Raising Temp on a Saison

“ …generally just raises the temp about 10 degrees.” That is indeed the advertised amount:

“The Brew Belt is the perfect solution for those who need a little extra heat to keep your fermentation at a warm enough temperature. This simple unit produces 15 watts of heat right where you want it. Instead of having to raise the temperature of the room, just attach the Brew Belt, plug it in, and you are good to go. The Brew Belt raises the temp about 10° F from the room's ambient temperature. If you want to be more exact with the temperature, hook it up to one of our thermostat controllers.

Note: Will not fit 7.9 gallon fermenter that we carry. This unit is not designed for wet areas, carboys, or to be immersed in liquid.”

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/the-brew-belt-1.html

 

“ ..the actual packaging of the Brew Belt say that "it will help you maintain a constant brewing temperature of 68-75 degrees".

Kinda weird, my Brew Belt instructions on the cardboard ‘sheet’ states: “…at a constant temperature, approximately 75-80°F for a period of 8 days.”

Regardless of the instructions I am guessing that the 10 degrees difference is more accurate way of looking at this product.

I only used my brew belt once to brew a Belgian Ale which was fermented with a combination of ‘regular’ and Brett yeast. I was trying to achieve a fermentation temperature of 75°F. Since I did not have a thermostat control I had difficulties achieving a set temperature. For your application you do not need to be concerned about a set temperature; you just want to get your Saison to as high a fermentation temperature as possible.

Wyeast states this for WY3724 (the equivalent of WLP565): “Warm fermentation temperatures at least 90°F (32°C) or the use of a secondary strain can accelerate attenuation.”

I fermented a Saison using WY3724 last summer with fermentation temperatures in the 80’s. I fermented for 5 weeks

Cheers!

 

“When you brewed the Saison did you ferment at a constant temp in the 80 or did you crank it up to that?” I fermented my Saison in an ‘extra’ bedroom that I don’t use and that I don’t air-condition; this occurred during the month of August. I pitched the yeast into 71°F wort and the fermenter warmed/heated up over a few days to the low 80’s. The only ‘active temperature control’ I did was open the windows during the day and closing them in the evening to maintain the highest temperature possible.

“Do you think I should throw the belt on now and start raising the temp now that fermentation has peaked?” I would recommend that you apply your brew belt now and raise the temperature of your fermenter. I would also recommend that you try and ‘maximize’ your fermentation temperature. In addition to the brew belt you could wrap your fermenter in: blankets, sleeping bag, large down jacket, etc. The ‘insulation’ will raise the fermentation temperature a few ‘extra’ degrees.

I wish you the best of luck with your WLP565 Saison. The important thing is to ‘maximize’ the fermentation temperature and ‘maximize’ your patience. This yeast will make a very, very tasty Saison.

Cheers!

 

“I’m going to attach the brew belt now (at about 72 hours) and give it a few days with just that, and then insulate it to bump it up to the next level.” That sounds like a great plan.

Cheers!

 

I've never had a temp controlled fermentation and have fermented Saison yeasts at average temp 65 to as high as 90 degrees (all ambient room temps). With that being said, the room temps depended on the season I brewed it in. Most of my fermentations gradually raised up slowly in temperature, (knock on wood) I haven't had any drastic temperature jumps so that it didn't shock yeast to dormancy. I like phenols in my sasions and find that higher temps gave it a phenolic dry finish and lower temps gave it a smooth, clean finish and sweeter in taste. Good Luck & Post results

Cheers!

 

I typically control my temperature for the first two-three days (at or around 70) and then let it go wild. And by go wild, I ain't scared of 90+*F.

 

I make the assumption that after a certain period of time that the fermentation temperature is the same as ambient temperature.

Cheers!

 

Doh! I forgot that you are heating your fermenter via a brew belt.

Do you have an old fashioned red alcohol thermometer? If so you could duct tape it your fermenter and read the temperature from that.

Cheers!

 

For my saisons I use a plastic tub filled with water that the bucket goes in. Then I drop in a aquarium heater that allows me to ramp up the temp to 85+. It is a cheap but very effective technique.

 

Honestly, at that point I'm just letting nature run its course and I'm not "controlling" the temperature. So I don't measure it 'cause there's nothing I could (would) do to change it anyway.

 

Just thought I'd throw out the link to a slightly different unit. The reviews don't mention the top temp range, but it is shown fitting a carboy which the other one says it cannot work with.

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/electric-fermentation-heater.html

I'm curious if anyone has used this particular one... I am looking to brew a saison sometime this summer so I'll likely want to get a belt to aid the fermentation.

 

I just use a regular thermometer that I leave a top the fermenter (buckets) or lean against carboy. Saison yeast is the most aggressive and vigorous yeast I've used. Regular ale yeast usually ferments with decent visual signs for first three days... Saison yeasts seem to show very actice shows for sometimes weeks.

 

I have an old thermometer that attaches to the side of the fermenting bucket. I try and raise the temp gradually after a few days and use both a brew belt and add a heating pad to keep the temps high. Very long, active fermentation time...one off the longest I've experienced.

 

FYI- I've used the Wyeast version before without extra heating with success. I just left it alone in my basment for 6 weeks and a 1.050 OG Saison dropped to 1.005. Tasted great!

I'm sure that I could have lopped 2 weeks off if I warmed it up, but this way I didn't have to babysit it.

I'd love to try a side by side to see if warming seriously changes the ester profile.

So, RDRDWHAB, you'll have beer at the end.