Another WYEAST3724 Stuck Fermentation Thread - Add additional yeast?

My suggestion here is patience. I have brewed with 3724 a couple/few times and every time it took a long time to complete primary fermentation. In one instance it took over 6 weeks.

For all of my batches I made 2 liter starters (intermittent shaking) and there was plenty of dissolved oxygen in the wort prior to pitching the yeast.

We can debate whether the word of "stalling" is applicable with this yeast strain or not but I would suggest that we can agree that this yeast can take a long time to complete primary fermentation. Why this yeast strain is such as pain in the a$$ in this regard I have no idea.

FWIW, because of this "stalling"/slow fermentation performance I personally choose to ferment with a differing Saison yeast strain.

Cheers!

P.S. On the plus side, it has been my experience that 3724 results in a tasty Saison beer.

 

Ya wait it out don't add more yeast.

 

Wait. It will pick back up probably around 1.028 and drop quickly, then it will slow down again for the last few points until FG. I view making a Saison with Dupont as making a lager... you want one of the most amazing and elegant beers you can make and need to give it the time to do it right.

 

My standard practice is to let the starter 'go' for 18-24 hours.

I personally do not use a stir plate to produce my starters so I really can't comment here. I would guess that a timeframe longer than 7 hours would result in more yeast cell growth.

Given the finicky nature of 3724 in general I do not feel comfortable stating that what you are witnessing now is a result of only letting the starter 'go' for 7 hours. I made 2 liter starters 'go' for up to 24 hours (intermittent shaking) and this yeast strain had a 'stall' (or slow fermentation) for me.

I have read similar things and I have also read somebody state that they fermented with 3724 in the low 70's and that beer turned out fine. That person quoted a primary fermentation time of many weeks (7 weeks?).

What you are describing here is what many (including me) would describe as being a "stall". The idea is that the yeast will perform extremely slow (or not at all) for a time period (e.g., a couple/few weeks) and then it will 'kick off' again and complete primary fermentation. Folks will take steps during this 'down cycle' like raise the temperature and they will report that the fermentation 'kicked off' since they did this. It may very well be that it was just a timing thing.

If you had the ability to raise the wort/beer temperature I would encourage you to do so. This would not do any harm and maybe it would expedite the 'kick off' aspect. Or maybe just wait and let the yeast 'do its thing' at the existing temperature. Needless to say but in my prior post that was my suggestion to you.

I have read a lot of posts and listened to many podcasts including those by Drew Beechum (@DrewBeechum) on the topic of 3724 and why it can 'stall' or be slow. I do not think anybody knows for sure why this yeast behaves the way it does.

If you are experiencing angst here (which is understandable IMO) you could pitch another packet of yeast right now. If you choose to do this I would not recommend that you pitch another smack-pack of 3724. Pitch a non-problematic yeast instead. Pitch a rehydrated sachet of US-05 if that would give you peace of mind.

Cheers!

 

You can make "amazing and elegant" Saison beers using differing strains with primary fermentation completed in about a week.

Cheers!

 

True, for some, but I have yet to find or brew a Saison that I enjoy more than one with Dupont. Farmhouse is a close second. I have had other blends and found them lacking. I have one going with my Nectarine Blossom yeast blend right now that I'm excited to try in a couple weeks.

 

Please report back how this batch goes. It would be helpful data for others who choose to brew with 3724.

Cheers!

 

Needless to say this is subjective but I enjoyed my Saisons that I brewed with ECY08 and WLP585 more than my 3724 brews. Both ECY08 and WLP585 complete fermentation in about a week.

Unfortunately I just found out that White Labs recently decided to discontinue production of WLP585; this was discussed earlier this week in another homebrew thread.

Cheers!

 

FWIW I brew a Saison every year and I brew that beer in August.

Cheers!

 

That is good to know. You have had much better 'luck' here with 3724 than I have.

Cheers!

 

I am reminded of an old story (10+ years ago). I was waiting in line at my LHBS to pay for my stuff and I had a smack-pack of Wyeast 3711 in my hand. The next guy in line asked me: what are you brewing? I responded: I am going to make a Saison with 3711. He smiled and informed me that he was also buying stuff for a Saison but he is using 3724. I replied: You must be a patient brewer. He responded: Yeah, typically but I will be using a heat belt for this batch and ferment in the low 90’s. I did not really know this guy and I never saw him in the store to ask about his experience here.

Cheers!

 

Like all have said, be patient with it and it will ferment out dry, it's just a finicky strain. In the times I've used it, I've never had it finish in under 6 weeks and it almost always finishes around 1.000. That said, I've only used this strain in the summer when I can keep fermentation temps consistently in the mid to upper 80's. Your patience will be rewarded, it is a lovely strain and makes amazing saisons, the French strain can't hold a candle to it.

 

Maybe add some diastaticus to the 3724 to get the 3711 characteristics

 

Just to double check: You have maintained a warm/hot fermentation (i.e., 80's) and the batch still took 6 weeks to complete fermentation?

Cheers!

 

Do you own a conventional electric blanket? I've had good luck wrapping fermenter in regular ole bedroom-style electric blanket . . . a thermowell helps fine tune the operation. If you have a ferm-fridge (and light bulb) you have a heating chamber.