Question about Saison ferment temps

[KepowOb]

I brewed my first Saison on Friday, and started the fermentation at 70F. Since then I let it climb up to 72F, where I've kept it.

Fermentation is still going well at this point and my initial plan was to stop with temp control tonight and let it rise on its own. Room temp is 75F.

I've done more reading though and a lot of people seem to like keeping their Saison temps down, and I'm wondering what I should do.

Not sure what it changes but OG was 1.068 (a bit higher than planned, but I pitched enough yeast)... And I used Wyeast 3711.

 

[beergolf]

You are fine. 3711 will work well at those temps. Just let it go and enoy a good brew when it is done.

 

[OnDaReglah]

Just leave it where it's at. Changing the temp that low now will just shock the yeast and is likely to produce off flavors. Let it do it's thing. It'll turn out great.


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[flars]

WY3711 optimum fermentation temperature tops out a t 77°F. If you are using a carboy, and the bubbles in the airlock have slowed to less than 1 per 4 seconds, the most active fermentation is over. You can let it go without temp control. It will finish at your room temp.
I'm just finishing a saison with WY3711. Added an aquarium heater to the water the carboy sits in after three days of fermentation. Ambient 66°. Water 77°. Highest wort temp 76.4°.

 

[TopherM]

I do alot of saisons in the central FL summers.

The saison yeast love even higher temps, and will produce more of the signature saison funk at higher temps. It is very common for some saison yeasts (I usually use WY3724) to stall at about 1.030, and the best way to pump out those last few gravity points is to let the heat rise into the high 80s up to the mid 90s. I typically ferment at room temp for 5-6 days, then literally toss the fermenter outside on my patio for a couple days during the summer, or in an interior closet with a space heater for couple days during the winter.

Don't be afraid to heat this one up. It only increases the saison funk character.

 

[TastyAdventure]

I just did a Saison with Belle Saison yeast by Dan star (supposedly same strain as 3711) and the other fermentor had 3726. I let both climb naturally to 81, and held them there for 2 weeks. Both are tasting fantastic.

 

[KepowOb]

Thanks for the responses.

Some places I've read say the higher temperatures increase the fruitiness of Saisons, others say it increases the peppery flavours... I'd like to know which it is... Some people even say they prefer doing their Saison in the 60s, but that does seem a bit odd to me and I wonder if they just don't like the style??

Either way, I let this sit at 72F for 2.5 days, and then stopped with temp control (last night) and since then it's climbed up to 78, we'll see where it goes from here as fermentation is still going strong.

I haven't sampled too many Saisons to date, but I've always liked them... and I'm really curious how this will turn out. I have everything I need to make the same recipe again (save for the yeast), so I'll probably make it again next month and keep it around 70F the entire time so I can compare for myself.

 

[TobyG]

Thanks for the responses.

Some places I've read say the higher temperatures increase the fruitiness of Saisons, others say it increases the peppery flavours... I'd like to know which it is... Some people even say they prefer doing their Saison in the 60s, but that does seem a bit odd to me and I wonder if they just don't like the style??

Either way, I let this sit at 72F for 2.5 days, and then stopped with temp control (last night) and since then it's climbed up to 78, which is slightly above room temp.

I haven't sampled too many Saisons to date, but I've always liked them... and I'm really curious how this will turn out. I have everything I need to make the same recipe again (save for the yeast), so I'll probably make it again next month and keep it around 70F the entire time so I can compare for myself.

With 3711, just let it be. It will be fine at normal room temps. Some of the more finicky saison yeasts (Dupont) may stall at those temps and require temps in the 80s or 90s to finish out. I don't even usually bother with temp control with 3711. I stick the carboy in a rope bucket (for the slim chance of an overflow) in my office with a towel wrapped around it to keep it protected from the light. Comes out with a very nice lemony and mildly peppery aroma, and dries out well.

 

[Pie_Man]

I think you're good. I recently used 3711 for the first time. I pitched at 67 and let the fermentation rise to 77 which took about a day as it was hot last week in Florida. My beer is still young, about 11 days old, but when I took a gravity sample, I noticed the beer was a little hot (fusel alcohol). Hopefully that will subside as the beer ages a little. If I use this strain again, I'll probably ferment a little lower.

People always talk about fermenting saisons really hot, but I think there's something to be said about keeping the temperature at the lower to middle level of the yeast's temperature range, at least for the first few days of fermetnation.

 

[MrHadack]

There have been other threads regarding 3711 that mention letting the yeast get as high as 90F. Personally, I use White Labs 565, and the last time I made a Saison I left the fermentor (bucket) outside on the deck in the sun for a week straight of 90 degree days. It would cool to around 70 over night. In my experience to really get the Saison flavors I had to let the temps run up high.