Saison Cottage House Saison

[castillo556]

My first attempt at this got a nasty infection. Smelled like toilet water after a week in August. :smack: Tasted terrible, like rotten orange juice.

Going to try again.

Harvest yeast from Dupont or Belle Saison dry yeast?

 

[azscoob]

My first attempt at this got a nasty infection. Smelled like toilet water after a week in August. :smack: Tasted terrible, like rotten orange juice.

Going to try again.

Harvest yeast from Dupont or Belle Saison dry yeast?

My big question is how your other batch went south?

Has your equipment been replaced/boiled? Id hate to see another batch down the tubes because of sanitation problems

 

[castillo556]

My big question is how your other batch went south?

Has your equipment been replaced/boiled? Id hate to see another batch down the tubes because of sanitation problems

I missed my OG big time due to missing my mash temps (way too low) so the OG was 1.030.

I foolishly thought I would just dump in a bag of that AHBS ABV booster without boiling it and just spraying the bag with StarSan. I believe this was the culprit.

It also could have been the harvest DuPont yeast, but I was careful with the starter/harvest.

 

[BGBC]

I missed my OG big time due to missing my mash temps (way too low) so the OG was 1.030.



I foolishly thought I would just dump in a bag of that AHBS ABV booster without boiling it and just spraying the bag with StarSan. I believe this was the culprit.



It also could have been the harvest DuPont yeast, but I was careful with the starter/harvest.

Maybe you should eliminate some variables and start with some commercial yeast.

 

[flokason]

3 weeks since brewday, kegged 5 days ago. This is awesome

These 20 gallons will go quick

 

[inkman15]

I'm 15 days since brew day and this thing is still bubbling into my blowoff vessel. Anyone else seen it go this long? I know the initial post says 4 weeks of fermentation but was hoping it would finish up sooner.

 

[flokason]

I'm 15 days since brew day and this thing is still bubbling into my blowoff vessel. Anyone else seen it go this long? I know the initial post says 4 weeks of fermentation but was hoping it would finish up sooner.

I helped my fermentation by bumping up the temperature. I started at 68F slowly raised it and was holding 80F the last days of it. It finished within 2 weeks down to 1.002

 

[azscoob]

I'm 15 days since brew day and this thing is still bubbling into my blowoff vessel. Anyone else seen it go this long? I know the initial post says 4 weeks of fermentation but was hoping it would finish up sooner.

Have you checked gravity? You may be just out gassing absorbed co2 from fermentation.

Get a gravity number, check again in a few days and if it's the same, it's good to go!

 

[inkman15]

Have you checked gravity? You may be just out gassing absorbed co2 from fermentation.

Get a gravity number, check again in a few days and if it's the same, it's good to go!

I'm so paranoid about infections that I generally don't take a gravity reading until there's no airlock activity for a few days but I may have to break my rule on this one...

 

[MrFeltimo]

I'm 15 days since brew day and this thing is still bubbling into my blowoff vessel. Anyone else seen it go this long? I know the initial post says 4 weeks of fermentation but was hoping it would finish up sooner.

mines been going nearly 4 weeks now, i sampled it with gravity readings at 3 weeks, tasted good but only at 1.012.

Let it ride, slim chance of infection at this point, IMO.

 

[azscoob]

The 3711 yeast is a beast, and has never failed to chew down a recipe to 1.00x in rapid time, but when I've used other saison yeasts sometimes I get stall out, slow as hell fermentation, finishing up higher than expected.... It's why I went with the 3711 in the first place. @MrFeltimo @inkman15 what yeast are you using that it's moving slow?

 

[Zippox]

After 10 days my gravity is at 1.006. I'm going to shake it and let it sit and see how close I can get to 1.000

I can't for the life of me remember what my OG was and I forgot to write it down. But it's not the end of the world!

I'm sure you know but you don't want to literally shake the carboy. Introducing any unnecessary oxygen makes for a worse beer. You could lightly swirl though without any harm. Typically you don't need to do these kinds of things.

 

[MrFeltimo]

The 3711 yeast is a beast, and has never failed to chew down a recipe to 1.00x in rapid time, but when I've used other saison yeasts sometimes I get stall out, slow as hell fermentation, finishing up higher than expected.... It's why I went with the 3711 in the first place. @MrFeltimo @inkman15 what yeast are you using that it's moving slow?

3711 at upper 60's if not more, the dining room where its sitting gets really warm.

 

[gotbags-10]

What is the desired FG everyone is shooting for?

 

[MrFeltimo]

What is the desired FG everyone is shooting for?

I don't really care, anywhere near OP FG will be fine,
Its done when its done really, currently still bubbling, I'm a patient man.

 

[millhouse9]

I kegged half of my batch last night. The final gravity I got was 1.004, but I was using theyeastbay's saison blend with that 5 gallons. The other 5 gallons has theyeastbay's sour farmhouse ale and when I took a gravity reading on April 6th, it was at 1.030...and it's still chugging along. My fermentation chamber is currently set to 78 degrees; I'm considering raising the temp to help the sour farmhouse finish out. I'm happy to report that replacing the black peppercorns with sichuan peppercorns seems to have worked out nicely. The sample I took when kegging last night tasted great...cannot wait to get this carbed up! Cheers!

 

[bolus14]

The 3711 yeast is a beast, and has never failed to chew down a recipe to 1.00x in rapid time, but when I've used other saison yeasts sometimes I get stall out, slow as hell fermentation, finishing up higher than expected.... It's why I went with the 3711 in the first place. @MrFeltimo @inkman15 what yeast are you using that it's moving slow?

I know some people have trouble finding Wyeast, if so I've used WLP 566 and always finishes within a point or two of 1.000 just like 3711. Biggest differences is 566 is more peppery, has more season funk, and doesn't have the smooth mouthfeel of 3711. If you go with 566 I wouldn't use and pepper the yeast will give off plenty, even in mid to upper 60's temps.

 

[bolus14]

The 3711 yeast is a beast, and has never failed to chew down a recipe to 1.00x in rapid time, but when I've used other saison yeasts sometimes I get stall out, slow as hell fermentation, finishing up higher than expected.... It's why I went with the 3711 in the first place. @MrFeltimo @inkman15 what yeast are you using that it's moving slow?

I know some people have trouble finding Wyeast, if so I've used WLP 566 and always finishes within a point or two of 1.000 just like 3711. Biggest differences is 566 is more peppery, has more saison funk, and doesn't have the smooth mouthfeel of 3711. If you go with 566 I wouldn't use any pepper the yeast will give off plenty, even in mid to upper 60's temps.

 

[pvpeacock]

I just made this recipe on Sunday and couldn't find the 3711, so I used the WLP 565 instead. I'm used to using Danstar Belle Saison dry yeast with great results and have never tried the WLP 565. The 2 Liter starter I made really took off and the krausen dropped in about 16 hours. I pitched the entire starter into my fermenter with the wort at 78 degrees and I had airlock activity within 3 hours. It continues to chug away 4 days later although the temperature has now dropped to 68 degrees after holding steady at 78 for the first two days. I am using my one conical fermenter without temperature control since it is a Saison and I thought I would just let it free roam. I just hope it doesn't stall out. I did add ground pepper at the end of the boil, so I'm now hoping it's not too peppery. My LHBS told me the 565 is the spicey peppery WLP while the 566 is the fruitier version. Can't wait to try it ... actually I can, I already have 4 full kegs ahead of it in the pipeline.

 

[stever1000]

I'm sure you know but you don't want to literally shake the carboy. Introducing any unnecessary oxygen makes for a worse beer. You could lightly swirl though without any harm. Typically you don't need to do these kinds of things.

Mine is just in a bucket and I'm not strong enough to actually shake it, I swirled it around until I thought all the yeast was back in suspension

I just moved the beer to the warmest room in my apartment in hopes it ferments down to 1.000 :rockin:

 

[azscoob]

I can't wait to revisit this one myself, it will be a new brew in essence, a new state, new water, different temp swings, it's gonna be awesome!!!!!!!

 

[bolus14]

My LHBS told me the 565 is the spicey peppery WLP while the 566 is the fruitier version. Can't wait to try it ... actually I can, I already have 4 full kegs ahead of it in the pipeline.

I never used 565 so it maybe more peppery than 566, for me that would be way too much pepper because I get a good amount from 566. 566 also gives some good citrus as well, I'm guessing that's what they're saying as being fruity.

I made a motueka and el Dorado hopped Saison last year and it was great if you like lemon/lime zest. Now I'm kind of thinking of making it again and split it using 565, 566, and 3711. Saisons are my favorite style so I'd like to get a good sense for what each strain contributes. Maybe one strain for "light" traditional brews and another for dark Saisons.

I wonder if 565 stalls with lower temps, I don't have good temp control and ferment at my in laws so checking daily is tough.

 

[pvpeacock]

Bolus14, sounds like a great experiment. I never heard of Saison's until last year and now I've fallen in love with the style. Now I seem to alternate IPA, Saison, IPA, Saison, APA, Saison.

 

[inkman15]

The 3711 yeast is a beast, and has never failed to chew down a recipe to 1.00x in rapid time, but when I've used other saison yeasts sometimes I get stall out, slow as hell fermentation, finishing up higher than expected.... It's why I went with the 3711 in the first place. @MrFeltimo @inkman15 what yeast are you using that it's moving slow?

I've also been using 3711. I'm pretty sure that it has been slowed because of temps in my basement in the low 60's. I'm going to move it upstairs in a day or so if it's still chugging away. Currently fermenting 2 batches of this for my wedding in June. The one that's been sitting for almost 3 weeks is still getting an occasional bubble in the airlock. The other one was brewed about a week ago and is attached to a blowoff that's bubbling rapidly still.

 

[Scriv]

Brewed this today, everything went smoothly. My only concern is once everything was in the fermenter and buttoned up I noticed most of the pepper left in the trub cone in the kettle. Hopefully some made it into the fermenter. Sample tasted good, great color, 1.060 OG.

 

[burninator]

Brewed this today, everything went smoothly. My only concern is once everything was in the fermenter and buttoned up I noticed most of the pepper left in the trub cone in the kettle. Hopefully some made it into the fermenter. Sample tasted good, great color, 1.060 OG.

I haven't brewed this, but if you boiled the pepper, I'm sure you extracted all the necessary oils to get the flavor in your beer without the peppercorns getting into your fermenter.

 

[Scriv]

I haven't brewed this, but if you boiled the pepper, I'm sure you extracted all the necessary oils to get the flavor in your beer without the peppercorns getting into your fermenter.

Hopefully. Less than 6 hours in, already activity in the airlock.

 

[serum]

I'm planning to brew my session strength version of this again but I'm not sure I can propagate enough French Saison so I'm toying with the idea of a mixed culture of this and Caracole yeast which is similar to Wyeast Ardennes.

I managed to get a blond down to 1.004 with the Caracole yeast and it's nice and fruity so I reckon it'll work well but with a little French Saison to chew through the last few points.

I'll post if I end up doing it this way to let you all know how it goes.

 

[inkman15]

I've also been using 3711. I'm pretty sure that it has been slowed because of temps in my basement in the low 60's. I'm going to move it upstairs in a day or so if it's still chugging away. Currently fermenting 2 batches of this for my wedding in June. The one that's been sitting for almost 3 weeks is still getting an occasional bubble in the airlock. The other one was brewed about a week ago and is attached to a blowoff that's bubbling rapidly still.

Update: moved my batch upstairs for a few days and took a sample last night. I'm at 1.007 and think it's about done. It tasted FANTASTIC. Never thought I could brew a saison that was this close to commercial examples. Nice and fruity with a dry, crisp, finish reminiscent of white wine. Thrilled to carb this up and enjoy at my wedding!
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1429542252.259366.jpg

 

[Zippox]

Looks like you took a large hydrometer sample to taste test because you know that you won't have a chance to drink any any the wedding, right?