I am a first time brewer and ordered a starter kit with NB American Wheat. I know the closet I will be fermenting in will be between 73-78 degrees. I have read enough to know most ale yeast will not thrive in this heat so I was thinking of pitching a saison or other high temp yeast instead of the yeast in the kit.
Has anyone else done this?
Does anyone have any thoughts or yeast suggestios? I don’t really want to drink five gallons of awful beer. :cheers:
Never tried a high temperature saison yeast in a wheat beer. Using a saison yeast in a wheat beer, at high fermentation temps, may just result in a wheat beer you won’t enjoy. Have you looked at the different swamp cooler set ups to hold the fermentation temperature in the low to mid 60° range? Any place cooler than the closet? I have had fermentors in the dining room. Wife liked the aroma and the sound.
The swamp cooler isn’t really an option. I thought the banana and cloves notes a saison yeast would produce would go well in a wheat beer but I’m not sure. I may just buy a saison kit and just make that instead.
Any experience with a beigium strong ale yeast?
I think it’s worth a try. I’ve made a wheat saison-style beer with captured yeast and it was plenty tasty. The other thing you could try, if you’re ok with making a decent sized starter, is WLP644. It thrives in warmer temperatures and would make an outrageously fruity wheat beer. The description on NB’s site is incorrect - it is actually a saccharomyces yeast, so you don’t need to worry about cross-contamination.
Do NOT use a trappist yeast, like the BelgiAN Strong Ale yeast, it will make rocket fuel at those temps.
I would use WLP 565 (saison) and use sanitized foil taped over the airlock hole for the first 3 days. Because its evolved from a wine yeast, that yeast likes high temps and will produce a good beer at those temps. Also because its a wine yeast, it does not respond well to pressure in the fermenter. Foil will allow more air to escape and keep the pressure low so it doesn’t stall out on you.
My only question is why can’t you use a swamp cooler, or at least not keep the fermenter in the closet for the first few days? The fermentation temp can rise 5-7* above the ambient temp, so that could produce some fusels.
Also FYI, saison grain bills and wheat grain bills are very close and in many cases identical. Brew on.
Thanks for all the awesome suggestions. I will definitely look into those different yeast strains.
I have to ferment in a closet because of my wife’s cats. They would knock out the bubbler and contaminate the beer.
Any one know any good dry saison yeast? I’ve never brew before and don’t know how to do a starter yeast. Thanks
Belle saison! It’s a beast - pick some up, it’s a fantastic dry saison yeast.
[quote=“Furious brew styles”]Thanks for all the awesome suggestions. I will definitely look into those different yeast strains.
I have to ferment in a closet because of my wife’s cats. They would knock out the bubbler and contaminate the beer.
Any one know any good dry saison yeast? I’ve never brew before and don’t know how to do a starter yeast. Thanks[/quote]
Cats would be a problem, but I would just protect the air lock and brew what you want in a swamp cooler. A vented plastic container, with vent holes, and duct tape would protect the air lock.
[quote=“Furious brew styles”]I am a first time brewer and ordered a starter kit with NB American Wheat. I know the closet I will be fermenting in will be between 73-78 degrees. I have read enough to know most ale yeast will not thrive in this heat so I was thinking of pitching a saison or other high temp yeast instead of the yeast in the kit.
Has anyone else done this?
Does anyone have any thoughts or yeast suggestios? I don’t really want to drink five gallons of awful beer. :cheers: [/quote]
One vote for 3711. It will definitely be working between 70 - 80 degrees, but doesn’t need anything higher (like 3724) or 2 months to finish. You ARE going to need a blowoff tube or some Fermcap though!
I used Belle saison dry yeast. It seemed to react just like the Belle website said. I plan on leaving it in the primary fermenter for three weeks and then bottling, after some advice from this site. I’ll bottle condition for a week after that…fingers crossed.
