Saison & Temperature control

[Bubbles]

I'm glugging a Nogne Saison here, wondering how I can replicate this style at home without temperature control. My question is, should I even bother doing so without a fermentation fridge??

Is it possible during the summer (hah!) months, and are there any WhiteLabs strains that better are better than others? Was considering the "Saison Blend" yeast, which has a regular Belgian ale yeast which allows fermentation to complete in a timely fashion.

Thanks chaps.

[Dr Jacoby]

You'll often hear talk about very high temps for Saisons. And some Belgian Saisons are definitely fermented at high temps (sometimes up into the 30's), but that's not compulsory. RichieH brews a lovely Saison - he won gold with it at the nationals - and I think he ferments it at normal ale temps. Maybe ask him about it?

[Dr Jacoby]

I might be wrong about this actually. I think he tries to ferment at higher temps but not sure about the range he aims for.

[Bubbles]

Cheers Peter. I was thinking the summer might be the best time to attempt a couple of saisons, but I was under the impression that it's the gradual increase of temperature during the course of fermentation that gives the beer it's flavour and allows it to finish completely. As beer styles go, it's a bit daunting really.. 

Any idea what strain he uses?

[Dr Jacoby]

I think it's White Labs 'Belgian Saison I' (WLP565). Cracking yeast! It can handle temperatures well into the 30s.

[Bubbles]

Cool. That's "Saison I". I believe a lot of people have trouble getting this yeast to finish and fully attenuate, even resorting to pitching US-05 to knock another few points off the FG and dry it out. I was inclined to go for the saison blend (WLP568) but I suspect this is not going to give me the full-on saison character I'm after.

[Dr Jacoby]

WHat do you ferment in? Could you maybe use a heat belt in conjunction with a temperature controller?

[Bubbles]

WHat do you ferment in? Could you maybe use a heat belt in conjunction with a temperature controller?

I ferment in plastic FVs. I hadn't considered heat belts, to be honest.

Just checked on the Whitelabs website. It says the optimum range for WLP565 is 18.3 to 23.8! What a range.. I reckon the 23.8 is easily achievable in a domestic situation - maybe in a kitchen near the radiator. Unless temperature fluctuations make the yeast drop out or something?

[Dr Jacoby]

Dramatic temperature fluctuations are almost never good for yeast. But you can get away with gradual changes. Low to high is usually the best way to go.

[Bubbles]

Absolutely. Some further research required methinks.

[John_C]

I've got a brew belt and an STC wired up for heating if you want a lend. It's currently on my barley wine but you can have it for a couple of weeks after that if you like.

[Partridge9]

Well, funny you should ask about this yeast. I am kinda giving up on the Belgian/ saison blend, I have brewed 3times with it and it produces more of a Belgian in my book, that said its a wonderful one (I think mine scored37, dean loved it).
I have the saison 366 (I think that's the number) the saison II , I am giving that a go at the moment, I have it at 22.5c, it's fermenting slow enough, it's on a week.

I have a 1litre starter ready if your interested. Save you buying it.

FYI I yanked my STC to 24 with a brew pad , and it's only going to 22.5, it's needs a belt as well or a very small chamber like Bren uses.

[Eoin]

FYI I yanked my STC to 24 with a brew pad , and it's only going to 22.5, it's needs a belt as well or a very small chamber like Bren uses.

Or a fridge with a 100 watt bulb... mine managed to warm the beer to 50^oC (I forgot to put the probe in the fridge).

Wouldn't that be a way for you to get your 50c for the lactic beer you were discussing yesterday?

[Partridge9]

A fermentation chamber / fridge is the way to go alright.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

[nigel_c]

I did a saison recently will the belle saison dry yeast. Dropped down to 1.004. I had a temp controller hooked up to a brew belt. Pitched at 20 and increased to 26 over the course of a week or so. Really happy with the results.