US-05 and low ferm temp

I have read that you get some odd flavors from US-05 at low fermentation temperatures.

Anyone confirm or rebuke that?

If you confirm it, what is "low ferm temp" that creates these off-flavors?

I have a blonde conditioning in the bottles right now. It was at 63F-64F for the duration of the fermentation (2.5 weeks). Is that low enough to get these "peachy" flavors?

I ferment at 64f or less with us-05 every time. No off flavors. But can't confirm peach either. I normally do a milk stout with it.

Thanks. So you don't think 63F-64F is going to produce anything but clean yeast taste? I have used US-05 in the past but have had slightly higher ferm temperatures (66F +/-). This time around, I set it in the ferm chamber but the ambient temperature of the basement kept it below 65F without the fridge ever kicking on (except at the height of activity).

I'm not much on describing flavors in my beers but I always ferment US-05 at about 64 degrees. The beers are always good.

According to Fermentis the ideal range is 59 to 70 so 64 is just under the middle. I wouldn't consider that a "low ferm temp" so I can't see getting any "off flavors" at that temperature.

i've gotten peach before with US05, but it was setting around 60F maybe even a little less. That was measured beer temp tho.

I think you are splitting hairs. I doubt anyone could tell the difference in most beers at 66 degrees as opposed to 64. That is too close to make much difference.

iowabrew said:

i've gotten peach before with US05, but it was setting around 60F maybe even a little less. That was measured beer temp tho.

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My temperature readings are pseudo-beer temp readings (Johnson controller probe taped to the side of an Ale Pale).

kh54s10 said:

I think you are splitting hairs. I doubt anyone could tell the difference in most beers at 66 degrees as opposed to 64. That is too close to make much difference.

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After I posted the question, I started think this same thing. Can 2 degrees really make that big of a difference? But there has to be a line where you cross into detectable differences, right?

I have gotten great results from US-05 at 62 - 68 degrees, really clean. I have accidentally gotten it down into the upper 50s before and noticed a little bit of fruit, maybe peach in it. Not very pronounced, but it's there and noticeable to me.

I use US-05 a lot and have noticed this on a couple of occasions. It's definitely nothing like getting it in the mid 70s, but it's certainly not as clean as it could be if you get down around 59 degrees.

I've never gotten it below 56, but even there, it was a really slow ferment. I'm assuming the yeast wanted to go to sleep at that temp and were highly stressed. The few times this happened were during the winter and our crazy cold streaks we had in Illinois this year. There are parts of my basement that I just can't keep warm during the winter.

Ridire said:

After I posted the question, I started think this same thing. Can 2 degrees really make that big of a difference? But there has to be a line where you cross into detectable differences, right?

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Probably. The full range listed for the yeast is 53.6 to 77 so at those ends, 2 degrees below 53 or 2 degrees above 77 would be across the line and make a noticeable difference. But in the middle of the range I don't think you would notice.

kh54s10 said:

Probably. The full range listed for the yeast is 53.6 to 77 so at those ends, 2 degrees below 53 or 2 degrees above 77 would be across the line and make a noticeable difference. But in the middle of the range I don't think you would notice.

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I thought it was Yooper several months ago who I read stating that she got peachy flavors under 64F but I could be completely wrong on that.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/safale-s-05s-what-ness-476967/index2.html#post6159201

Here's a recent thread that discussed the "peachy" or "stonefruit" flavors of S-05. I think the general consensus was ideal was 64-66*F, below is peachy and above is... debateable.

FWIW, I used S-05 on a batch of Fizzy Yellow Beer, fermented @ 62*F for the first few days, and gradually raised the temp as fermentation began to wind down. I detected no peach or fruit of any kind in the sample I took at kegging time, but I've yet to tap the keg for a final verdict.

It's been good for me anywhere between 63-68. I've done some pretty light-bodied beers with it and not had issues in that range. Starting at 72... fusels. Fermenting at 60, got some of the fruity flavor.

63-64° F is the sweet spot for US-05, in my opinion. That's what I aim for every time, and I always end up with a nice, clean ferment.

boydster said:

It's been good for me anywhere between 63-68. I've done some pretty light-bodied beers with it and not had issues in that range. Starting at 72... fusels. Fermenting at 60, got some of the fruity flavor.

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i concur with this. i aim for 65* F.

Also OP, i hope you are insulating the temp probe. It def makes a difference.

j1n said:

i concur with this. i aim for 65* F.

Also OP, i hope you are insulating the temp probe. It def makes a difference.

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Yes. Probably not as well as I could, but some packing foam covered by duct tape.

I've gotten noticeable peach from US-05 at about 62 ambient. It aged out really quickly though, after at most a week after bottle conditioning it was no longer noticeable.

I used us-05 in my last batch, a gluten free IIPA.
It started at around 60 and rose to 67 ish during the 4 days of active fermentation.
around day 3 it was kicking out some very strong peachy aromas from the airlock (I was nervous about it)...but by the time I racked it to the secondary (2 weeks after pitching) it tasted great and had no noticable off flavors.
This was the first time I had fermented 05 that cold, and the peach smell was very strong and distinct for a day or two (I now know what aroma people are describing), but the beer tastes great...I would do the same again.

Legume said:

I used us-05 in my last batch, a gluten free IIPA.
It started at around 60 and rose to 67 ish during the 4 days of active fermentation.
around day 3 it was kicking out some very strong peachy aromas from the airlock (I was nervous about it)...but by the time I racked it to the secondary (2 weeks after pitching) it tasted great and had no noticable off flavors.
This was the first time I had fermented 05 that cold, and the peach smell was very strong and distinct for a day or two (I now know what aroma people are describing), but the beer tastes great...I would do the same again.

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Cool, because I did not notice any "peach" flavor or aroma when I bottled. If it is that noticeable, and is present immediately after fermentation, then I think I avoided it based on what I tasted/smelled from my bottling sample.

It seems like a lot of people's replies agree with the fact sheet on the fermentis website.

http://www.fermentis.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/SFA_US05.pdf

between 60-70 ideal. Below 60 and above 70 not idea. I've never gotten the peachy flavor, I typically don't take it lower than 62 though, either. I use a swamp cooler so I try and keep most fermentations in low to mid 60's and I get great results with s-04 and s-05.

I'd add that while the peach flavor persisted in my beer (a Vienna/NB SMaSH), I thought it was delicious. I know it's technically a fault in most styles, but I was disappointed when it went away.

RmikeVT said:

It seems like a lot of people's replies agree with the fact sheet on the fermentis website.

http://www.fermentis.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/SFA_US05.pdf

between 60-70 ideal. Below 60 and above 70 not idea. I've never gotten the peachy flavor, I typically don't take it lower than 62 though, either. I use a swamp cooler so I try and keep most fermentations in low to mid 60's and I get great results with s-04 and s-05.

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Not to split hairs but the spec sheet for US-05 says the ideal temperature range is between 59 degrees and 71.6 degrees. I've fermented in the lower 70's with this yeast many times without any adverse flavors.

I've done three batches below 60 with 05. Peachy would be a stretch, I would say a subtle rotten fruit was more appropriate. Its was aweful and strong, completely over powered a few single hop experiments I did. Mid 60s into the 70s have been fine for me.

I've got the last of a batch of Centennial Blonde in keg right now. It fermented at 64 and turned out extremely clean. FYI, I've made that recipe using US05 and WLP001 and the US05 turned out a much cleaner beer.

I've never noticed, at temps down to 65 anyway... but I've always wondered if people are under pitching? This is a dry yeast that comes in convenient, single serve, packs. How many people dump one, un-rehydrated pack onto 5 gallons of a 1.065 IPA wort?

Weezy said:

I've never noticed, at temps down to 65 anyway... but I've always wondered if people are under pitching? This is a dry yeast that comes in convenient, single serve, packs. How many people dump one, un-rehydrated pack onto 5 gallons of a 1.065 IPA wort?

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Lots of people do that!

even at 100% viability there is only something like 200 billion cells in a package by the best estimate. Even whey you properly rehydrate you lose about 25% of those cells leaving you with about 150 billion cells. I know I pitch 2 re-hydrated packages into a 1.065 beer but judging by the responses, tilted heads and blank stairs at my LHBC not many people add that second package.

Us-05 likes 64. Raise to 70 as ferment slows.

Initial ferment gets fusally @70, fruity (peach with a touch of banana ?) @60. It will throw massive banana if you underpitch and go low.

Now that I think of it, For a clean yeast out can be a bit bitchy.

Calichusetts said:

I've done three batches below 60 with 05. Peachy would be a stretch, I would say a subtle rotten fruit was more appropriate. Its was aweful and strong, completely over powered a few single hop experiments I did. Mid 60s into the 70s have been fine for me.

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Yeah, I've never gotten the same off flavor twice from stressing us-05. It is a bit unpredictable in that department, perhaps from the stress of dehydration? I have gotten pleasant esters for the most part though, nothing rotten

My last beer was fermented @ 64F (Cream Ale) and the for the first two days, I was getting a wicked Belgian aroma from the airlock. It subsided though and I kegged today and the sample I pulled tasted and smelled normal.

I did a Heady Topper clone and didn't have Conan yeast so I fermented with USO5 at 60/61F. It provided some peachy aroma that is sort of similar to Conan yeast. Not exactly the same. But it worked well enough for the beer to score me a 43/50 in a recent competition. Take it for what it's worth.


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I haven't gotten the peach from US-05 yet, even though I've used it almost exclusively for over a year at different temperatures, typically on the lower end. But that may just be my palate being not very sensitive.

Once i fermented a 1.060 beer in a 60F cellar with US05 and it smelled like peach for at least 3 months. It was my second brew so i under pitched, did not rehydrated, used no yeast food etc.

edit: nowadays i can do clean fermentations with us05 but it gets peachy again during bottle carbing and stays that way for at least 4 weeks

cjgenever said:

Yeah, I've never gotten the same off flavor twice from stressing us-05. It is a bit unpredictable in that department, perhaps from the stress of dehydration? I have gotten pleasant esters for the most part though, nothing rotten

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Thats a great question. I'd have to say no because it never happens during the warmer fermentations. I've actually picked up on this with a few commercial breweries as well. There is one local that will go unnamed, but they have some...lax practices according to a buddy who worked there and confirmed they are using chico. I've had friends that couldn't pick up on the "rotten fruit" from a very low fermentation. Perhaps I'm not describing it well, we all agreed it was unpleasant and detracting though

I have been pitching 2 packs of rehydrated US05 in 5.5gal. of 1.0570 beer at 67*F and fermenting at 62*F. The beer finished out at 1.008 and was very clean and crisp.

No peachy flavors or smells at all. I did bring the temp. up to around 72* after fermentation was about complete for clean up. Total time on yeast cake was 18 days then bottled.


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