So my first attempt at a Belgian Saison is a week in the fermenter and the FG is at 1.005 on my cheapo hydrometer and 1.001 using the Milwaukee digital refractometer. Airlock activity yesterday so I’ll let it go another couple days. Some interesting and delicious flavors in the sample. Lemony with a dash of anise. ABV = 6.8%. I used Lallemand Belle Saison yeast.
I like to take a finished beer down to 35F for a couple days, gelatin fine, then package in another day or two. I want to bottle this beer. Will that yeast rouse enough to bottle carbonate to 3.1 volumes?
Many here have told me that even after gel fining and crashing that you’ll still have plenty of yeast to do the job. The only time I’ve added bottling yeast is on a big beer that’s been sitting in primary for 4+ weeks. Even then, I’m sure it would’ve done fine without - yeast is hardier than we give it credit for at times I think.
I don’t fine with gel but I’ve heard people who bottle complain that you’ll often get gel in the bottles and it can make for a difficult/unattractive pour if you aren’t careful. Don’t know if this is a common experience - just throwing it out there.
Off topic, but you might want to sit on that saison for a bit longer. Call it 1.003 as an average, it’s still not unreasonable for that thing to drop a 3-5 more points - especially after only one week. Either way, sounds tasty as hell based on your sample.
+1 on letting it wait a bit longer. I find that most Saison strains will get to where they seem finished, then slowly chew down another 2-3 gravity points over one more week.
I’ve never had problems getting saisons to bottle carb using my usual bottling practices.
Good to hear. I think I’ve heard that Saison yeasts can get “stuck” (go on strike) if you take the beer too low. Would it help to bring the beer back up to 70-ish after fining before I bottle?
Yeah, and I can certainly wait another week before I start messing with temp. It’s at 68 F now.
I don’t think Belle Saison is too finicky on temps, although I can’t say that I’ve used it often. I’d just make sure you are bottle conditioning at warm room temperature.
Thanks Eric,
You’ve given me a little more confidence in this. I think I’ll swirl it a little, bottle it with enough sugar and put it somewhere nice and warm to carbonate. It tastes too good to not finish it right.