Wyeast 3711 French Saison

[rhys333]

Brewing my first saison this weekend guys, and stoked to use 3711. Figured I'll make a 2L starter and store a third of it for future batches. Going with the following:

80% Domestic 2 Row
10% Munich 10L
10% Vienna
Dash of Black Patent
Hallertau @ 60 to ~18 IBU
Hallertau or Willamette @ 2
148F mash, shooting for 75F ferment.

 

[wardens355]

Brewing my first saison this weekend guys, and stoked to use 3711. Figured I'll make a 2L starter and store a third of it for future batches. Going with the following:

80% Domestic 2 Row
10% Munich 10L
10% Vienna
Dash of Black Patent
Hallertau @ 60 to ~18 IBU
Hallertau or Willamette @ 2
148F mash, shooting for 75F ferment.

Awesome, get ready for a super low final gravity. My French Saison hit 0.999 from a starting gravity of 1.063.

 

[rhys333]

Awesome, get ready for a super low final gravity. My French Saison hit 0.999 from a starting gravity of 1.063.

Yeah, I was thinking about adding a little sugar, but after reading through this thread decided against it. Figure now a low mash should be plenty.

 

[wardens355]

Has anyone else ever gotten an ester profile from this yeast that I can only decribe as... Creamsicle?
Or an orange cream ice cream?

This one was a cool ferment. 66-67 degrees.

Pleasant and enjoyable, but definitely not what I expected.

I can definitely see where you're coming from. Just poured a glass of my French Saison, there is definitely a citrusy flavor and now that I am looking for it, kinda like a slightly peppery creamsicle, in a tasty way. It has an ultra-low final gravity, but it does have a kind of smoothness (creamy?) to it you wouldn't expect at 0.999.

 

[rhys333]

Just tasted the spent wort from my starter. Quite pleasant and with an aroma not unlike weizen strains (thinking WY 3068 ). Looking forward to this beer.

 

[Kiichi]

Judgement on my 3,6% Sorachi Ace Session Saison with green tea and lemon using this yeast has come in. I think this may be the best thing I have brewed yet. Everyone seems to like it, from the local brewmaster over the craft people to the everyday beer folk. Only criticism by 2 peeps was a touch too much tea.

The combinations worked, it was described as light and refreshing, drinkable, tasty, and complex. Everyone agreed that this is a great summer drinker and everyone guessed it was 5-6% strong.

The yeast did a huge part in this turning out well I think as it delivered lemony notes to give more dimension to the flavor, spicy notes that filled it all out, and a really lovely round mouthfeel. Could not have pulled it off with any other.

Will definetly brew this again with some minor tweaks...and maybe change the lemon to yuzu.

 

[drives_a_bike]

Brewing my first saison this weekend guys, and stoked to use 3711. Figured I'll make a 2L starter and store a third of it for future batches. Going with the following:

80% Domestic 2 Row
10% Munich 10L
10% Vienna
Dash of Black Patent
Hallertau @ 60 to ~18 IBU
Hallertau or Willamette @ 2
148F mash, shooting for 75F ferment.

Yeah, I usually mash my saison at 150 or 152. I'm racking it today to secondary and my FG is 1.001 from 1.066. I got better efficiency than I thought I would for a second year in a row and wound up with a 8.5%. No complaints here, when I originally came up with this, I was shooting for a Tank 7 clone.

 

[rhys333]

Yeah, I usually mash my saison at 150 or 152. I'm racking it today to secondary and my FG is 1.001 from 1.066. I got better efficiency than I thought I would for a second year in a row and wound up with a 8.5%. No complaints here, when I originally came up with this, I was shooting for a Tank 7 clone.

Nice. I mashed for 90 minutes at 149, letting temp fall slightly with multiple stirs to move grain around. I'm hoping this'll give me a low FG

 

[rhys333]

So reading through the tread, I see the more heat I apply the higher the attenuation for 3711. I started at about 65, ramping up to 72 over 36 hours and that's where it sits now 3 days into fermentation. It's in a cool basement so I have a heat belt maintaining temp. Based on comments in the thread, I plan to keep it in primary for 3 weeks. Do I need to keep the heat belt on for the duration (i.e.: maintain at least the current 72)? Also, should I be ramping up to 75 or so at some point to ensure its done?

 

[tehnick]

I've been told that it's best to ferment most saison strains in the low 80s and the yeast tends to like warmer environments. I'd still crash it, but I'm waiting until it hits the 70s here to try one myself. Shouldn't be long with the weather we've been having.

 

[sweetcell]

Based on comments in the thread, I plan to keep it in primary for 3 weeks. Do I need to keep the heat belt on for the duration (i.e.: maintain at least the current 72)? Also, should I be ramping up to 75 or so at some point to ensure its done?

i would do 72 until activity starts to slow down, ramp to 75, hold until activity is completely done and then add a day or two, and finally release to ambient for the rest of the 3 weeks (could cold-crash for 2-3 days before kegging/bottling). 3711 should be done in 10-14 days, but it's a slow flocculator so the week or more of ambient/cool will help the yeast drop out.

 

[rhys333]

Awesome, thanks.

 

[rhys333]

Guys, cracked the primary after 4 weeks and found filmy bubbles on top. I also posted in the infection thread, but figure you guys can input regarding what to expect with 3711. Is this normal? Its different than the usual floaties. :/

 

[rhys333]

Here are a couple pics...

View attachment 1428087961041.jpg

View attachment 1428087984940.jpg

 

[signpost]

I wouldn't stress about it. It looks pretty normal to me. It might have slowed/stalled and then restarted, but it doesn't look to unusual to me. Of course, most people would say you can't tell visually whether or not it is an infection.

But really, it is probably just the 3711 working away. If it were an English yeast and you ended up at a FG of 1.002 or something that would tell you it was most likely an infection. But with the 3711, it'll ferment out really far anyway, so it'll be hard to tell until it is finished and you taste it.

The good news is that with a saison, if you have a little brett or something else going on, it won't really be out of character for the style.

 

[tehnick]

Looks like the aftermath of my Belgian beers before the yeast completely fall out. I wouldn't worry. Saison beers tend to have that wild funk to them anyway. Should be fine. It will still be beer.

 

[brewguyver]

Looks like the aftermath of my Belgian beers before the yeast completely fall out. I wouldn't worry. Saison beers tend to have that wild funk to them anyway. Should be fine. It will still be beer.

+1 - it looks like co2 coming out of solution plus some yeast/yeast rafts. I had the same thing when I bottled my wit two weeks ago, except the bubbles were bigger (note that I shouldn't have bottles it then - if I wasn't using champagne bottles I wouldn't have).

Looks better than this one!
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1428110567.310787.jpg

 

[rhys333]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I feel better about it now, and I'll monitor it for a day or two longer before deciding what to do. I should mention it was down to 1.005 a week ago after 1.5wks @75F and its currently mellowing in the mid 60s, so I'm slightly skeptical about it kicking up krausen now.

 

[MeanDeuce]

as cousin eddie would say, "best to just let 'em finish"


looks fine to me

 

[rhys333]

Oh darn. Bubbles are going and surface is turning milky. Could this still be typical of 3711 or do i have a lacto b infection starting up?

 

[rhys333]

I have the flash on which is making the film look whiter than actual, but still. Should I dump this or do you guys feel its still normal for 3711?

View attachment 1428208378861.jpg

 

[permo]

made a strong saison with incremental sugar additions added to fermenter. Mashed at 148, fermented at 70. 1.082 OG 1.004 FG. Nice clove, bubblegum, tropical fruit thing going on with it. The yeast is a beast. Within a week it was down to 1.008.....the following week I kept rousing the yeast and it kept chewing. Its been going for two weeks and I finally think its done. I was going to keg this, but I have 75 twenty two once bombers that I think I will bottle condition this ale in. Its just two potent and amazing to keg it! I want to age it in the beer cellar.

 

[SaguaroMan]

Fermenting a saison I did with 3711. Used German pilsner and Belgian pale malt with a little bit of white what and flaked rye thrown in. Also did a double decoction, first time ever; hit most of my temps right on.

Took it from 1.076 to 1.007 on Friday. Checked it again today and it brought it down another 3 points to 1.004! Smells amazing and the sample tastes damn good too

 

[FatsSchindee]

Yeah, I'm in the same boat as the last two posters... 3711 is an attenuative beast! Mashed at 150, added 3% sugar to dry it out (unneeded!), pitched at 68, sat there for 3 days, then raised 2 degrees per day until 78, then held there (and then room temp of 72-74, needed to free up ferm chamber space) for the remainder of three weeks total fermentation time. Cold crashed for 24 hrs, then bottled tonight. Went from 1.071 to 1.002... 97% apparent attenuation! Gonna need to age this one a bit to calm down the 9% alcohol... Good aroma and flavor otherwise, as far as I can tell...

 

[Texconsinite]

Just started a Pale ale with 3711. Used 50/50 Pilsen/Wheat LME, used Citra for Bittering/Aroma, and dumped in 1 oz on Mandarin Bavaria at flameout. Smells like a Citrus Orchard, yum!! Excited to see how the 3711 plays with these new hops. OG was only 1.040 so shouldnt have to wait long for this to ferment dry and be ready to drink.

 

[DrWill]

OG was only 1.040 so shouldnt have to wait long for this to ferment dry and be ready to drink.

It would not surprise me to hear that this ferments down to below 1.000. Let us know!

 

[DrWill]

I have the flash on which is making the film look whiter than actual, but still. Should I dump this or do you guys feel its still normal for 3711?

I don't think there's any big issue there, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so I would wait for it to ferment out and see how it *tastes*.

 

[rhys333]

I don't think there's any big issue there, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so I would wait for it to ferment out and see how it *tastes*.

Thanks for the feedback. It's been in the bottle two weeks now and tastes great so far. I let it completely ferment and carbed low to avoid bottle volcanos. Would have like it carbed a little higher around 3.0, but I can't complain overall.

 

[xico]

I know Oxbow in Maine throws an aggressive saison yeast into their brett brews to dry it out faster. I have a blackberry-cherry bruin and funky wheat that have remained at 1.010-12 for weeks now. Because I know brett will eventually work it down to 1.000-1 I don't want to bottle until it is in the mid range between the two.

I've begun a starter with 3711 which has kicked up in the flask within hours of pitching. Does anyone have any experience with using this yeast as an attenuator to mixed fermentations?

 

[Kiichi]

Just started a Pale ale with 3711. Used 50/50 Pilsen/Wheat LME, used Citra for Bittering/Aroma, and dumped in 1 oz on Mandarin Bavaria at flameout. Smells like a Citrus Orchard, yum!! Excited to see how the 3711 plays with these new hops. OG was only 1.040 so shouldnt have to wait long for this to ferment dry and be ready to drink.

I think it will turn out nicely. From my experience so far this yeast loves wheat and citrusy hops. Using Mandarina is a really good call and something I will do too in the future.