Wyeast 3944

[Guysmiley54]

Hi!

I'm currently brewing a Belgian Wit and using 3944 for the first time (my first use of liquid yeast too!) and I'm finding it very different to the dried US05 i've used exclusively in the past. I have been fermenting in the lower range to try and limit some of the pronounced banana tastes that come with Belgian yeasts. I've found that it is quite slow to ferment at this range and after googling I can see that this is normal with this yeast.

Here's what I have done so far:

- Pitched at 17C (smacked the pack and waited for swelling, no starter was made)

- After 24 hours fermentation had started at a slow and steady rate

- After 48 hours the hydro reading had barely gone down 8 points so I raised the temp to 17.5

- It's been another 12 hours and I have raised the temp to 18C

I just tasted the hydro and I'm already getting some very interesting flavours developing: Bubblegum, pears and a whisper of a hint of cloves. The coriander I used in the boil is sitting at the back and if I use my imagination I can just (barely) taste the citrus peel I used.

My plan is to up the temp .5C every 12 hours until I'm at 20 and leave it there.

Does anyone have experience with this yeast? I've been googling and it seems that it produces very different flavours at different temperatures... this is pretty exciting to me, but I would like to control and have a say in the end product

 

[BrenosBrews]

Well yeah, the lower the temp the longer the lag and expotential phases of fermentation will be. The phenolics that are a major part of a Witbier will be produced with a higher temp. I haven't used this yeast in ages, I think it was the 2nd liquid yeast I used but as far as I know you won't get a lot of banana unless you go crazy high. I'd still go to the higher end of the temp range for this. Maybe 22.

 

[Guysmiley54]

Well yeah, the lower the temp the longer the lag and expotential phases of fermentation will be. The phenolics that are a major part of a Witbier will be produced with a higher temp. I haven't used this yeast in ages, I think it was the 2nd liquid yeast I used but as far as I know you won't get a lot of banana unless you go crazy high. I'd still go to the higher end of the temp range for this. Maybe 22.

Cool B)

How fast would you ramp up to it? I'm looking at 1 degree per day, is that a bit overcautious?

Thanks for the input :icon_cheers:

 

[BrenosBrews]

1 degree a day seems to be the general concensus.

 

[hockadays]

I used this used a few times at it has been quite tricky. my advice for next time is to make a big starter. keep upping the temp like you plan and you may have to give it a swirl every day if it stops at 1.020. It takes forever to get the job done without a big starter but it's worth it in the end. from memory i let it go up to 24degc at the end to keep it going. took about 3 weeks to ferment out.

 

[Guysmiley54]

I used this used a few times at it has been quite tricky. my advice for next time is to make a big starter. keep upping the temp like you plan and you may have to give it a swirl every day if it stops at 1.020. It takes forever to get the job done without a big starter but it's worth it in the end. from memory i let it go up to 24degc at the end to keep it going. took about 3 weeks to ferment out.

What kind of flavours did you get at 24?

 

[hockadays]

i only used 24 after it stalled at 1.025. the resulting flavours were typical witbier flavours. rest of ferment was run at 18degc.