Wit yeast help needed fast

[popsicleian]

My latest brew session has been a bit of a comedy of errors. I brewed up a wit this morning, and I was planning on fermenting with Wyeast 3711 (French Saison). I've never used a smack pack before, so when I read "locate inner packet" I went ahead and ripped that sucker open. It wasn't until I reached my grubby hand inside and pulled out the nutrient pack that I realized I had made a horrible mistake. I went ahead with my boil and cooling and transferred the wort to my fermentor.

I wasn't comfortable pitching the yeast I messed up, so I ran to NB since I had to return something anyway. I bought what I thought was another packet of 3711, but when I got home (and after I had already activated the pack) I realized it was actually 3724 (Belgian Saison).

I'm not sure what to do here. I suppose I could go back to NB and buy another packet of 3711, but that would be kind of a pain, and it would increase the cost of what is already becoming a bit of a pricey batch. I could also pitch the 3724, but I don't know if the character of that yeast would go as well with the wit grain bill and spices. I also don't really have any way to keep that yeast as warm as it probably needs to be to finish--I'd have to go buy an aquarium heater or something, plus my Speidel fermentor with the wort in it has a spigot right now, so submersion might not be the best idea. The only other yeasts I have on hand are WLP-001 and US-05.

I don't want the wort to sit for too long before I pitch (it has been about 2 hours already), so any advice you can give would be much appreciated.

The grain bill (4 gallon batch) is 3.9lb Pilsner malt, 3.5lb unmalted wheat, and 1lb flaked oats, and the spices were the traditional coriander and orange peel, in case that matters.

Thanks in advance!

 

[kombat]

No starter? I'd return the Belgian Saison, get the French Saison as you originally intended, but get 2 packs instead of one. Pitch them both. Don't bother with the nutrient smack-pack, just sanitize the outside, tear them open, and carefully pour them into the wort.

 

[Kent88]

I haven't used 3711, but if you decide to go with the 3724 you don't need to start with it being more than room temp. You only up the temp after kruaesen is done, and I did that by wrapping a heating pad around the fermenter and wrapping a towel around that.

I'm with kombat on this one though, you live pretty close to a NB, just drive over there and pick up a new pack. I'd smack the pack and give it 2 hours before pitching, though. You said this is already a comedy of errors, so I'm sure you've put in a fair amount of effort getting everything figured out, so give yourself the best chance to be rewarded for all the stuff you went through brewing it.

 

[popsicleian]

I decided to roll the dice and pitch the 3724. I was thinking pitching 3711 later to make sure it finishes would be an option, so I may do that, but I have enough to do that I'm not sure I can make it back to NB before they close today.

I hope this turns out ok, because the wort was really, really delicious. This was the first time I finished a hydrometer sample pre-fermentation. My original thinking on the 3711 was that if fermented cool it would be similar to a wit and that it would be a much more versatile yeast to have around if harvested. I'm fine with this turning out more saison-like, and I still think it has the potential to be pretty good. I did a protein rest then an overnight mash and ended up with higher than planned efficiency, so it wasn't really to style anyway (O.G.: 1.055)

 

[BlueHouseBrewhaus]

You should be fine. Yes, a starter is preferred but at 1055 there are plenty of folks that have produced good beer with a single smack pack. The flavor profile will be different than the 3711 but it's still in the same family. Be sure to keep good control of your temp and warm it up near the end of fermentation. The yeast may be a little stressed and you want to give them as easy a ride as possible. Of it doesn't seem to be finishing you can toss some 3711 in but I doubt you'll need it.

 

[daksin]

It'll be great, just keep it hot. If it slows down, rouse it up and get it warmer. If it were me, I probably just would have pitched both, just to be sure. The flavor will be good either way.

 

[popsicleian]

An unsolicited update: I was passing by Northern Brewer on Sunday, so the impatient little angel on my shoulder directed me to stop in and pick up the 3711, and I pitched it that afternoon.

I hadn't been seeing much airlock activity, so I took a gravity sample--it's currently at 1.008, and it is extremely tasty. I'd say the flavor leans more towards the 3724, it's nice and fruity. I'm going to give it at least another week before I attempt bottling, depending on what the gravity readings are saying next week.

If nothing goes wrong from this point on, I have high hopes this will be my best beer yet.