my Saison has stalled at 1.030

[Jayjay1976]

what is diastricus? never heard and when I google nothing comes up only this post thx for replying

It's spelled diastaticus. It's a type of yeast capable of fermenting complex sugars that other yeasts cannot. If you mashed a little high, your wort could have a lot of those sugars. When brewing dry styles like saison, I like to mash for 90 minutes at 148f to break down the complex sugars into simpler ones and use a diastaticus strain like 3711 to take the FG down as far as possible.

 

[rhys333]

if I pitch 3711 how long do you think it will be done? I don't have much time left

Just a few days.

 

[secondbase]

On the topic of Diastaticus, 3724 was found to be diastaticus as well. 3711 is also diastaticus but will ferment out very quickly and indiscriminately. 3724 is worth the wait if you keep it warm and let it do its thing. WAY more character than 3711.

 

[postalbunny]

wy3724, seeing the same issue... pitched at 70 and let free-rise to 80-85 for two weeks. Had a pretty active fermentation (krausen over lid/headspace). Hit 1.034 and pretty much stalled out... bumped it to 90degF with a belt, still barely moving. I can see tiny bubbles around the carboy, so there is some activity. but it's slow... 3 days at 90degF and only down 1 point of gravity.

Considering bumping it to 95 to see if it'll pick up. I just don't want to pick up any fusel/nail polish of flavors. Curious how everyone else's turned out. I could also drop a stir bar in and use a magnet to break lose the cake. I just don't think that kind of meddling should be necessary.

 

[Jayjay1976]

On the topic of Diastaticus, 3724 was found to be diastaticus as well. 3711 is also diastaticus but will ferment out very quickly and indiscriminately. 3724 is worth the wait if you keep it warm and let it do its thing. WAY more character than 3711.

I luuurv pitching 3711+3724 together, great flavor and great performance.

 

[OSULumberjack]

I pitched 3724 into 1.060 saison wort and it is super slow. Saw good krausen in hours and dropped to 1030 in a few days and then over the last 15 days it has slowly worked its way to 1.015. I don't know how long it's cool to leave it there in primary, but I think I am waiting this out. It sounds like I have been lucky that it keeps chugging along slowly at like 75-80 degrees, which is the warmest spot in my house.

It tastes awesome so far. Good luck, hope yours turns out good postalbunny.

 

[IslandLizard]

I don't know how long it's cool to leave it there in primary

First, while it's still fermenting you don't want to remove it off the yeast.

Second, secondaries don't cure anything, but may likely cause oxidation and infections. Just leave in primary until ready to package. It may stay on the yeast for 3 months if need be. If longer, yeah think about using a secondary or better, age in a sealed keg protected under CO2.

You should save (some) the yeast cake and brew another one and pitch 1/4 of the total cake. That yeast performs much better on subsequent rounds. I like its flavor, it's worth the wait.

Or use WY3726 instead, which is very similar without the crazy semi-stalling antics.

 

[ChuckS1]

Too late for you this time, but next time take a look at this Guide to Saisons and Saison Yeasts by Drew Beechum. I followed it when I did my last saison using 3724 and it did not stall, plus I didn't have to ferment at crazy high temps.

 

[postalbunny]

Yup,i got impatient and pitched some 3711 on top... the cell count for 5g at 1.030 matches 100b that are in the packet. It was still going, just less than a point a day. I could see signs of active fermentation;i just don't have patients to wait 2 more weeks for it to finish. I got a taste, and agree this will be great with 3711 ... prob better than 3724 by itself.

I head read the article ChuckS1 refers too.. just didn't want to try open fermentation in my bathroom (unused bathtub is where this one is fermenting). I'm not sure which i'd prefer, risk of open fermentation or just pitching 3711 + 3724 next time. I had a batch of just 3711 (split batch) so i guess I'll be able to tell what 3724 brought to the party and judge.

 

[rhys333]

Yup,i got impatient and pitched some 3711 on top... the cell count for 5g at 1.030 matches 100b that are in the packet. It was still going, just less than a point a day. I could see signs of active fermentation;i just don't have patients to wait 2 more weeks for it to finish. I got a taste, and agree this will be great with 3711 ... prob better than 3724 by itself.

I head read the article ChuckS1 refers too.. just didn't want to try open fermentation in my bathroom (unused bathtub is where this one is fermenting). I'm not sure which i'd prefer, risk of open fermentation or just pitching 3711 + 3724 next time. I had a batch of just 3711 (split batch) so i guess I'll be able to tell what 3724 brought to the party and judge.

I'd be more worried about open fermentation in a bathroom, what with all the nasties floating around.

FWIW, I tried open fermenting 3724 and it didn't make any difference for me. Only time. Just my experience with it. The second generation and on ferments like a beast though. It's a finicky yeast that needs to acclimate to your brewing setup. Once it does, there's no holding it back.

 

[postalbunny]

Whoops... I guess I should have let it finish off and then harvested. now that I pitched 3711 on top I wouldn't know the percentage of each.

Then again, i'm not sure if maybe doing the starter a different way would help... i did a 1500ml starter at 1.040 with light dme. Maybe two stage starter, second stage at 1.060 or with hops would help get the yeast going if it's better after the 2nd generation.