I’ve used this yeast a few times, but I wanted to get some feedback on how people like to use this. It’s been a year or more since I’ve used it and I can’t find my notes.
I’m planning a 1.080-ish Saison. Any advice on pitching rate and ferm temperature? Should I use additional nutrients?
Pitch at the rate recommended by mrmalty. I like to start it about 60 for a few days, then let it rise. I always use Wyeast yeast nutrient in the boil for everything, but if you don’t have it I don’t think it will matter much.
I have a chest freezer for my fermentors. I usually set it at 58* to target 60* in the fermentor, or should I set the freezer a little higher? Should I take it out of the freezer after a few days, or just raise the temp on the controller?
I think that the small amounts you’re talking about won’t make a world of difference. Try to stay close to those parameters, but experiment and see what works for you.
Last saison I started at ~62 and just let it go until the ambient temp was reached around 68* then I added heat and managed to get it up to about 74* for the last two weeks. course it was 1.096. Just bottled that one after 2 months in a barrel and the fg was… 1.006! If’n I recall it was the 3711. although it could have been a white labs strain instead.
I’ve been really happy with this one at ambient cellar temps. I probably pitch at about 60 and then let it sit at about 65 or whatever the basement is at and every time it’s been great. Never gone as high as 1.080 but at 1.060, I get 1.002 to 1.004 FG. Awesome attenuator.
Can’t say that i’m doing it perfectly but from what I can tell it’s working fine for me.
If you bottle this beer, you’d be wise to make sure it is really done fermenting.
(FG in single digits with no change x several days).
My wife doesn’t care for bottle bombs in the laundry room.
I don’t care for this yeast much, the finishing mouthfeel just isn’t right for me. I do agree with starting on the cool side and letting it ramp up. It does finish dry, but that silky mouthfeel, I don’t care for.