Is my saison finished? Bottle or wait?

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by BedetheVenerable, Aug 11, 2012.

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  1. BedetheVenerable

    BedetheVenerable Initiate (0) Sep 5, 2008 Missouri

    My 1.056 saison with the Dupont strain (Wyeast 3724) was only at 1.024 after four weeks. Today marks the fifth week, and it's down to 1.005. I couldn't believe the difference one week made. I brewed up an English mild today, so I still have all my equipment and sanitizer etc out. Am I safe bottling this today at 1.005, or do I really need to give it another week to see if it drops more?
     
    #1 BedetheVenerable, Aug 11, 2012
  2. utahbeerdude

    utahbeerdude Maven (1,374) May 2, 2006 Utah

    If it were me I'd wait another week (or at least a few days) and check the gravity then. Could still be fermenting.
     
    #2 utahbeerdude, Aug 12, 2012
  3. Agold

    Agold Maven (1,287) Mar 13, 2010 Pennsylvania

    Bump up the temp by a few degrees, wait a week, check gravity.
     
    #3 Agold, Aug 12, 2012
  4. BedetheVenerable

    BedetheVenerable Initiate (0) Sep 5, 2008 Missouri

    Would throwing this out in the garage for a week do it any harm? The reason I ask is because the room I have it in swings from no more than 81-85 degrees (at most) throughout the day. The garage will get signifantly warmer, but then cooler at night. The warmer temps would be good for this yeast at the end, but would the bigger swings stress out the yeast or cause it to shut down?
     
    #4 BedetheVenerable, Aug 12, 2012
  5. skivtjerry

    skivtjerry Pooh-Bah (1,865) Mar 10, 2006 Vermont
    Pooh-Bah

    The thermal mass of the carboy will dampen the temperature swings; I'd say give it a couple of days in the garage.
     
    #5 skivtjerry, Aug 12, 2012
  6. VikeMan

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

    81-85 is (more than) warm enough to finish 3724.
     
    #6 VikeMan, Aug 12, 2012
  7. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    I would recommend that you just give the beer another week in the same environment (i.e., no need to move it to the garage). If the gravity is still at 1.005 a week from now, bottle it.

    FWIW, I brewed a Saison last yeast with 3724 pretty much the way you did; primary fermentation in the low 80’s. The OG was 1.060. I checked the FG after 4 weeks and it was 1.004. I then let it go one more week in the same environment and the FG was still at 1.004. I then bottled it (a total of 5 weeks of fermentation time). That Saison turned out great.

    Cheers!
     
    #7 JackHorzempa, Aug 12, 2012
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