Saison with Wyeast 3724 - When is it done?

[Ltkenbo]

Hey everybody,

Fairly new to brewing, only my second brew (and my first all grain). Have some questions about fermentation.

I followed the saison recipe from this homebrewtalk post:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/6-beginner-friendly-recipes-and-styles.html

According to the recipe:
Wyeast Belgian Saison 3724
OG: 1.040
FG: 1.009

I hit about 1.041 OG which put my efficiency around 70% and I pitched a single smack pack on 04/28 (32 days ago). Have been fermenting in my garage here in Florida in a chest freezer fermentation chamber at around 83 degrees.

On 05/23 (25 days in) I finally decided to open up the fermenter and take a reading with my refractometer. I measured 1.018, so I figured I would give it several more days and check again especially since it was still under a month. Also gave it a taste. Tastes like a saison and has a slight sweetness to it, pretty good.

Yesterday 05/29 (31 days in) I checked again. It had only dropped 1 point to 1.017.

If it was a linear rate now, it would take over a month to reach the FG - but I'm assuming it's not going to do that but is rather slowing to a stop.

So guess what I am wondering is based on people's experience with this yeast, if I check it again this Saturday (35 days in) and it hasn't budged at all since my last check, is it safe to assume fermentation has stopped? Or should I be prepared to wait several more weeks with this yeast?

If it is done, that sucks as that's like 60% apparent attenuation and pretty low ABV, but at least it tastes good.

 

[ancientmariner52]

Hey everybody,

Fairly new to brewing, only my second brew (and my first all grain). Have some questions about fermentation.

I followed the saison recipe from this homebrewtalk post:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/6-beginner-friendly-recipes-and-styles.html

According to the recipe:
Wyeast Belgian Saison 3724
OG: 1.040
FG: 1.009

I hit about 1.041 OG which put my efficiency around 70% and I pitched a single smack pack on 04/28 (32 days ago). Have been fermenting in my garage here in Florida in a chest freezer fermentation chamber at around 83 degrees.

On 05/23 (25 days in) I finally decided to open up the fermenter and take a reading with my refractometer. I measured 1.018, so I figured I would give it several more days and check again especially since it was still under a month. Also gave it a taste. Tastes like a saison and has a slight sweetness to it, pretty good.

Yesterday 05/29 (31 days in) I checked again. It had only dropped 1 point to 1.017.

If it was a linear rate now, it would take over a month to reach the FG - but I'm assuming it's not going to do that but is rather slowing to a stop.

So guess what I am wondering is based on people's experience with this yeast, if I check it again this Saturday (35 days in) and it hasn't budged at all since my last check, is it safe to assume fermentation has stopped? Or should I be prepared to wait several more weeks with this yeast?

If it is done, that sucks as that's like 60% apparent attenuation and pretty low ABV, but at least it tastes good.

Do you have a hydrometer? Refractometers are not accurate once alcohol is in the mix. It is telling you that fermentation is done (no change for several days) but not the actual FG. Sounds to me like you are ready to bottle. Congratulations!

 

[Ltkenbo]

Do you have a hydrometer? Refractometers are not accurate once alcohol is in the mix. It is telling you that fermentation is done (no change for several days) but not the actual FG. Sounds to me like you are ready to bottle. Congratulations!

Oh ok I didn't realize that. Yes I do have a hydrometer it is just hard to read - but if it is finished I will just plan to bottle this weekend and will use the hydrometer to take a final reading. Thanks!

 

[ksut1547]

Oh ok I didn't realize that. Yes I do have a hydrometer it is just hard to read - but if it is finished I will just plan to bottle this weekend and will use the hydrometer to take a final reading. Thanks!

Definitely use a hydrometer, but if it is over 1.010 it is not done. I suspect an OG of 1.040 will finish <1.005 with 3724. That yeast is a PITA, but the end result is great if you let it finish. Maybe try taking it out of the chest freezer and let it finish in your garage. Sounds crazy, but I do it every summer here in Houston. Temps around 90 will help it finish. Hope this helps.

 

[Ltkenbo]

Definitely use a hydrometer, but if it is over 1.010 it is not done. I suspect an OG of 1.040 will finish <1.005 with 3724. That yeast is a PITA, but the end result is great if you let it finish. Maybe try taking it out of the chest freezer and let it finish in your garage. Sounds crazy, but I do it every summer here in Houston. Temps around 90 will help it finish. Hope this helps.

Yeah you were right on, it was about 1.004! Bottled it this last weekend, now to wait for another 2 weeks. Yeah I actually had it in the chest freezer because when I started the daily temp was dropping down below the 80s so figure it would help insulate it some and minimize any rapid change and also to keep any bugs away. I don't think the compressor was actually kicking on at all. Now it's in the high 80s finally but beer is done.

 

[seilenos]

Here is a calculator that you'll need if you want to continue to use a refractometer for FG:

http://www.northernbrewer.com/learn/resources/refractometer-calculator/

If your refractometer has a brix scale record the values in addition to the gravity.
By backing into the numbers you posted:

OG 1.041 ~ 10.3 Brix
Measured FG 1.017 ~ 4.4 Brix

Put those values into the "Brix to Gravity during and after fermentation converter" calculator:

OrigBrix = 10.7
CurrBrix = 4.4

calculates to:

Current Gravity = 1.002

For me it is close enough that it's not worth the difference between 3 mL and a few ounces of brew to get the "true" value.