? Meaning 75∘ or 85∘ or more?

ctaylor73 said:

She likes it hot? Meaning 75∘ or 85∘ or more?

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85, minimum. As a general rule, saison yeasts don't throw esters or phenols at increased temp. Dupont sets the standard for saison, and they're rumored to ferment at 90.

I did an all grain saison with that yeast a year ago. Had that thing up to 95 and it just putzed along for about a month. Got it dry enough, like 1.009 from 1.058, but it took a while. Just give it time.....................and heat

On Basic Brewing Radio, Peter Hoey of Odonata Beer Company talked about their Saison and how it's a modified red wine yeast and needs to ferment at 95ish.

Potter1 said:

Just give it time.....................and heat

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This.

I used this yeast in my saison last summer. I let it free rise into the 70's after pitching at 68 and then cranked up the temp to 80. It puttered out in the 1.020's and I rose the temps to the 80s. It took six weeks but it fermented all the way down to 1.002. It'll get there, just give it time.

If you have to get the beer done soon for some reason, pitch another yeast to finish it. If you just want to get an awesome beer, wait it out. 3 weeks from now, check again and see how you're doing. I also heard someone (I think it was Jamil) had a stalled ferment with this yeast keeping the temps in the upper 80s and they dropped the temp to 80F and it kicked back up again (counter intuitive as it seems it could be worth a try). If in 5+ more weeks it still hasn't gotten low enough, you can always invite your friend Brett over to finish it off.

80's are fine for a saison yeast. Some of them have trouble if you cross 90.

KiltedCorpse said:

On Basic Brewing Radio, Peter Hoey of Odonata Beer Company talked about their Saison and how it's a modified red wine yeast and needs to ferment at 95ish.

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Thats is a good listen, I've heard it.

Thanks again everyone. The only reason I am a little antsy is that the beer is in a old keg kettle with water/heater and wrapped with wool blankets inside of another tub with a partial lid on it to keep it warm and constant. These are all sitting inside my clothes closet with an electrical chord snaking its way through my bathroom. All in all, its screams fire hazard to me. The things we do for beer.

I'm trying to remember my saison fermentation, I think it took forever too to get down the last few points.

As to temps, I posted this during the first 3 days of my fermentation...

Revvy said:

FYI, it's in the 80's in my place and my saison is happily chugging away...I'm in the bedroom with fans blowing, and a cold HB vienna Lager to keep me cool....such the sacrifice for funky Belgian beer.

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It got as high as 88 before I cried uncle and turned the air on, but for 3 days I was sitting in pretty much a sauna in the bedroom, while my saison was happily chugging away in my living room's closet.

Came out fantastic. But I think I had ultimately to add yeast hulls to get it to finish fermenting down the last few points.