Walloon So Soon Brew Session

Purchased a smack pack dated from 9/29, so did a starter of 1.2L @ 1.036 to hit my target pitch rate of 225 billion cells. I want to pitch on the low end in order to encourage more ester production. 12/5/17 - For the ferulic rest, I mashed in at 124F and it settled out to 115F, down to 111F after 30 minutes. Ramped up to 150F on the burner and let sit another 30 minutes, down to 148F after rest. Ramped up to 162F on the burner and let sit for another 10 minutes. Checked via iodine and reached full conversion. Looking for preboil gravity of 1.044 with 7 gallons and hit 1.045 gravity preboil. I'm boiling for 90 minutes boil uncovered to minimize DMS. I was too aggressive with the boil and got down below 5.5 gallons and coupled with better efficiency than I was expecting, I shot past the OG that I wanted. The wort was aerated 45 seconds prior to 300mL yeast (cultivated, not slurry) was pitched. The carboy is foiled and now it's time to wait and see. 12/7/17 - The stall was prolonged yet high krausen dropped very quickly, all within 24 hours. I put the heater on the carboy and am rousing the yeast to ensure fermentation doesn't get stalled. I'll feel lucky if this reaches final gravity within 2 weeks based on the subdued activity going on. 12/8/17 - There is a minimal foamy layer on top that bubbles a bit, which nearly dissipates entirely when roused. I decided to throw the airlock on so as not to allow for oxidation to occur. If the fermentation were more forceful, I'd have no problem leaving it off. I will resort to rousing the carboy whenever I pass by it along with keeping the heater on. I plan to take a gravity reading in a week to see how it's going. 12/11/17 - I took a sample and the pycnometer pulled 1.0414, so there is a long way to go on this one. The flavor is really good, lots of saison spice. I'm going to wait another week and check again. Max amount of time I will wait is 3 weeks. If I'm still sitting above 1.020, I'll be pitching Safbrew Abbaye to completely dry this one out. 12/13/17 - Another pycnometer sample and I pulled 1.0405, so only a point in 48 hours. 12/15/17 - Activity was only decreasing so I decided to pitch another yeast sooner than later. The local brew store didn't have the safbrew strain I wanted so I went with Mangrove Jack French Saison. Started the yeast in 2L of 1.037 dme wort, waited 12 hours for peak activity and then tossed into the fermenter. 4 hours later, activity is going strong, not full foam but lots of bubbling. I'll take a pycnometer reading once the activity dies down. I really notice the clove smell on this one, so I'm happy with the flavor/aroma profile so far. 12/19/17 - Gravity reading on the pycnometer is 1.0119, so it's drying out nicely. Another week and this one will be done. 12/25/17 - Gravity reading on the pycnometer is 1.0091, so it is done. I'm going to let this dry out for another couple weeks, no longer heated, to reach terminal. I'll be looking to bottle this the 2nd week of January, maybe later. 1/1/18 - Transferred to secondary for another few weeks to dry out. Pulled 1.0059 on the pycnometer, so 91% attenuation so far. I'm think terminal gravity is probably around 1.003 on this one, so I really want to give this time. The flavor is awesome, spicy and fruity. 1/8/18 - Bottled just before leaving for the hospital. Lots of clove flavor. Same gravity reading as 1/1/8, so 91% apparent attenuation.