WYEAST 3724 and 3711 blend

[andrea93]

hi!
I'm going to brew a high gravity saison (about 9% abv).
I'd like to use wyeast 3724 for his profile but i know that it isn't easy to manage a fermentation with this yeast since it tends to stall at about 1030 sg.
I also know there are some suggestions to avoid stuck fermentations (a lot of oxygen and nutrients, overpitching, open fermentation, ...) but since a such high gravity beer isn't an easy fermentation i want to be sure to have no issues like stuck fermentation. So i thought to add wyeast 3711 to help 3724 to ferment quickly. Is it a bad idea?
I thought to do two separate starters and then pitch them together after wort is cooled. Is it a good idea? Would you add wyeast 3711 in a different moment? Or wouldn't you add wyeast 3711 at all?
Thank you in advice

 

[rhys333]

You can do a dual pitch if you want to, though if it were me I would do 3724 first to get the most out of it and then pitch 3711 IF completion is an issue. You can also check out the saison yeast thread by m00ps for indepth information.

If you're willing to take an additional step, there's another option for you. 3724 can be a ***** the first generation, but it rips through wort as fast as 3711 on subsequent generations. Basically, brew yourself a 5% beer and wait as long as you need to for full attenuation (5-6 weeks). Then harvest the slurry and reuse. I've seen harvested 3724 rip through a beer within a week, and do it at 60F.

 

[andrea93]

You can do a dual pitch if you want to, though if it were me I would do 3724 first to get the most out of it and then pitch 3711 IF completion is an issue. You can also check out the saison yeast thread by m00ps for indepth information.

If you're willing to take an additional step, there's another option for you. 3724 can be a ***** the first generation, but it rips through wort as fast as 3711 on subsequent generations. Basically, brew yourself a 5% beer and wait as long as you need to for full attenuation (5-6 weeks). Then harvest the slurry and reuse. I've seen harvested 3724 rip through a beer within a week, and do it at 60F.

Thank you a lot! You give me three interesting options. For sure i will read that thread.
My concern about pitching 3711 after some days of fermentation is that there aren't oxygen and nutrients left in the wort because 3724 has already used it. Not an ideal fermentation enviroment for 3711. It could be an issue for you?

For a lot of reasons i haven't got the time to brew a 5% beer and then cultivate slurry but it could be a good solution for future batches!

 

[Vex]

I had a similar experience. 3724 had stalled at 1.040 or so after a month. I put it in the garage (temp would get close to 90*) for two weeks and it dropped to about 1.032.

I ended making a large starter from harvested Oberon and that took it down to 1.007 after about 10 days. Delicious. Favorite saison to date.

I'd also recommend letting the yeast go down as far as it will before introducing another yeast. Dual-pitching could allow one to grow faster and dominate the flavor, eliminating the need for the other.

 

[andrea93]

other suggestions?