General Advice Dupont Strain Wyeast 3724

[MEPNew2Brew]

I have been brewing some Saisons lately. I have used 3711 and Omega 500 (advertised as a hybrid between 3711 and 3724). Looking to go with a straight 3724 soon.

I know to ferment hot. But, I am looking for a bit more detail on pitching temp, ambient temp, actual fermentation temp., etc. I have seen lots of threads, but I haven't been able to find the sort of detail I have been looking for.

Would love to hear experiences, etc. from others.

Thank you.

 

[Qhrumphf]

I pitch at 68F. I then raise it 4-5 degrees per day up to the mid 90s until it fully attenuates (usually still takes 2 weeks or so). I usually go about 95F, but I've gone as high as 101F.

If you don't have a Fermwrap or the like, a heated blanket will get the job done. Wrapped up and on a fairly low setting. Between L (effectively 1) through 5, I'm usually adjusting between L and 2 with my blanket to keep it at the upper range.

 

[StoutHouse213]

This is a pretty useful site for starting out:

http://www.maltosefalcons.com/tech/guide-saisons-and-saison-yeasts

The only time I brewed 3724 was this past spring and I regretted pitching too low (~65 F) because it stalled after day 3. ~1 Liter Starter. Took around 30 days of so after I heated it to the mid 80's with a FermWrap heater. My recommendation would be to pitch higher (mid 70's?) and let it rise. Then hold it in the mid to high 80's.

 

[MEPNew2Brew]

Thanks for the replies. Very helpful.

 

[serum]

The advice I was given was to make sure you don't let it cool down once it has got going.

I used it in the summer and pitched around 25C. It rose a bit higher by itself and I used a water bath with aquarium heater to keep the temp high after the first few days. Ramped it up to about 28C in the end but that was as good as the heater would do.

 

[pdxal]

Agree on heating, but another thing to consider is to not use an airlock. Reduced pressure helps avoid stalling.

 

[Schmoltsbeer]

Agree on heating, but another thing to consider is to not use an airlock. Reduced pressure helps avoid stalling.

Are you recommending an open fermentation or will a blow off tube suffice?

 

[pdxal]

Either open with a piece of sanitized foil over the top of carboy or fermentor, or blow off tube without sanitizer/fluid backpressure.

 

[MEPNew2Brew]

I have read no blow off tube either. Just put some foil, taped on the four corners, over the hole in the lid.

Thanks for the input folks.

 

[lefort3]

Late to the thread, but I brewed a 10 gal batch and once again used 3724 in both carboys. I pitched around 70 from 2l starters. Fast take off and around day 2 I started heating both to the mid 80s. Took right back off, no stall, and just started slowing down today to about 4 burps a minute. It's day 13.

 

[westchesterBrewer]

The last time I used this yeast I did a crazy step mash schedule where I mashed in @ 113 and raised the temperature 3 degrees every 5 mins for a 90 min mash. I think this is what Saison Dupont does, if I read that from the Farmhouse Ales book? I used my HERMS system to achieve such mashing...

Anyways, I had the most excellent fermentation using 3724 after this mash. Went from 1.062 to 1.009. I started the fermentation out @ 80 degrees and raised it only up to 85 degrees. No stalled fermentation!, which is what I have ALWAYS experienced from doing a single infusion. I have gone up to 90* with this yeast before, but that was with the single infusion batches.

Perhaps the step mash schedule took the enzymes through the full spectrum of conversion?

I recommend a 2 liter yeast starter/5 gallons and proper aeration to ensure the ferment keeps kicking.

 

[SaguaroMan]

I don't see how a complicated mash schedule like westchester would have any bearing on fermentation time; I've read many single infusion brews go just fine with this yeast.

One thing I wish I had done was pitch at high temp, 90°F, as Wyeast recommends, and not cold crashed my yeast starter before pitching. My batch took about 5 weeks after stalling

 

[lefort3]

I don't see how a complicated mash schedule like westchester would have any bearing on fermentation time; I've read many single infusion brews go just fine with this yeast.

One thing I wish I had done was pitch at high temp, 90°F, as Wyeast recommends, and not cold crashed my yeast starter before pitching. My batch took about 5 weeks after stalling

I did single and its still going at 3 weeks. Getting tired of waiting.

 

[pdxal]

I did single and its still going at 3 weeks. Getting tired of waiting.

Have you checked the gravity in the carboys? Where's it at?

 

[lefort3]

Haven't checked yet. 2L starters and never stalled, but slowing down now.

 

[pdxal]

Then you might want to check. Could be done and just off gassing. Might help you cut down on the waiting. You should be rewarded with a good saison regardless.

 

[lefort3]

Checked both carboys tonight. 1.062 start: #1 1.020 (5.5%) #2 1.016 (6.1%).
Both still chugging at 22 days. I'm used to this yeast taking its time, but I usually toss 3711 when it stalls. Avoiding that this time. Classic style aroma and tastes very good right now. I'm going to continue to wait it out.

 

[pdxal]

Great!
You're not checking gravity with a refractometer, are you?
If it is tasting and smelling good it will end up good. Patience may be needed for a little longer, though.
Cheers.

 

[trav77]

I've used this strain many times. Standard ale pitching rates with cold crashed starters. My saisons with this yeast are typically single infusion mashes around 148-150. Pitch at 20 c. Hold for 24 hours then start upping the temp @ 2 C / 12 hrs. Hold at 30 C. Easily ferments down to around 1.008 every time with no issues.

 

[jshell55]

Hi Trav;

Do you do a secondary fermentation on your saison? My typical method for IPA and other less frisky beers is to rack the beer after the batch clarifies. But based on these threads if I do that using the 3742 I will certainly cool the batch and potentially put it to sleep which I do not want to do. Opinions?

 

[trav77]

Nope. I keg it right from primary although I do a quick cold crash to drop some of the yeast out. Still not clear when its first tapped usually about 3 weeks from brewing and generally stays a bit hazy. Of course you can tweak clarity one way or the other based on your preference by either forgoing finings/no cold crash or using whirl floc and maybe gelatin + a cold crash. Personally for saison I don't strive for clear beer.

 

[jshell55]

Cool. Well I started mine this morning. Ambient was 70 or so and after about 10 hours in the batch the temperature is 81 and there is a white layer on top of the batch which says to me it's rockin'. I got a cheap heating pad from wally Mart plus I put one of my winter coats over it to keep it cozy. I did throw whirlfloc in and got a nice cold break but I am expecting a little haze because of the wheat...