Wyeast 3711 French Saison

[B-Dub]

Just used the 3711 last week. The brew started around 1.058 and was down to 1.006 in 8 days.

Temps were 60's at night and low 70's during the day (garage on the cool CA coast) for the first 60 hours then moved into the warm fridge at 74 deg to finish.

So far I would say this is a very easy Saison yeast to use.

From their site:

Wyeast 3711-PC French Saison
Beer Styles: Saison, Bier de Garde, Witbier, Belgian Golden and Dark Strong Ales, Belgian Blonde Ale, Belgian Specialty Ale.

Profile: Produces saison or farmhouse style biers that are highly aromatic with clean, citrus-esters. Expect peppery and spicy notes with no earthiness and low phenols. This strain enhances the use of spices and aroma hops, and is extremely attenuative but leaves an unexpected silky and rich mouthfeel in a very dry finished beer.

Alc. Tolerance 12% ABV
Flocculation low
Attenuation 77-83%
Temperature Range 65-77°F (18-25°C)

 

[SavageSteve]

I am very interested in hearing how this yeast performs. I'm using 3724 right now, and it really needs warm temperatures to keep it going-- I have it at ~85 deg. F. right now. I hadn't heard about 3711 until yesterday, but I like that it works at a lower temperature.

-Steve

 

[EvilGnome6]

I'm planning one using some 3711 in my next batch. Nice to hear it's a good performer.

 

[SavageSteve]

Oh, I guess it performs very well! How's the flavor?

-Steve

 

[ChshreCat]

I've got 3711 in my fridge to use my saison that I was *supposed* to brew today (grumble) but will brew soon.

I'd be curious if anyone who used 3724 might try the same or a similar recipe with 3711 to how they compare flavor wise.

 

[SavageSteve]

I'd be curious if anyone who used 3724 might try the same or a similar recipe with 3711 to how they compare flavor wise.

Not sure when I'll brew a Saison again, but I will definitely try 3711 if I can get my hands on it.

-Steve

 

[ChshreCat]

Not sure when I'll brew a Saison again, but I will definitely try 3711 if I can get my hands on it.

-Steve

Now is the time if you wanna do it. It'll be going byebye soon.

 

[B-Dub]

The aroma is very nice and the sample that I cooled for the yeast to floc out tasted like it has great potential.

Still very green at 8 days old.

I only used 1.5 pounds of C&H in 13 gallons. So very little simple sugar and very dry already. Mash temp was 147-149 for 60 min, 158 for 15 and 170 at the end.

It looks like there is still some fermentation happening, so I would bet it goes lower.

Half the batch is getting kegged and put on tap and the other 5 gallons is going to be bottled with brett brux.

 

[philrose]

got a batch in the closet as we speak. what a krausen! It has a bit more time to go. this brew got up to 1.080.

Smells great, I'm taking a reading tomorrow...

 

[philrose]

b-dub- what finings did you use on that batch? I spaced out and forgot my usual whirlfloc.

I blame Brewtopia's double pils for that mistake!

 

[B-Dub]

b-dub- what finings did you use on that batch?

I used a little moss at 20 min. The last Saison I brewed had such nonflocculating yeast that it was hazy from the yeast for over a month!

"Flocculation low" is what wyeast says about the 3711. On top of that it sounds like most Saisons are low flocculators.

So I would not sweat the finings. The yeast will be around for a while.

 

[jgrgas]

I haven't brewed with this particular strain, but I believe this is the primary strain Upright Brewing is using for anyone in the Portland, Or area. It's obviously a quick attenuator, and, if Upright counts as an indication, it works very nicely with higher IBUs.

 

[philrose]

Tasted my hydro today 1.082-1.009 in 8 days boom!

Yeasty and fruity, stays away from banana I really do taste ripe peaches in the yeast. Great performing yeast so far, let's see it when the beer has more than just that week under it's belt.

Easily my strongest beer to date fermented out to 9.6 abv. I am proud of this brew!

 

[Kauai_Kahuna]

B-Dub - That sounds really interesting. What recipe did you use for this?

 

[B-Dub]

Here is the print out. I had some grains that I wanted to use up and figured when this beer was brewed in the Ol Days the brewers just used what they had. So I did the same.



Recipe: Saison 09
Brewer:
Asst Brewer:
Style: Saison
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (35.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 13.00 gal
Boil Size: 14.88 gal
Estimated OG: 1.058 SG
Estimated Color: 8.1 SRM
Estimated IBU: 22.6 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 83.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
8.00 lb Munich Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 33.33 %
7.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 29.17 %
7.00 lb White Wheat Malt (2.4 SRM) Grain 29.17 %
0.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) Grain 2.08 %
2.00 oz Fuggles [4.50 %] (60 min) Hops 15.4 IBU
1.00 oz Hallertauer [6.10 %] (20 min) Hops 3.5 IBU
1.00 oz Styrian Goldings [3.20 %] (20 min) Hops 1.8 IBU
0.50 oz Hallertauer [6.10 %] (5 min) Hops 0.9 IBU
0.50 oz Styrian Goldings [3.20 %] (5 min) Hops 0.5 IBU
0.50 oz Saaz [3.10 %] (5 min) Hops 0.4 IBU
1.50 lb Sugar, Table (Sucrose) (1.0 SRM) Sugar 6.25 %


Mash Schedule: Temperature Mash, 1 Step, Light Body
Total Grain Weight: 22.50 lb
----------------------------
Temperature Mash, 1 Step, Light Body
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
75 min Saccharification Add 7.03 gal of water at 159.7 F 147.0 F
10 min Mash Out Heat to 168.0 F over 10 min 168.0 F

 

[Bembelschlabberer]

Definately giving this yeast a try next week.

 

[ChshreCat]

I brewed mine with this yeast on sunday. The krausen was high on monday and was gone on wednesday! Going to check gravity tonight and likely add my pound of sugar.

 

[B-Dub]

Crashed the fridge on this one today. No reading, but last week it was 1.006 and this is the 2 week mark.

The fridge sure smells good!!!

 

[ChshreCat]

Holy moly! Anyone complaining about their saison yeast being slow and finicky needs to use this one! 1.060 on Sunday, 1.009 on Thursday! The sample tastes spicy with no hint of fusel alcohols. Just added my pound of sugar. It should be done chewing through that in... oh... another 20 minutes or so.

 

[SavageSteve]

OK, now I'm pissed that I didn't know about this yeast before I pitched 3724 into my Saison.

Oh well, I'll just keep checking in on my fermentation in my 85 deg. F. laundry room until it's done... it had better taste pretty frackin' awesome when it's done!

-Steve

 

[jacksonbrown]

I got the very last pack at my LHBS on Wed. I won't be brewing my saison until the second weekend in sept, but I wanted to get my hands on the 3711 before it was all gone. Can't wait!

 

[ChshreCat]

I'm considering washing mine, though I don't think I'll make a saison again until spring at the earliest.

Anyone in the PNW want some jars of washed 3711?

 

[weirdboy]

got a batch in the closet as we speak. what a krausen! It has a bit more time to go. this brew got up to 1.080.

Smells great, I'm taking a reading tomorrow...

Isn't 1.080 a little....high for a Saison? Sounds more like a Bier de Garde.

 

[ChshreCat]

Isn't 1.080 a little....high for a Saison? Sounds more like a Bier de Garde.

Right on the edge of the BJCP guidelines for the style. They say 1.048 - 1.080.

 

[weirdboy]

Right on the edge of the BJCP guidelines for the style. They say 1.048 - 1.080.

The 2008 BJCP style guidelines here says 1.048-1.065.

 

[ChshreCat]

Ahhh, my link was the last set of guidelines. Call it an Imperial Saison then. Oh well, mine came out a few points over too.

 

[philrose]

yeah- I way, way overshot it. No argument here. I was not expecting the eighties for og.

Just thought it sounded like fun to make a big beer that day and it was that week that the temp was 103 here in seattle so I naturally thought saison.

Bier De Garde huh? I'm cool with that.

 

[Tonedef131]

1.056 down to 1.004 in 7 days for me, this yeast attenuates like a hero. Word around the campfire is that Wyeast will be making this available year round in 2010.

 

[mtngoat]

The guy at my local LHBS said that if the popularity is high enough this season they will make it year roung. brewing my saison today.

 

[Chub]

I just brewed up 11 gallons of a Saison using the 3711. Overshot my gravity a bit. Estimated at 1.065, Measured OG at 1.075. Used oxygenator for a couple minutes and pitched 2 smack packs. I am a little worried that this is not enough yeast. I usually use a starter, but should I be worried with using only 2 smackpacks? My real question is: I am thinking about throwing another yeast pack in a couple of days, is this necessary?