OG too high for style (saison)

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by FFreak, Apr 16, 2014.

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  1. Smokebox_79

    Smokebox_79 Initiate (0) Jan 11, 2013 Pennsylvania

    I told the guy who sets up my local homebrew club that my creation was an imperial saison and he's kind of a dick and scoffed saying "uhhh, there is no style called that". I don't attend those anymore....
     
    #21 Smokebox_79, Apr 16, 2014
    Pick and mikehartigan like this.
  2. hoptualBrew

    hoptualBrew Initiate (0) May 29, 2011 Florida

    What was your fermentation temp?
     
    #22 hoptualBrew, Apr 17, 2014
  3. firstthenlast

    firstthenlast Initiate (0) Nov 25, 2013 Massachusetts

    maybe not totally traditional but to style. It will be good, don't worry. you could make another low gravity and blend if it bugs you that much
     
    #23 firstthenlast, Apr 17, 2014
  4. FFreak

    FFreak Savant (1,065) Nov 10, 2013 Vermont

    The things that changed were:
    1. mashed for 90 minutes instead of 60
    2. used the LHBS instead of morebeer.com for the ingredients (crush might have been finer)
    3. I do a modified BIAB method and really squeezed the crap out of the bags this time

    I've also been having a problem getting the right boil volume. I use the BrewCipher spreadsheet to calculate strike and sparge water volumes and it indicated a combined total of about 9 gallons. It seemed like I ended up with 9 gallons in my BK. I have a 10 gallon BK and it was only about 2 inches from the top. I ended up boiling for 110 minutes to get down to 5.75 gallons into the fermenter.
     
    #24 FFreak, Apr 17, 2014
  5. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    Something sounds off. If you want, beermail me and we can take a look at your parameters.
     
    #25 VikeMan, Apr 17, 2014
  6. telejunkie

    telejunkie Savant (1,107) Sep 14, 2007 Vermont

    ambient was probably 70-72F...given the explosive nature of the fermentation and the fact that I put a blanket over the bucket, I wouldn't be surprised if got to well into the 80s at peak, but that's a giant question mark unfortunately.
     
    #26 telejunkie, Apr 17, 2014
  7. FFreak

    FFreak Savant (1,065) Nov 10, 2013 Vermont

    My ambient is around 65-70 and the batch is holding at about 73 over the past 36 hours or so. It's bubbling away furiously, but it did not blow off. This was a bit of a surprise and unexpected. I was actually set up to top crop from the carboy using a blow off tube into a sanitized flask. There's very little headspace and the way it took off, I expected it to blow off. But the krausen had settled down after 12 hours, so I stuck an airlock on.

    I expect that the batch temp will start coming down soon. I see lots of different approaches to temperature control with saisons and belgians. What should I try to do with this given the 3711? Ramp up to mid 70s and hold for a week or so?
     
    #27 FFreak, Apr 17, 2014
  8. telejunkie

    telejunkie Savant (1,107) Sep 14, 2007 Vermont

    after primary settles down, yeah I'd ramp it up...sounds like a good temp for the yeast. Best of luck with it! Cheers
     
    #28 telejunkie, Apr 17, 2014
  9. FFreak

    FFreak Savant (1,065) Nov 10, 2013 Vermont

    What's 'beermail'? I took a look at the parameters in the spreadsheet as you suggested. By dropping the "Grain Absorption Loss" parameter I get to a more realistic combined strike/sparge starting volume of around 8.5 gallons. I'll try that on my next batch.
     
    #29 FFreak, Apr 17, 2014
  10. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    Sorry. Beermail was the term for 'Conversation' on the old BA site. I keep forgetting that it changed. You can click someone's avatar, then click 'Start a Conversation' in the box that pops up. (Think of it as internal email on the BA site.)
     
    #30 VikeMan, Apr 17, 2014
  11. hoptualBrew

    hoptualBrew Initiate (0) May 29, 2011 Florida

    I have never found a need to ramp up temp. With 3711, I've always fermented at 68-70 F, lately 70 F and it finishes through fairly quickly. Just brewed a Saison that fell from 1.062 to 1.021 in 3 days and then to 1.005 4 days later. If your having a problem with it finishing, I would say just remove the airlock and give the carboy a quick shake around to rouse the yeast, but then again, 3711 is not a high flocculator so that shouldn't be too much an issue.
     
    #31 hoptualBrew, Apr 17, 2014
  12. jlordi12

    jlordi12 Pooh-Bah (1,856) Jun 8, 2011 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah

    I agree you can ferment this strain down at around 60 and have no trouble.
     
    #32 jlordi12, Apr 17, 2014
  13. pointyskull

    pointyskull Zealot (675) Mar 17, 2010 Illinois
    Trader

    Last night I sampled a bottle of my 9% saison (made with 3711).
    Only 10 days in bottle - nicely carbed, wonderful peppery notes. Could be the best beer I've made yet...
     
    #33 pointyskull, Apr 23, 2014
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