I brewed an Artisanal version of a Biere De Garde as per Markowski’s Farmhouse Ales. Followed the recipe as per the book, also followed the mash schedule for a fermentable wort as per the book and I used the following yeast…
Wyeast 3725-PC Bier de Garde Yeast
Beer Styles: Saison, Biere de Garde, Belgian Blonde Ale, Belgian Pale Ale, Belgian Golden Strong Ale
Profile: Low to moderate ester production with subtle spiciness. Malty and full on the palate with initial sweetness. Finishes dry and slightly tart. Ferments well with no sluggishness.
The beer went from OG 1.081 to FG 1.011. It looks great, smells great even tastes great at first but it finishes hot with fusels!! This is usually a yeast by product when fermenting too warm but this yeast temp tolerances are from 70 to 84 and I fermented at 70 degrees ambient temperature. I would have thought that wouldn’t have been a problem but now my beer is hot with fusels. This is frustrating to say the least. Any idea what culd have happened here? If this beer salvageable? Will the heat subside over time??
A lot of people chill to around 63 or so before pitching and then let the beer rise naturally to what ever temp is appropriate for the yeast/style to help control fusels. And yes it will subside to some extent with time. set it aside, which won’t be hard to do as no one likes an instant headache after a few sips of beer, and try it again in a month or two, or three
The only temp the wort/beer care about is the wort/beer temp. That temp can be 10F+ warmer than ambient since fermentation is exothermic (produces heat). The temp range is about viability, not beer production.
Time, a lot of it can reduce fusels. Put it in your basement and wait.
Just to second the above: Even on biers that tolerate warmer temps it is best to pitch cool and start off cool and only raise the temp near the end. As was said, aging will mellow a lot of those fusels.
Like others have said, the only cure for fusels is time. Fortunately, your beer is big enough that it will cellar well. Keep it cool (55-65 F), avoid temperature swings and make sure that your caps are good and tight to avoid oxidation. Taste at intervals (like every 3 months) to see how it’s doing. In a couple of years, you might have a great beer.