Saison Fermentation

[dr0ker]

I brewed a 5.25-5.5 gallon batch of How Rye am I with Wyeast 3724 on 6/30. I cut the recipe in half and adjusted the grain to match my normal efficiency of around 65% and ended with a specific gravity of 1.065 going into the primary fermenter.

After 3 weeks (7/21) I had planned to bottle like normal. Prepared the sugar solution (4.38 oz corn sugar) and started transferring the beer to the bottling bucket, then realized I forgot to grab a gravity reading.... I quickly took a reading while transferring and found the gravity to still be at 1.024. I didn't want bottle bombs, so I finished the transfer into the sanitized bottling bucket and put a lid and airlock on, then moved it into the garage where the temps have been 80+ the last few weeks.

On 7/28 I checked gravity again and was around 1.008, then 8/4 it was at 1.006, and today 8/8 I am at 1.004.

Any idea how low this yeast may go? If I am calculating this correctly, it is at 93% attenuation already (I know the corn sugar probably messed this up).

 

[hogwash]

Looking at the recipe, your target FG is 1.004 so you're right on, which is great considering you overshot the OG. I don't know how low this yeast can go but I would just wait another couple days and check again. Not sure what the priming sugar might do to it, maybe add a touch more alcohol. Definitely wait until the sugar is all consumed before bottling, you probably know that.

This yeast is known for taking off quickly and vigorously but slowing way down long before fermentation is done and taking a month or more to finish out. Hot temps are a good thing for this yeast. I bet your beer is gonna be awesome. Nice & dry.

 

[dr0ker]

Checked it last night again, and it is down to 1.002. I'm going to wait 2 weeks now before checking again. Unfortunately the temps here have taken a dive and the garage will probably stay in the 70's now for at least a few days. The hydrometer sample was pretty good, but seems to have lost the bubblegum and most of the pepper it had at 1.024 a few weeks ago.

I went crazy brewing in July while I had some time off, so I have a Pale Ale and a "Leftover Ale" that will be completed bottle conditioning before I even bottle the Saison!

 

[dr0ker]

Just to update in case anyone else has this issue I figured I would post a conclusion. I was able to bottle 8/16 and checked a bottle this past weekend (just a couple of days over two weeks), and it is fully carbed and tasting awesome. Very strong pepper flavors and slight bubblegum coming through. So I originally brewed this Saison back on 6/30 and it was not ready to be bottled for about 6 and a half weeks. Since it is a 7% beer I am going to be patient and let the bottles age a few more weeks.