Wyeast 3711 French Saison

[philrose]

How long is too long to leave beer on this yeast in the primary? I was under the impression that 3 weeks is usually the way to go but during a local brewers meeting I was told otherwise. I do not plan on using a secondary.

Here's one trial run by byo and basic brewing radio that disagrees with your clubmate. I tend to agree with the results, autolysis is a rare concern in the home brew world.

 

[mixmasterob]

Nice read. A question for those who have recently brewed a Saison. When did you bottle? I haven't brewed a beer this large and was wondering if letting it hang out in primary longer than usual is a good idea or not.

 

[ChshreCat]

I'd planned on my usual 3+1, but life got in the way and I ended up with about 4 weeks in primary and two in scondary if I remember right. Turned out fantastic.

 

[mixmasterob]

Just had a Saison go from 1.070 to 1.002 in 11 days! WOW. Tastes great. I think I am gonna bottle this Saturday if the gravity stays at 1.002 til then. Good idea?

 

[Synovia]

I do not have a scale. What is the best way to measure out my DME for a 1 liter starter? I guess I need about 3 ounces DME per liter water. Also, can I use corn sugar in place of cane sugar as my extra sugar addition?

Buy a scale.


They're like $10, and you really need one.

 

[ctaylor73]

Question! I have a Saison at 11 days in a warm bath using the Wyeast 3724(Argg) and I cant get it below 1.023 with an OG of 1.068. What do you think would be the outcome if I pitched the 3711 strain on top right now?

 

[Synovia]

Pitch a starter at high krausen, and you'll probably end up around 1.005

 

[TristanL]

Question! I have a Saison at 11 days in a warm bath using the Wyeast 3724(Argg) and I cant get it below 1.023 with an OG of 1.068. What do you think would be the outcome if I pitched the 3711 strain on top right now?

Pitch a starter at high krausen, and you'll probably end up around 1.005

If you're in a hurry, pitching the French Saison yeast as Synovia recommended is a good option.

If you are willing to wait and can get your temp up to 80-85 degrees (aquarium heater from a place like Walmart works great) and can keep it there for another 4-6 weeks your current yeast might finish the job. It helps to rouse the 3724 yeast frequently. My Saison which I brewed early last summer with 3724 took 9 weeks @ 90 degrees and a lot of rousing to get to 1.008. It turned out great.

 

[B-Dub]

I topped a quad up with 3711 and it finished in a few days and tastes realllllly nice!

 

[Austin_]

Holy crap. I didn't think about the ABV... I just calculated mine. 1.069 down to 1.001... That comes out to exactly abv!

I brewed up a saison about a week and half ago with this yeast. Started at 1.068 and it's sitting at 1.004 right now. I was definitely not expecting an 8.3% beer, but I'll take it. They hydro sample was delicious. I was really surprised at how quickly this saison yeast did at 67 degrees. Last summer I used a different strain at 80 degrees and it too almost a month to ferment out.

 

[DrWill]

I have been just amazed by this yeast. Without doing any temperature weirdness, it brought my Petit Saison from 1.044 down to 1.002 and is still slowly fermenting along.

Some have told me that it may pick up again, though it seems like it's pretty much petered out. I'm going to give it another week in secondary just to be sure.

DrWill

 

[ChshreCat]

Mine had a higher OG than yours and it took it right to 1.000. I very well may not be done with your beer yet.

 

[CrazyP]

I just brewed up AHS Hibiscus Ginger Saison with this yeast. OG was 1.068 so I made a 3L starter based on Jamil's calculator. After a week it was down to the target 1.012; I'll check it again in a couple of days but it should be finished.

My taste from the hydrometer tube was amazing... strawberry and banana flavors with subtle spiciness. Can't wait to try this one.

 

[simcoe4life]

This might as well be my house strain. I've currently got rapid fermentation happening at the moment with it from September 09, 8 months old. Activated at 8am Friday morning, completely swelled by 5pm that afternoon. Pitched at 3pm on Saturday, had rapid, vigorous fermentation at 7am Sunday. This yeast is awesome.

 

[Austin_]

I just brewed up AHS Hibiscus Ginger Saison with this yeast. OG was 1.068 so I made a 3L starter based on Jamil's calculator. After a week it was down to the target 1.012; I'll check it again in a couple of days but it should be finished.

My taste from the hydrometer tube was amazing... strawberry and banana flavors with subtle spiciness. Can't wait to try this one.

Mmmmm. What a great beer. Drinking one now. I made a batch of it last year with the belgian saison strain and it was awesome. I made it a few months back with the french strain and it was also delicious. IMHO, the belgian strain tasted a little better.

 

[Jboggeye]

I just cracked open a 3 week old Jamil'z saison with this yeast. It tasted of banana and yeast.
I'm guessing I was way too impatient and that I should let this sit for a while.

Any suggestions as to how long and at what temps I need to let this brew age?

 

[simcoe4life]

I just cracked open a 3 week old Jamil'z saison with this yeast. It tasted of banana and yeast.
I'm guessing I was way too impatient and that I should let this sit for a while.

Any suggestions as to how long and at what temps I need to let this brew age?

67F in secondary for a month and a half does the trick. 9 weeks from brew day to keg tapping day.

 

[Houblon]

SG1.056 34ibu
10 days primary - FG was done in 5 days 1.056 > 1.004
10 days secondary to dry hop

keg was gone in 5 days, 3 were carbing so thats means 2 days of drinking.

Fermented at 72f.

 

[Jboggeye]

haha, some like em young I guess...

 

[smizak]

I just heard on the Sunday Session that Odanata brewery mixes a small percentage of 3711 with the 3724 to get their saison to dry out in a reasonable time. I brewed one Sunday, pitched a big starter of 3724 and 3711 just out of the smack pack. It took off in two hours, ripped away for about 18 hours, then came to a screeching halt. Temp rose on it's own from 72F to 78F. The initial krausen dropped away and now just a small fizzy krausen has formed and it's slowly bubbling away. Hope that's the 3711 taking over duties. The airlock smells amazingly fruity and citrusy.

 

[Houblon]

haha, some like em young I guess...

Had a pool party and non-beergeeks kept asking what kinda beer it was as they guzzled beer,after beer...

gravity sample


Slight chill haze but damn was it good.

 

[smizak]

My saison pitched with mostly 3724 and half a smack pack of 3711 finished at 1.004. Holy crap. 3724 quit at 18 hrs. and the 3711 slowly fizzed away for 10 days straight.

 

[android]

just picked up this yeast yesterday from LHBS... pretty excited to make a saison. gonna go for a sessionable strength though, glad i read through this thread!

 

[ChshreCat]

just picked up this yeast yesterday from LHBS... pretty excited to make a saison. gonna go for a sessionable strength though, glad i read through this thread!

That the extra attenuation into account. My recipe was supposed to finish in the mid to upper teens according to beersmith, but went down to 1.000. Went from a moderate alcohol brew to in no time!

 

[Austin_]

That the extra attenuation into account. My recipe was supposed to finish in the mid to upper teens according to beersmith, but went down to 1.000. Went from a moderate alcohol brew to in no time!

I second this. This strain dries out a lot more than the Belgian strains.

 

[Black_Warrior_Brewing]

It appears that this yeast strain is a fermenting rockstar. Do you think its necessary to make a starter for a 5-gallon extract brew? Or would a viable smack pack do the trick?

God I can't wait to brew this. I plan to wash the yeast and brew this in what may be a never-ending cycle throughout the summer!

 

[ChshreCat]

I just pitch it from the pack. I figure that the yeast are supposed to create a lot of funky flavors in a saison anyway.

 

[Black_Warrior_Brewing]

I'm gearing up to brew this soon and seem to get mixed signals from reviews: sugar or no sugar. If so, at what stage is it best to add, and in what quantity for a 5-gallon batch?

 

[ChshreCat]

I use one lb of sugar, added to the fementor (dissolved in a little boiling water and cooled) just as fermentation is dying down.

 

[Jboggeye]

Everytime I use sugar for this yeast, my FG is 1.000. You really don't need it, IMO.