# Wyeast 3711 An Unforgiving Monster



## Sydneybrewer (8/11/10)

just put down the following witbier recipe using 3711 french saison (out of style i know but wanted it dry) and was expecting it to finish up with a FG of around 1.009-1.010 as was calculated by beeralchemy, my actual OG was slightly higher then calculated as well at 1.046.

well it is now 7 days in the fermenter at a stable 22 degrees and its still going strong with a 2 inch krausen, thought i would do a gravity reading... 1.003 wtf :blink: and no sign of slowing yet. have i just put down alcoholic water? has anyone else experienced this?

i guess only time will tell me how it tastes, i am just afraid the alcohol is really going to stand out now in the final taste.

forgive the format of recipe its a cut and paste off beer alchemy.

WITBIER

Recipe Overview
Wort Volume Before Boil: 24.00 l Wort Volume After Boil: 20.00 l
Volume Transferred: 20.00 l Water Added To Fermenter: 0.00 l
Volume At Pitching: 20.00 l Volume Of Finished Beer: 18.00 l
Expected Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.037 SG Expected OG: 1.044 SG
Expected FG: 1.009 SG Apparent Attenuation: 79.9 %
Expected ABV: 4.7 % Expected ABW: 3.7 %
Expected IBU (using Tinseth): 13.2 IBU Expected Color (using Morey): 3.2 SRM
BU:GU ratio: 0.30 Approx Color:	
Mash Efficiency: 70.0 % 
Boil Duration: 60.0 mins 
Fermentation Temperature: 18 degC 

Fermentables
Ingredient	Amount	%	MCU	When
Australian Wheat Malt 3.000 kg 75.0 % 2.4 In Mash/Steeped
Australian Pilsner Malt 1.000 kg 25.0 % 0.7 In Mash/Steeped

Hops
Variety	Alpha	Amount	IBU	Form	When
NZ B Saaz 7.0 % 15 g 13.2 Loose Whole Hops All Of Boil

Other Ingredients
Ingredient	Amount	When
Coriander Seed 30 g In Boil
Orange Peel, Bitter 30 g In Boil

Yeast
Wyeast 3711-French Saison

Mash Schedule
Mash Type: Full Mash
Schedule Name: Single Step Infusion (69C-156F)

Step Type	Temperature	Duration
Rest at 69 degC 60

Recipe Notes
attenuation of 3711 seems to be 90% or greater, creating a drier and more alcoholic witbier.


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## bconnery (8/11/10)

Short answer, yes. This yeast, given half a chance, will eat anything it can get its hands on. 
I once added a small amount I had been planning to step up into a starter, a really small little layer in a baby food jar, to a beer that was having trouble finishing. The tiny amount of 3711 still gave the other yeast a swift kick in the backside and proceeded to eat the beer out of house and home, finishing down around 1004. 

Cool it down if you can. I've found I can persuade this yeast to finish higher if I let it cool down to below 20, even down to 16/17 near the end.


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## Sydneybrewer (8/11/10)

bconnery said:


> Short answer, yes. This yeast, given half a chance, will eat anything it can get its hands on.
> I once added a small amount I had been planning to step up into a starter, a really small little layer in a baby food jar, to a beer that was having trouble finishing. The tiny amount of 3711 still gave the other yeast a swift kick in the backside and proceeded to eat the beer out of house and home, finishing down around 1004.
> 
> Cool it down if you can. I've found I can persuade this yeast to finish higher if I let it cool down to below 20, even down to 16/17 near the end.



thanks for your reply mate but i am bottling though so a little afraid of trying to stall it at all, which kind off puts me between a rock and a hard place, i am consigned to let it finish, rack, chill, bottle, condition and see what i have in a couple weeks. sigh...


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## BrenosBrews (8/11/10)

It will be more alcoholic but I'm sure it'll still be good. I'm giving 3724 a go at the moment for a Saison but mainly use 3711. Got down to 1.002 :beerbang:


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## Stuster (8/11/10)

1002 seems like a common finishing place for this yeast. I didn't find beers that finished there thin though. I'd just let it finish and follow your normal process. I'm sure it'll be fine. :icon_cheers:


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## Sydneybrewer (8/11/10)

thanks for the replies guys, first time using this yeast. glad to hear that it doesn't taste thin as this is my biggest worry. well that and the alcohol sticking out like dogs balls as i am making this for my wife who is a hoegaarden fan so (one of the very few beers she will actually drink).


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## BrenosBrews (8/11/10)

Are you going to use this yeast in your planned Summer Saison?


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## Sydneybrewer (8/11/10)

BrenosBrews said:


> Are you going to use this yeast in your planned Summer Saison?



yeah mate that was the plan, going to put it down as soon as this one is finished up, might tweak the grain bill a bit now though.


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## sirotilc (8/11/10)

I love this yeast, I've used it a few times now and found the finish is dry but not thin. My concern with trying to stall it would be if you were bottling, it will just jump right up again and eat everything when the temperature goes back up.


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## insane_rosenberg (8/11/10)

Just kegged a Saison using this yeast, unfortunately my Hydrometer smashed and I didn't get around to replacing it! Just let it go until the activity stopped.

Nice and dry, far from watery though with good head retention. I used 20g of Indian Coriander, first thing my house mate said is it reminds him of Witbier. So if SWMBO is into hoegaarden it should go down a treat. I'm just kicking myself that I forgot to add the Citrus Peel!

P.S. I estimate this one is about 6% and it tastes like a Lawnmower beer. So no need to worry about the alcohol sticking out.

P.P.S. I washed this yeast down and am saving it for my Silly Saison clone. So I rate it pretty highly!


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## Sydneybrewer (8/11/10)

yeah planning on washing some down for my next brew and a future fake dry lager :icon_drunk:


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## Kai (8/11/10)

Thanks for reminding me, I want to brew another saison just as soon as it gets a little warmer.


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## Lecterfan (11/3/12)

Just bumping this thread based on the title alone.

I just racked my 4th brew with this yeast. OG 1.046, mashed at 64c. 14 days in primary at 20c (pitched at 16c), gravity today is 0.094. Bugger me sideways. 23L batch, %70 Pils, %20 Wheat, %10 munich. 

Just making comment.


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## seamad (11/3/12)

And i thought when i regularly get 1003 its low. Only had ciders go under 1. You dont expect to get maggoted on a beer with an og of 1046 !
Think you may have found a new definition for a dry beer. Interesting to see how she turns out
cheers
Sean


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## yum beer (11/3/12)

Any brew I have had go under 1.000 have ended up with very distinct vinegar flavours.

No real reason why they have done this but its never been a good thing.


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## Nick JD (11/3/12)

I've kegged a couple of Saisons at 1.010

Put 'em in the fridge and got stuck into them, still fermenting when I transfered them. I don't like them too dry/hot. 

The fridge temps halt fermentation dead. I like 'em with a bit of malt sweetness left in there - especially the darker ones.


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## Tony (11/3/12)

I made a split batch or Saison @ 1.046, and fermented half with Farmhouse Ale and the other half with 3711.

The FHA finished at 1.004 to 1.005. 

3711 was on the 1.000 line.

Yeah baby YEAH! :super:


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## sponge (12/3/12)

Yea I've got a mixed berry wheat and a saison fermenting atm with the berry wheat being at 1.000 and the saison at 1.002


3711 doesnt mind a good feeding spree


Neither taste overly dry though which is real unexpected for the gravity



Sponge


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## Charst (12/3/12)

Ive only done two beers with 3711 and both went from 1058 to 1004, Both ended dry but were mashing at 63.
But the yeast still seems to leave an impression of body in the beer rather than leaving it like grog water as i expected when i seen my hydrometer reading.
Just Pitched Recultured yeast from the Melbourne La Sirene Saison, apparently its a different strain all together so i'll see how it goes.


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