High Temp Fermentation - Saison

[Evan La Marr]

The highest approved temp I’ve seen advertised for a Saison yeast is 80°, but I’ve seen several posts on one forum or another by brewers who say the let theirs get between 80°-95°.

What’s the deal with the discrepancy? Has anyone had a positive experience with letting theirs get above 80°? If so, did you start out the fermentation colder than that for a long period of time?

 

[Andrew Hodgson]

I bottled a blackberry saison not long ago. I started the fermentation at room temperature (about 65-70) and after 1 day I moved it to the hottest room in my house which fluctuated between 75-85 throughout the beer's time in the room. Huge explosive krausen and very violent fermentation. I only just tasted the first bottle after about a week but I don't sense any issues with the fermentation temperature I used, it is tastey and has all the basic saison notes I look for (this my first saison brew).

I used Belle Saison yeast which the company gives an optimum temperautre range of 59F to 95F. I figured that basically means fire away and ferment however the F you want, rarely have I seen a range that wide.

 

[Home_alone1]

I did my last one at 64 for 3 days and then raised it 5 degrees per day till I hit 75 where I held it . I raised it to 80 right before fermentation was done and then cold crashed and bottled . Turned out great.

 

[bucketnative]

It's like a speed limit on a highway

I used Belle Saison yeast which the company gives an optimum temperautre range of 59F to 95F. I figured that basically means fire away and ferment however the F you want, rarely have I seen a range that wide.

But, that doesn't mean that the yeast will produce the same results across the temperature range. I would expect a difference in flavor profile between the low and high ranges there. White Labs has a Belgian yeast chart that explains some of the differences that one might expect from their yeast across a wide range: https://www.whitelabs.com/sites/default/files/belgianchart_0.pdf

 

[specharka]

It all depends on the yeast strain. I’ve experienced some saison yeast produce some temperamental esters at elevated temperatures — certain strains throw off a lot of sharp bubblegum, banana and citrus (looking at you, Belle Saison). Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it just depends on your palate. The Brasserie de Blaugies strain (WY3726) is fabulous under elevated temperatures, and I’ve heard people taking it as high as 100F without issue.

I personally brew a lot of saisons with Brettanomyces, and I haven’t had success bringing them higher than 78-82F without getting some sort of bandaid or plastisol aroma. Supposedly there are proprietary strains that are good to 85F+, but I haven’t experimented with them yet. I usually let my saison Brett free rise and just ride it at 70-75F for a few months.

 

[Oldskewl]

I’ve fermented with 3711 up to the low 80s and 3726 into the low 90s. Both produced excellent beers with no off flavors

 

[Lperes27]

I've just finished one with Mangrove's M29 French Saison yeast that fermented starting from 75° and finished at 82° produced a wonderful saison. Dry and with yeast aroma characters in the right spot, no off flavors at all.. picture attached

 

[bucketnative]

I've just finished one with Mangrove's M29 French Saison yeast that fermented starting from 75° and finished at 82° produced a wonderful saison. Dry and with yeast aroma characters in the right spot, no off flavors at all.. picture attached

I really liked M29 in my last saison (albeit fermented in the low 70's... based on basement temperature), that may overtake Belle Saison as my usual yeast.

 

[Lperes27]

I really liked M29 in my last saison (albeit fermented in the low 70's... based on basement temperature), that may overtake Belle Saison as my usual yeast.

Belle Saison was exactly the yeast I wanted to test on my next batch.. now I'm not sure lol