This Saison Fermentation is a Beast....

[Stevorino]

2 weeks and it is still going strong -- how long does it take for this sucker to get through primary fermentation and then for conditioning?

I'm using the Wyeast Saison Strain.

 

[Evets]

Maybe a couple more weeks. You may need to warm it up to at least 80-85. You want that thing dry, like .008 at most. As long as it's still going, don't worry about it. Just keep it warm and give it time.

 

[JesseRC]

I recently had a Hibiscus Saison from a fellow homebrewer, are most Saison cloudy or do they clear up nicely.?

 

[TommyBoy]

That should clear up.

 

[flyangler18]

Saison yeast strains are a tempermental lot - keep them over 80° and they will do their thing, but can be sluggish.

 

[Reverend JC]

Well lets see. I brewed a saison and used the Wyeast Saison strain on May 16th. That has been 4 1/2 weeks ago. I checked it last night and it is at 1.024. It seems to be dropping about 4 points per week for the past 2 weeks. It has been in a fridge that is turned off with a space heater that is hooked up to a johnson controls A419 and set to 85 degrees with a 2 degree differential. The probe is stuck into a keg cup of water so it will fluctuate alot more than 11 gallons will thus keeping the conical at a more even temp.

Certainly frustrating, but should be well worth it based on last nights taste evaluation.

 

[nealf]

Mine got stuck at 1.012... I repitched some notty and it took it down to 1.004!! I'm sure you'll get a chance to try it if you come out to some of the ATL beer tastings!

 

[AnOldUR]

Mine took eight weeks in the primary (85 degrees with a heating pad.) Went from 1.071 to 1.006. Just finished up 4 week in the bottle. Tried the first one on Tuesday. Worth the wait!

Be patient :cross:

 

[Arkador]

our club did a BigBrew Saisson this spring. Most uf us with the Sassion yeast found that it liked to start and stop. Average time to complete fermentation was 3 weeks, and giving the fermenter a little swirl to kick up the yeast helped rouse it from a lowpoint in the fermentation.

Mine was WL Belgian Saisson yeast, and took almost 4 weeks, and I swirled it on days 15 and 20.

 

[Reverend JC]

Hmmm. Perhaps a gentle swirl is in order for this evening

 

[eschatz]

I just brewed a Saison yesterday and when I checked up on it today it had made it's way into the airlock. It had blown out the vodka from the lock hours before. So I decide to make a blowoff so I don't end up mopping the ceiling. I pull the airlock off and the damn thing hisses at me pretty hard. This lasts about two seconds before it blows krausen all over me. My shirt is covered in krausen. It sucked. I guess my beer is happy.

 

[Stevorino]

I've had it at 83 for about a week now, I'll bump it up to 84 to be on the safe side. I have also been swirling it pretty rigorously every day or so to keep everything in suspension -- I want that sucker to fully attenuate the first time.

 

[Rooting]

2 months in a swamp bath 80 to 85 degrees.
Went from 1062 to a mighty fine 1006.

Tastes like a spicy apple pear dream.

Give it a swirl every once and awhile.

 

[Reverend JC]

Just checked mine yesterday and was at 1.006. Finiky yeast but if given time will do the job appearently.

 

[stevea1210]

I just brewed one yesterday, and it took off in less than 4 hours. It's going like gangbusters this morning, and I think I'll need a blow off tube by dinner time.

 

[Revvy]

Last time I checked mine, a few days ago, it was only at 1.020 after about 10 days of fermentation, where the first 3-4 days I let the ambient temp of my apartment stay in the 80's during our heat wave....the heat wave died the day after I finally broke down and turned the air on, and sadly it has been in the 60;s since then.

 

[purechaos]

I brewed a saison 2 weeks ago, pitched yeast around 6pm, by 11 pm blowoff tube was needed, and the fermentation is still very active.

 

[RayInUT]

I did a saison last week with wlp 565. I pitched a half gallon starter and it went crazy for a day going from 1.065 to 1.030 and STOPPED! The temp was warm, everything was right but it fizzled out. I let it go for a couple more days and finally pitched a vial of 550 and added some yeast energized. It picked up again and has been slowly bubbling. I'm going to take a gravity reading today.

 

[MikeRLynch]

I've heard that the White Labs saison yeast is a bit of a problem. On the Jamil saison show, he said that it always died on him 75% of the way through fermentation. The wyeast however, seems to be alright, albiet a bit slow. Mine's been sitting at 80ish for a week and it's still going, though the ferment is definately slowing. Hoping I don't have to suppliment with another yeast.

 

[Stevorino]

I've heard that the White Labs saison yeast is a bit of a problem. On the Jamil saison show, he said that it always died on him 75% of the way through fermentation. The wyeast however, seems to be alright, albiet a bit slow. Mine's been sitting at 80ish for a week and it's still going, though the ferment is definately slowing. Hoping I don't have to suppliment with another yeast.

Yup, seems like White Labs Saison I is not the best choice. I used Wyeast Saison I which is supposed to attenuate better.

 

[Reverend JC]

Everyone going into a Saison heed these words "let it be". Do not add more yeast, do not check it every 4 days. The yeast will work if warm enough. After it stalls give it a gentle swirl and let it sit for a few more weeks.

Viola!


thats how it worked for me anyway.