suggested saison fermentation schedule?

[ellijo89]

So i am planning on making a saison pretty soon. I plan on using WLP565.
After much searching i cant find a consistant fermentation schedule. I know that is partially because it can be made many different ways.
I see people say to start out around 68 and then ramp it up, but then i read somewhere about a yeast manufacturer saying to keep it high the whole time.
which do you guys suggest? if anything ill just pick one and see what happens

Ive also read about how the higher temp makes it ferment quicker and not get stuck which im guessing means shorter time period before bottling. But then again ive seen many people that age it for a good while (2 months or so), is this because they ferment at a lower temp?
or do you ferment high for awhile and then lower temp while aging it?

many questions i know. but any insight would be much appreciated.
thanks alot

 

[philrose]

I don't know the 565 strain well, but there was an excellent brewing network podcast with chris white that specifically outlined an optimal saison fermentation.

I'll report back if I can dig it up. Cant remember if it was brewstrong or the jamil show

 

[BoogieBrandBooze]

I actually just brewed a saison with the same yeast (have to bottle it this week). I used Jamil's recipe and followed his fermentation schedule: 68 for the first 2 days then slowly ramp up to the mid-80's over the course of a week. Since I haven't bottled or tasted the hydro sample yet I can't really comment on flavor. What I can tell you is that for the first 2 days or so fermentation took off as you would expect. There was then a noticeable drop in activity and krausen height until I got it up to around 80 degrees. Then it really took off again for about another 5-7 days. Taking it higher than 84 didn't seem to have much of an effect on it. I did do one swirl after taking a reading of only 1.015 about a week into it to try to keep it going (not dry enough yet). Not sure if that did anything since I didn't see a noticeable pick up in fermentation after that and I still need to take a final reading. From what I have heard 565 does not attentuate as much as the style typically calls for so you might want to expect a little more residual sweetness than you might like. But I don't mind that since I'm not entering any competitions...

Anyway, using 68 for a couple days and ramping up led to one of the longer fermentations I have experienced which I'm guessing is a good thing but we shall see...

White Labs does offer a more highly attenuating saison yeast seasonally (July/August I think)...WLP566...I just couldn't wait that long to brew one! Looking forward to giving it a try though...

 

[BoogieBrandBooze]

I don't know the 565 strain well, but there was an excellent brewing network podcast with chris white that specifically outlined an optimal saison fermentation.

I'll report back if I can dig it up. Cant remember if it was brewstrong or the jamil show

That was the Jamil Show, 9/10/07, "Saison". This is where I got my recipe as well...

 

[ellijo89]

sweet thanks alot guys. Ill check that recipe out. I went to my LHBS today and they had two kinds of yeast, the one i said before and another one, i think it was 568.
... i dont have the patience either to wait, hard enough just waiting until i have time to brew it haha.

 

[ChshreCat]

I would HIGHLY recommend using Wyeast 3711 instead. No need to worry so much about the fermentation schedule. Keep it warm and it'll ferment out dry with no issues and it gives amazing spicy flavors without having to cheat and add spices.

 

[ellijo89]

i actually would do that yeast but my LHBS only has dry yeast and white labs. Id rather not buy online just because of yeast. but maybe ill compare prices. Actually im at my parents house over summer but my LHBS at college sells wyeast so maybe i can have my room mate pick me up some. hmmm haha.