Wyeast 3711 -- I'm officially impressed

[heywolfie1015]

In a week, 3711 took my saison from 1.054 to 1.000. Incredible.

Now, granted, 13% of the fermentables were simple sugars (equal parts table sugar and honey), but that is really an amazing job by the yeast. The sample I tasted was just perfect, too. It probably could stand to be a little spicier, but that's what I get for only fermenting at 74F. Otherwise, the taste was just fantastic.

If you are thinking about making a saison and want just an awesome yeast, go for 3711.

 

[Bokonon]

I just had my pack of this yeast show up today. I'm planning on brewing next weekend with it. Actually going to make a batch and split it between WLP565, WLP566, and WY3711

 

[Dunerunner]

Good alcohol tolerance. I wonder how high it would go? This one will get a try!

 

[heywolfie1015]

I just had my pack of this yeast show up today. I'm planning on brewing next weekend with it. Actually going to make a batch and split it between WLP565, WLP566, and WY3711

Nice. Best of luck. With those three strains, I'm sure you'll get something super tasty.

 

[Kirbster]

Brewed my first Saison with 3711 and letting it ferment at room temp (73-75) as we speak. Cant wait to try this one. My LBHS owner swears by this yeast and I am excited. Made a quart starter for 1.060 OG.

 

[smizak]

Used it in conjunction with 3724 to have a Saison in less than two months. It sure did it's job. Great yeast and a great resource for Saison brewers.

 

[Pivzavod]

I have a batch going at room temperature which can get upto 80F sometimes. I am trying to see how the flavor will change at higher temperatures.

 

[Kirbster]

Finished at 1.001, I cant wait until this is done. 3711 is the bomb!

 

[Austin_]

Another convert. Welcome to the french side.

Good alcohol tolerance. I wonder how high it would go? This one will get a try!

A batch I had went up to 9% no problem. I'm curious as well.

 

[Nugent]

This post is very timely and very appreciated. I'm brewing a Saison a la Brewing Classic Styles (though, dialed down a bit gravity-wise). Using 3711.

Having a bit of a heat wave lately, so should be perfect.

 

[Maarten]

Friends of mine brewed an extreme saison with 3711: og 1105, fg 1005. That is 13 % abv! I have brewed a standard saison with it, and I love it. It truely is a beautiful yeast strain.

 

[heywolfie1015]

Friends of mine brewed an extreme saison with 3711: og 1105, fg 1005.

That is, frankly, incredible.

Probably my favorite part about this strain is that saisons are supposed to be bone dry and you don't have to worry about achieving that at all. All you hear about with some of the other strains is how difficult it is to get below 1.010, and this thing just cleans up. Simply amazing. (And tasty, too.)

 

[Nugent]

For those that have used this strain, is using sugar as an adjunct necessary to get this beer to an appropriate level of dryness? I know that using sugar in Belgian style ales is very common, but is it necessary with this strain?

 

[Brocster]

For those that have used this strain, is using sugar as an adjunct necessary to get this beer to an appropriate level of dryness? I know that using sugar in Belgian style ales is very common, but is it necessary with this strain?

Not exactly sure if you need sugar or not, but, a little Belgian or Honey can only help.

About the 3711 strain - wow!

I just brewed a Saison last weekend (simple Grain bill and an OG of 1.055).

Fermented at 72 for a day then cranked up the room to 85 degrees for 5. 1.004 already! Totally awesome taste for such a green beer. We added fresh orange zest (from 6 oranges) and that subtle flavor is also there.

Can't wait for the beer to condition out and get on tap!

 

[Douglefish]

I just started a thread, and then saw this one too. I apologize for double posting, but i thought that I would give this thread a try too. I'm a little baffled?

I brewed a Saison 2 Sundays ago (12 days ago) with the 3711 French Saison yeast, and forgot Whirl-Floc. Like everyone said, that yeast is a MONSTER!!! I started the fermentation temp off at around 65-66 degrees and and started to ramp it up at the 48 hour mark. I raised it till it got around 79-80 degrees. The thing finished up fermentation at about day 7 or 8. I got around to taking a sample yesterday, and it read 1.002 and started at around 1.065.

That makes 8.25% abv, which is crazy.

The problem is that the beer has a VERY bitter taste to it with maybe a note of Sulphur, and the bitterness is different than hop bitterness I believe. The beer initially has that great fruit and belgian taste then it finishes with that strong bitter and sulphur note.

Is this Yeast Bite???

 

[heywolfie1015]

Is this Yeast Bite???

It may well be. I had something similar happen. Hydro samples tasted great, as did the beer when I transferred to the keg. Then, the first three pints were off. Just a somewhat nasty taste in the finish. Once the yeast was gone, though, flavor suddenly improved dramatically and I couldn't believe how tasty it was.

 

[prosper]

you know, I've never had any troubles whatsoever with 3724 attenuating fully and haven't been tempted to try a different yeast (in general, I don't like phenolics, so I'm really picky about which phenolic yeasts I'll use). Still, 3711 is starting to sound tempting.

When it's treated right, and used in a very warm, temperature-controlled environment with no temperature swings, Dupont has always attenuated strong and fast. IMO, problems with attenuation are most likely due to large temperature fluctuations - it's tough to maintain a steady 85F - or from folks attempting to ferment too cool with this yeast - i.e. start low and let it free-rise. The initial stages of fermentation are really the key moments for yeast health and this yeast really needs the warmth.

 

[Shooter]

I just started a thread, and then saw this one too. I apologize for double posting, but i thought that I would give this thread a try too. I'm a little baffled?

I brewed a Saison 2 Sundays ago (12 days ago) with the 3711 French Saison yeast, and forgot Whirl-Floc. Like everyone said, that yeast is a MONSTER!!! I started the fermentation temp off at around 65-66 degrees and and started to ramp it up at the 48 hour mark. I raised it till it got around 79-80 degrees. The thing finished up fermentation at about day 7 or 8. I got around to taking a sample yesterday, and it read 1.002 and started at around 1.065.

That makes 8.25% abv, which is crazy.

The problem is that the beer has a VERY bitter taste to it with maybe a note of Sulphur, and the bitterness is different than hop bitterness I believe. The beer initially has that great fruit and belgian taste then it finishes with that strong bitter and sulphur note.

Is this Yeast Bite???

I had a mild that had a LOT of sulfur in it. It tasted good going into the keg, but I naturally prime and it carbonated during a real heat spell in the area. I suspect some of that flavor was produced at that time. As, I've drawn off the yeast it has improved. The sulfur taste is basically gone and there is just a sublte hint of it in the aroma at this point.

On another note, this thread has me thinking about brewing up a saison.

 

[avidhomebrewer]

I made a saison with that strain and I was also very happy with the results. Definitely brew another with it.

 

[Brewham]

Me too. I built the Petit Saison from Northern Brewer with 3711 and added another pound of 55/45 wheat DME. It made a great beer that I will do again. I used the cake for another batch six weeks later. It is still in the secondary but seems to be equal.

 

[Brocster]

Not exactly sure if you need sugar or not, but, a little Belgian or Honey can only help.

About the 3711 strain - wow!

I just brewed a Saison last weekend (simple Grain bill and an OG of 1.055).

Fermented at 72 for a day then cranked up the room to 85 degrees for 5. 1.004 already! Totally awesome taste for such a green beer. We added fresh orange zest (from 6 oranges) and that subtle flavor is also there.

Can't wait for the beer to condition out and get on tap!

Just an update....I pulled a sample and it is at 1.002. 7 days. Sample really is clear and the yeast looks to have mostly dropped out. Awesome pepper hint, and, the yeast really allows the orange zest we used to come through.

So far so good!

I'll probably keep at 85 for one more week, then, move the primary to another room where it can sit at 66 degrees. My plan is to keep the beer on the yeast cake for 4 weeks, then, move right to bottles, using about 1/4 more corn sugar than normal to carb up. I'll let sit in the bottles for 4 weeks before I cool a few down and try.

Looking forward to my first home-brewed Saison and the first beer with this yeast!

 

[passedpawn]

My saison using 3711 went from 1.061 to 1.004 in 3 wks. It is bottle conditioning now. I added some ginger for an edge.

I'm using it in a Houblon Chouffe tripel IPA right now. I'm thinking that is a good match. We'll see.

 

[Montanaandy]

I can't wait to use my smack pack of 3711 when I brew this Fri. I have been dealing the mercirual 3724 for 6 weeks now and am looking forward to a Saison yeast that is a bit more "cooperative". Montanaandy

 

[spriolo]

In a week, 3711 took my saison from 1.054 to 1.000. Incredible.

Wow! That's 100% Attenuation. That yeast is a work horse! There wouldn't be a drop of sugars left after this rate.

 

[android]

i brewed up a session saison last thursday (OG 1.042) with a good chunk of wheat malt and a late cascade addition. i'm digging the smells this yeast is putting out and let it ferment around 70 deg. it's already slowed up significantly and i'm sure it'll be done in a week no problem.

 

[SumnerH]

Wow! That's 100% Attenuation. That yeast is a work horse! There wouldn't be a drop of sugars left after this rate.

That's 100% _apparent_ attenuation. It's 82% real attenuation, so there are still some sugars in there (it's not unusual for wines, ciders, brett/bugged beers, and even some saisons to finish below 1.000 FG).

 

[android]

i brewed up a session saison last thursday (OG 1.042) with a good chunk of wheat malt and a late cascade addition. i'm digging the smells this yeast is putting out and let it ferment around 70 deg. it's already slowed up significantly and i'm sure it'll be done in a week no problem.

finally had time to check the gravity today. down to 1.004, very impressed. nice flavor profile on the sample too. i'm gonna try to bottle on sunday and enjoy this badboy for the end of summer.

 

[tomlivings]

Just in case anyone is wondering what to do with this yeast, the below recipe is absolutely amazing and really lets the yeast shine. Because the recipe is so simple, it lets the yeast take the front row and really show its colors. An excellent beer thats an easy and reasonable all-grain bill.

What attracted me to 3711 is that I have no temp controls (other than AC and central heating) and Im in Chicago. That means my house ambient temp is around 77F. Admittedly, I chickened out and fermented in a swamp, but I have a hunch this yeast would power through at higher temps without adversely affecting flavors.

Seriously, try this recipe, kudos to the author.

Oh, and another thing, this beer conditioned in the bottle in a week. Again, thats a good yeast...

http://www.themadfermentationist.com/2009/11/hoppy-french-saison.html

 

[smellysell]

cookiedds slanted this for me the other day when he was brewing his saison. Can't wait to use it, hopefully some time next week. I've had good results with 565, but if this has the flavor profile I'm looking for it sounds like it's much more user friendly.

 

[Douglefish]

I just thought I would give a quick follow up to my problem mentioned earlier in this thread. I crash cooled the saison with that bitter taste at week 2, and then added gelatin and it's a 100% different beer. It's not totally matured yet, but there is almost no bitterness and absolutely no sulpher taste. The taste that was there I believe was simply the yeast in suspension.

I'm now super excited to taste this beer in a month!!! Another case of RDWHAHB????

I just started a thread, and then saw this one too. I apologize for double posting, but i thought that I would give this thread a try too. I'm a little baffled?

I brewed a Saison 2 Sundays ago (12 days ago) with the 3711 French Saison yeast, and forgot Whirl-Floc. Like everyone said, that yeast is a MONSTER!!! I started the fermentation temp off at around 65-66 degrees and and started to ramp it up at the 48 hour mark. I raised it till it got around 79-80 degrees. The thing finished up fermentation at about day 7 or 8. I got around to taking a sample yesterday, and it read 1.002 and started at around 1.065.

That makes 8.25% abv, which is crazy.

The problem is that the beer has a VERY bitter taste to it with maybe a note of Sulphur, and the bitterness is different than hop bitterness I believe. The beer initially has that great fruit and belgian taste then it finishes with that strong bitter and sulphur note.

Is this Yeast Bite???