Ideal temperature schedule for WLP530 in a high gravity quad?

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Joined
Sep 2, 2012
Messages
1,370
Reaction score
472
Location
Woodiville
I did find a thread on this topic but was wondering if any new opinions have surfaced in the last 6 months.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/wlp-530-a-319746/

Bottom line, some say to start in the mid-60s, others say to keep it in the low-to-mid-70s.

A mid-60s start seems safer to me, but it's hard to deny the experiences of people who have had good success at higher temperatures.

I do have a fermentation chamber with thermowell, chiller, and heating wrap... so I can dial in whatever temperature I want when I start fermenting my quad. Now I just have to figure out what that should be!
 
I brew a lot of Belgians and use 3787 (same as 530) a lot. It is my favorite Belgian yeast.

I prefer to start in the mid 60's and then slowly ramp it up over a few days.

One time I pitched in the mid 70's and it took off like a rocket and the temps got out of control too fast. Got big fusels out of that batch. It is much easier to control the temps if you pitch it low and slowly let it rise. I do like to get the temp up, just not too fast.
 
So, maybe start at 65F for 3 days, then up to 71 over the next 3-4 days?

Once you pass that point, how long do you keep it in the primary... and do you keep it at that higher temperature, or reduce it back into the 60s again?

I have done plain old ales before, so I am used to about 3 weeks in the primary before bottling. It sounds like a big belgian could need 7-8 weeks from other stuff I have read, though.

Thanks for the help!
 
I would get it to 68 the day after you pitch and the over the course of the next few days get it to low 70's (or even mid) Once it is there leave it there until you are sure it is done. Belgian yeasts do not like to be cooled down after they start, they are very sensitive to that. Also Belgian yeast can take a long time to tickoff the last few points of attenuation.

One thing I learned on one of my first Belgians was to give it plenty of time. I was used to brewing ales that were done pretty fast. I thought my brew was done at 4 weeks, but obviously it was not. Got waaaay to carbed. Not to the point of bombs but close.

Depending on the OG, I give them plenty of time to finish. I just bottled one today that was in the fermenter for 2 months. I checked the gravity a couple of weeks ago (at six weeks) and it was 1.014. Got busy and did not bottle until today and it was at 1.012. It is best to err on the too long time frame than too short. Besides Belgians like some age.

Here is a good quote from Brew Like a Monk. "Let the fermentation finish, perhaps at a higher temperature. It may take as long to get the last few points of attenuation as it did for the first 80%"

After you bottle, be sure to set some aside to age. They continue to change with age. I have a couple that are 2 years old and they have changed. They were good young but have changed and are still verry good, just different.BDSA's age better than Tripels. Tripels I tend to drink faster than the BDSA's.

I love Belgians and always have at least one in a fermenter at all times.

Enjoy.
 
I'd pitch in the lower to mid 60's and just let it free rise up into the 70's Then try to hold it at the warmer temp for a while after things slow down.

Also, oxygenate your wort and pitch the proper amounts of healthy yeast.
 
This actually went down last night. I pitched a 2L starter at 66F and once I see some signs of life (or in ~2 days) I will raise it to 68 and then into the low 70s. As of this morning a small amount of gas is being generated, but it is hard to say exactly how much since the vessel is not perfectly sealed.

Everyone is in agreement that this type of years needs to finish warm. One thing I haven't been able to suss out yet is how long you keep it warm. If this brew is in the bucket for 2 months, will I keep it at the warmer temperature the whole time?

(This was my first starter, one of many firsts on this brew... Hopefully after 24 hours it had replicated enough to do the job. It was certainly bubbling a lot.)
 
I would keep it over 70 for the whole time. The warmth will help it completely finish. This yeast can chug along for a long time. I did a batch that the carboy looked like a lava lamp for a full three weeks.
 
I would keep it over 70 for the whole time. The warmth will help it completely finish. This yeast can chug along for a long time. I did a batch that the carboy looked like a lava lamp for a full three weeks.

3 weeks maybe but the OP was considering 2 months! 2 months is really not needed. 3 weeks is plenty. If you've oxygenated your wort and pitched the proper amounts of healthy yeast then it may only need 1-2 weeks at the warmer temps to get it done. 3 weeks should not hurt but looooong times at warm temps increase the chances of autolysis. If your yeast were healthy and the ferment went well autolysis should not be a concern but still I'd do long term aging (over 3 weeks) at a cooler temp. that's my 2 cents
 
I have seen many posts (here and other forums) that suggested 7-8 weeks in the primary for brews like this.

I have also seen just as many saying that the typical ale's 3 weeks is fine. (Provided you hit FG, of course.)

Hopefully that means there are no bad choices. :)
 
Not a lot of experments with higher temp yeast. I made a saison belgain farmhouse and the recipe said to ferment at 79-84 degrees. My year round storage area is normally between 66-72 degrees, so I purchased a electric heater for my carboy. Pitched the yeast (Trappist W-Y 3787) at 72 degrees. Over night it went to 82 degrees. I ajusted the heating rap and now it is stable at 74. I'm supposed to warm condition for 6 days and then drop to 40 degrees for 3-4 weeks. OG was 6.0 for 6 gal. of wort and is fementing rapidly. So after all of this the question is what does anyone think of the temp range.
 
3 weeks maybe but the OP was considering 2 months! 2 months is really not needed. 3 weeks is plenty. If you've oxygenated your wort and pitched the proper amounts of healthy yeast then it may only need 1-2 weeks at the warmer temps to get it done. 3 weeks should not hurt but looooong times at warm temps increase the chances of autolysis. If your yeast were healthy and the ferment went well autolysis should not be a concern but still I'd do long term aging (over 3 weeks) at a cooler temp. that's my 2 cents

I have used this yeast a lot and have figured out that it can take a long time to finish. Often 3 weeks is no where near enough to get it to finish even with proper aeration a big starter. Drop the temps and it will just stop. I have had this yeast just chug along for weeks. It will get most of the attenuationin a few weeks , but the last few points will take a long time to get there. Rush this yeast and you risk bottle bombs or gushers. Drop the temp before it is done and the risk is even greater. The autolysis thing is not a problem at the homebrew scale. Leaving the beer on the yeast is not a problem. Low to mid 70's is not a high temp for this yeast.



Sure most yeasts can finish quickly, but if the OP has never used this yeast it is best to err on the side of too long rather than too short of a fermentation. Also, it is a high gravity quad. It needs time to finish. It will not be done in 3 weeks like an IPA. You cannot rush a big beer.

my 2 cents
 
Back
Top