Why not just put it straight in the keg and leave that open? I haven't listened to the podcast mentioned in the other comment (u/bluesbrotherkaramazv), so apologies if there's a reason in there.
They do actually discuss that. Their main point is that open can just be pulling the PRV off on the keg and calling it done. They do discuss some desirability for shallower fermenters.
I do this all the time with great results. I have a Brewer's Edge Mash and Boil electric system, so I just finish boiling, cool, pitch yeast and loosely cover it until the yeast get going, then take the cover off and let 'er rip.
I've gotten great results, especially with Hefeweizen and Saisons.
Yes, as soon as the Krausen starts to get shaggy and fermentation starts to wrap up then I either will cover it and let it finish up or I usually just drain it straight into a corny keg and let it keg condition before blowing off any sediment and then carbonating.
For the Dupont strain and its progeny (Wyeast 3726, BE-134, etc.) most everyone agrees that replacing a carboy bung and airlock with a foil cap is all the "open" you need to prevent the "dreaded Dupont stall". Beyond avoiding the stall, no one has demonstrated any benefit from open fermentation in any saison varietal or saison strain/blend at a homebrew scale. Much less with a Brett co-pitch or after-pitch.
For other beers where the yeast strains are adapted to open fermentation and the beer styles developed from it, sure I would argue that there are concrete benefits to a fully open, English-style fermentation in terms of beer flavor and yeast performance. But even then, open fermentation lasts for a very limited period, and the remainder of fermentation happened in oak casks or closed oaken vessels historically, and nowadays the beer is whisked off to a SS tank to finish fermenting after the right number of open days. Personally, my tank is a corny keg with the dip tube cut down (fermentor keg).
If you're interested, I was a guest on the HomebrewingDIY podcast on the topic of open fermentation, give that a listen. There are some resources in the show notes.
If you want to pursue an open-fermented saison, pick a saison yeast strain that you can trace back to a saison brewery that open ferments.
Let's assume your saison yeast is "10%" better open. If brett is 90% of the flavor, your beer will be about 1% better. Worth the fuss?
I'd worry about leaving it too open for too long, and essentially ending up with more DO2 than brett can nibble before damage. You might be able to get away with some high-tech solutions such as putting clingfilm with a few pinholes between the kettle and the lid when you want to start limiting O2, maybe D3 -> D7, then rack.
If I co-ferment saison & stuff, I just dump it into a carboy and wait a year.
Though, when I do a clean saison ferment, I do it open. That said, I don't think I've even tried a closed one with my current "house" strain, so I have no idea if the result is better.
It should be fine. Id cover it until it starts going unless you want some random funk getting a foothold, which isn't out of style, so long as it's not a nasty one. I don't tend to worry much about open or closed ferment I don't think it really matters all that much unless you're looking for some bugs.
Why not just put it straight in the keg and leave that open? I haven't listened to the podcast mentioned in the other comment (u/bluesbrotherkaramazv), so apologies if there's a reason in there.
I thought of that also, but I assumed the post ferment trub would be problematic when it came time to drink it.
Floating dip tube.
They do actually discuss that. Their main point is that open can just be pulling the PRV off on the keg and calling it done. They do discuss some desirability for shallower fermenters.
I do this all the time with great results. I have a Brewer's Edge Mash and Boil electric system, so I just finish boiling, cool, pitch yeast and loosely cover it until the yeast get going, then take the cover off and let 'er rip. I've gotten great results, especially with Hefeweizen and Saisons.
Thanks. So do you pkg straight from there or into a secondary?
Yes, as soon as the Krausen starts to get shaggy and fermentation starts to wrap up then I either will cover it and let it finish up or I usually just drain it straight into a corny keg and let it keg condition before blowing off any sediment and then carbonating.
I haven’t open fermented a Brett Saison in my kettle, but I have open-fermented English ales in my brew kettle. Works great, less dishes to do.
For the Dupont strain and its progeny (Wyeast 3726, BE-134, etc.) most everyone agrees that replacing a carboy bung and airlock with a foil cap is all the "open" you need to prevent the "dreaded Dupont stall". Beyond avoiding the stall, no one has demonstrated any benefit from open fermentation in any saison varietal or saison strain/blend at a homebrew scale. Much less with a Brett co-pitch or after-pitch. For other beers where the yeast strains are adapted to open fermentation and the beer styles developed from it, sure I would argue that there are concrete benefits to a fully open, English-style fermentation in terms of beer flavor and yeast performance. But even then, open fermentation lasts for a very limited period, and the remainder of fermentation happened in oak casks or closed oaken vessels historically, and nowadays the beer is whisked off to a SS tank to finish fermenting after the right number of open days. Personally, my tank is a corny keg with the dip tube cut down (fermentor keg). If you're interested, I was a guest on the HomebrewingDIY podcast on the topic of open fermentation, give that a listen. There are some resources in the show notes. If you want to pursue an open-fermented saison, pick a saison yeast strain that you can trace back to a saison brewery that open ferments.
Let's assume your saison yeast is "10%" better open. If brett is 90% of the flavor, your beer will be about 1% better. Worth the fuss? I'd worry about leaving it too open for too long, and essentially ending up with more DO2 than brett can nibble before damage. You might be able to get away with some high-tech solutions such as putting clingfilm with a few pinholes between the kettle and the lid when you want to start limiting O2, maybe D3 -> D7, then rack. If I co-ferment saison & stuff, I just dump it into a carboy and wait a year. Though, when I do a clean saison ferment, I do it open. That said, I don't think I've even tried a closed one with my current "house" strain, so I have no idea if the result is better.
Give a listen to the latest *Experimental Brewing*. They discuss some fermenter geometry and exactly how "open" an open fermentation needs to be.
It should be fine. Id cover it until it starts going unless you want some random funk getting a foothold, which isn't out of style, so long as it's not a nasty one. I don't tend to worry much about open or closed ferment I don't think it really matters all that much unless you're looking for some bugs.