ZeMadMonkey
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2013
- Messages
- 50
- Reaction score
- 4
Tonight I just tapped my first Saison brewed with WLP565. I have heard and read many a horror stories about using this yeast. So much so, that I was nervous to try and use this yeast with a Saison, I have been using WY3711 French Saison for my Saisons, which still came out wonderful. WY3711 French Saison is great yeast.
So I brewed my first Saison with the infamous WLP565 yeast. As this was my first time I wasn't getting complicated, I brewed a really basic Saison malt bill and didn't include any spices or citrus zest.
I was incredibly worried about fermenting and was ready for a fight. My fermentation cycle was pitch as 65f and let it freerise it 67f and hold it for 48 hours. After those 48 hours I let it freerise. Over the next few days it rose up to ~80f and fermented from 1.053 -> 1.006. I was going for a drinkable summer Saison, not looking for high alcohol.
WLP565 is a beast if you treat it right. I was surprised at how quickly it fermented down to 1.006.
It has tons of Saison flavor and aroma. That being said, I would love to see if I hold it at 67 for 24 hours then let it free rise up to 80 and use a heating pad to push it to like 84f-86f.
I had read so many horror stories about stalling mid fermentation, I was ready to rouse and raise temperatures. My fermentation was smooth and completed with zero stalling.
I have read lots of literature of posts about pitching hot and letting it freerise to even hotter temperatures. After reviewing Brewing Classic Styles and Experimental Homebrewing (by Denny Conn and Drew Beechum) I decided to go with the more restrained fermentation profile for this Saison, that both books preached. I was not disappointed, it was a super fun yeast to brew with and I am very happy with the results.
I have attached a picture of my first pour from the keg after a week or carbonation at 19PSI.
So I brewed my first Saison with the infamous WLP565 yeast. As this was my first time I wasn't getting complicated, I brewed a really basic Saison malt bill and didn't include any spices or citrus zest.
I was incredibly worried about fermenting and was ready for a fight. My fermentation cycle was pitch as 65f and let it freerise it 67f and hold it for 48 hours. After those 48 hours I let it freerise. Over the next few days it rose up to ~80f and fermented from 1.053 -> 1.006. I was going for a drinkable summer Saison, not looking for high alcohol.
WLP565 is a beast if you treat it right. I was surprised at how quickly it fermented down to 1.006.
It has tons of Saison flavor and aroma. That being said, I would love to see if I hold it at 67 for 24 hours then let it free rise up to 80 and use a heating pad to push it to like 84f-86f.
I had read so many horror stories about stalling mid fermentation, I was ready to rouse and raise temperatures. My fermentation was smooth and completed with zero stalling.
I have read lots of literature of posts about pitching hot and letting it freerise to even hotter temperatures. After reviewing Brewing Classic Styles and Experimental Homebrewing (by Denny Conn and Drew Beechum) I decided to go with the more restrained fermentation profile for this Saison, that both books preached. I was not disappointed, it was a super fun yeast to brew with and I am very happy with the results.
I have attached a picture of my first pour from the keg after a week or carbonation at 19PSI.