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Author Topic: Wyeast PC 3725 Biere de Garde  (Read 4284 times)

Offline brewinhard

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Re: Wyeast PC 3725 Biere de Garde
« Reply #15 on: November 17, 2015, 04:59:36 pm »
Just an update after pitching this strain for everyone.

Brewed a 1.069 amber biere de garde with brunwater amber malty profile and hit a 5.4 mash pH (room temps of course). Pitched a decanted 2.5 qt starter (stir plate) with 2 packs from August and chilled the wort to 65F.

Within 4 hrs there was active fermentation which was maintained at 65F via temp controlled fridge.  Next morning, a small krausen had formed and fermentation was moving along nicely. 

I get home from work today (just over 24 hrs after pitching) only to find the small krausen had pretty much dropped back into the wort already and the temp had dropped to 64F (was only in cooling mode, no heater attached).  Fermentation seemed sluggish at this point.

Raised the temp to 69F to see if that would help pick things up.  By far one of the most finicky strains I have ever worked with.  After reading the Wyeast specs they do have a ferment temp listed at 70-84F, but I was hoping to ferment cooler on this one to minimize esters and phenolics for a cleaner malt profile to come through. 

Offline neddles

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Re: Wyeast PC 3725 Biere de Garde
« Reply #16 on: November 17, 2015, 07:59:20 pm »
Have you checked the gravity? How much wort was pitched with your starter? Sounds like you had a lot of yeast raring to go. I wouldn't be surprised if you find that fermentation is complete. I have heard of it working just fine at ~65F but have never used it under 68F myself. Let us know what you find. I have been fond of this yeast the few times I have used it. Any more info about it's behavior would be helpful.

Offline brewinhard

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Re: Wyeast PC 3725 Biere de Garde
« Reply #17 on: November 18, 2015, 09:56:40 am »
I did not take a gravity reading, and I really don't think that within 24 hrs at 65F a 1.069 beer could be dropped to 1.010-1.015 with (not pitching on a yeast cake). 

It is moving along slowly at about 25 bubbles/minute in the airlock at 69F.  So much for no "sluggishness" on the wyeast specs.  In all fairness, they do say to ferment at 70F, but I just didn't want to ferment at 70F straight out of the gates with a stronger OG beer.  Will keep you posted. 

Offline neddles

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Re: Wyeast PC 3725 Biere de Garde
« Reply #18 on: November 18, 2015, 03:22:26 pm »
I did not take a gravity reading, and I really don't think that within 24 hrs at 65F a 1.069 beer could be dropped to 1.010-1.015 with (not pitching on a yeast cake). 

It is moving along slowly at about 25 bubbles/minute in the airlock at 69F.  So much for no "sluggishness" on the wyeast specs.  In all fairness, they do say to ferment at 70F, but I just didn't want to ferment at 70F straight out of the gates with a stronger OG beer.  Will keep you posted.
How big was the batch?  I way overpitched a 1.072 Weizenbock with WY3333 a few years back and a 24 hr ferment is exactly what I got. That and acetaldehyde. I think its worth checking the gravity.

Offline brewinhard

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Re: Wyeast PC 3725 Biere de Garde
« Reply #19 on: November 20, 2015, 11:51:21 am »
I have slowly bumped up the temps 1degree/day and fermentation has picked up a tad and been fairly steady even without much of a krausen at all.  This strain must just be pretty temp specific with it enjoying temps more on the warmer side than I am used to fermenting my biere de gardes at.  Looking forward to seeing what profile this yeast strain produces and how close to a true biere de garde it really is.  Right now, I would say that it probably is more suited to saison production, but the finished product will tell the whole tale.