WilliamWS
Well-Known Member
I've been brewing a few saisons lately with a mix of 3711 and Fantome yeast/bugs cultured from bottles. Though none are ready to drink yet (just bottled first one, will check it out in about 6 weeks) I've been pretty happy with the yeast performance, attenuation, flavor out of the fermentor, etc.
I've used 3711 ocassionally in the past and knew it was a beast but it and the bugs are really doing a number on my latest brew. It started at 1.058 five days ago and is now at .999 and doesn't appear to be quite done ( though the krausen has dropped). The last one I did with this mix (used harvested yeast for current brew) started at 1.064 and ended about 1.005. I expected this one to end up 1.002-1.004.
For each I've doughed in at 113 for 15 min. then stepped to 148. On the earlier ones I've used a decoction after and hour to up it to 158 for half an hour. On the more recent one I left it at 148 for an hour and a half.
The only difference in the grain bill in the last one is that I replaced the wheat malt I'd been using with flaked wheat and actually cut the simple sugar almost in half (from around 8% to about 4.5%).
Would not using the decoction and leaving it at 148 for the duration of the sacc rest account for this insane attenuation even though I used less simple sugar?
Regardless, I tasted the sample out of the fermentor and I'm pleased with where the flavor is heading, just a little concerned about the beer's body.
I've used 3711 ocassionally in the past and knew it was a beast but it and the bugs are really doing a number on my latest brew. It started at 1.058 five days ago and is now at .999 and doesn't appear to be quite done ( though the krausen has dropped). The last one I did with this mix (used harvested yeast for current brew) started at 1.064 and ended about 1.005. I expected this one to end up 1.002-1.004.
For each I've doughed in at 113 for 15 min. then stepped to 148. On the earlier ones I've used a decoction after and hour to up it to 158 for half an hour. On the more recent one I left it at 148 for an hour and a half.
The only difference in the grain bill in the last one is that I replaced the wheat malt I'd been using with flaked wheat and actually cut the simple sugar almost in half (from around 8% to about 4.5%).
Would not using the decoction and leaving it at 148 for the duration of the sacc rest account for this insane attenuation even though I used less simple sugar?
Regardless, I tasted the sample out of the fermentor and I'm pleased with where the flavor is heading, just a little concerned about the beer's body.
