Brew belt trouble

[Shanethebarber]

Hey guys I brewed a 3 gallon batch of saison 48 hrs ago. I have a brew belt and blanket on the primary. The belt package says it will keep the wort at 68 - 75 degrees. I took a temp and its at 100-101. What do I do? Did I kill the yeast? Is my wort ruined? Can I pitch new yeast?

 

[twistr25]

You are possibly borderline killing the yeast, but i would also imagine you are getting some gnarly off-flavors as well. I think the bigger thing to check is why it's that high. Is the belt making it that high? Did you chill the wort down to low 70s before pitching, or just used the belt to get it down to temp?

 

[Shanethebarber]

You are possibly borderline killing the yeast, but i would also imagine you are getting some gnarly off-flavors as well. I think the bigger thing to check is why it's that high. Is the belt making it that high? Did you chill the wort down to low 70s before pitching, or just used the belt to get it down to temp?

I used an ice bath and wort chiller to bring it down to pitching temps then I used the belt and blanket to hopefully bring to mid 80's for the saison yeast. I never expected that belt to make it 100 degrees. I was thinking about pitching more yeast. No?

 

[TANSTAAFB]

Which yeast? The Saison Dupont strain can tolerate that temp but it is still really high and is probably throwing some wicked esters and producing fusel alcohols. You got the temps back into the 80s, I'd just let it ride and then let it sit for a long time conditioning. I usually keep this strain in the mid 80s but my first attempt stalled at 1030 as it tends to do at lower temps and I cranked the heat into the mid to upper 90s in a desperate attempt to get it to finish. It finished but I wasn't a fan of the end result...until several months later when this beer was awesome! RDWHAAHB!

 

[Shanethebarber]

Which yeast? The Saison Dupont strain can tolerate that temp but it is still really high and is probably throwing some wicked esters and producing fusel alcohols. You got the temps back into the 80s, I'd just let it ride and then let it sit for a long time conditioning. I usually keep this strain in the mid 80s but my first attempt stalled at 1030 as it tends to do at lower temps and I cranked the heat into the mid to upper 90s in a desperate attempt to get it to finish. It finished but I wasn't a fan of the end result...until several months later when this beer was awesome! RDWHAAHB!

I used the danstar belle saison.

 

[microbusbrewery]

You need to hook it up to a temperature controller. Otherwise you're just winging it.

 

[sweetcell]

despite what the manufacturer tells you, you can't just plug in a brew belt and let 'er rip. you need to throttle that thing.

a proper temp controller like a Ronco or a Johnson is the proper way to do it. a cheaper and less desirable solution - but serviceable after some experience - is to use a light timer, like this. distribute the on/off cycles evenly, don't do 12 hours on + 12 hours off. in my basement half-alternating on/off 50/50 maintains 72-73*F, 100% on gets me to 79*F.

 

[Shanethebarber]

I will be getting a temp controller. Should I pitch new yeast or let it ride?

 

[sweetcell]

let it ride. you might have hurt some of the yeast but kill doesn't happen until about 120*F.

also, damage is done at this point. if the beer does have off-flavors, you might try aging it out. may or may not work. then again, maybe this yeast can handle those temps - let us know, we're all interested in learning more about Belle Saison.

 

[Shanethebarber]

I don't have any krausen either. I just ran up to my lhbs and the gentleman gave me campden tabs and some new yeast although he convinced my to use a wyeast instead of the danstar. Will it still be a saison using canadian beligum?

 

[duboman]

you need to hook it up to a temperature controller. Otherwise you're just winging it.

+1

 

[sweetcell]

I don't have any krausen either. I just ran up to my lhbs and the gentleman gave me campden tabs and some new yeast although he convinced my to use a wyeast instead of the danstar. Will it still be a saison using canadian beligum?

not sure about the camden tablets - why did he say you should use them? personally i would skip them, get the temps back to a normal range, and add the new yeast.

canadian belgian is a GREAT yeast, love it, not quite a saison yeast but you will get lovely belgian flavors. it is quite heat tolerant but keep it below 80.

 

[Shanethebarber]

not sure about the camden tablets - why did he say you should use them? personally i would skip them, get the temps back to a normal range, and add the new yeast.

canadian belgian is a GREAT yeast, love it, not quite a saison yeast but you will get lovely belgian flavors. it is quite heat tolerant but keep it below 80.

He said the campden tablets will kill any wild bacteria that might have gotten in when I opened the lid a few times to check it.

 

[kh54s10]

He said the campden tablets will kill any wild bacteria that might have gotten in when I opened the lid a few times to check it.

I just read part of the Wikipedia, they are mostly used for wine to control bacteria and wild yeast.

In beer brewing they are usually used to neutralize chlorine and chloramine. I think in the water before brewing. I have never used them.