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**RmikeVT** · 10-31-2012, 07:15 PM

I've definitely had some trouble with S-04. I brewed an English Bitter and it had a very tart finish. It has that nice round malty front, with a nice bitter finish then out of no where comes this tart I licked a sour patch kid or cry baby flavor. It faded as I drank through it and it aged in the keg but never went completely away. This was before I had temp control more firmly nailed down like I do now - but with so much other available yeast, dry and liquid if I get a yeast that doesn't perform well or suite my taste I just move on -- likewise if I get one I like for a particular style I stay with it. Don't fix if its not broken mentality.

Phunhog · 11-01-2012, 03:21 AM

Funny that I saw this thread...hardly ever use S-04 but used for OktoberFAST beer. I agree it has this tart thing going....not really sure what it is. I have temperture control..so that's not it. Don't really care for it....other people have tried the beer and they don't mind it.

**corkybstewart** · 11-01-2012, 03:27 AM

I use it a lot for bitters, milds, porters, etc, but I tend to ferment my ales pretty cool-60-62F for the bulk of the fermentation.

solbes · 11-01-2012, 03:19 PM

Anxiously awaiting trying my first S-04 beer. Just dropped a pair of browns in the fridge this morning and I'm nervous. 10 gallons across 2 styles with this yeast and I'm not very confident.

blacksquid · 11-01-2012, 04:16 PM

^^Yep. I bought 2 packs for use in a smoked porter and now you guys are making me think I should just go for something else... HMMM

andycr · 11-01-2012, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blacksquid

^^Yep. I bought 2 packs for use in a smoked porter and now you guys are making me think I should just go for something else... HMMM

FWIW, I didn't notice the strange flavors as much in my stout as I did in my Hobgoblin clone; the roastiness seemed to cover it up to some extent.

blacksquid · 11-01-2012, 04:40 PM

Not sure I wanna do any cover up operation!

I think I may just swap those packs for my usual US-05 or give Nottingham a shot...

brew2enjoy · 11-02-2012, 12:32 AM

My experience with S-04 is limited, but what I have learned is that it does well in darker or maltier beers. For example I used it in a Blonde ale once. That beer turned out fine, but it definitely had a bready character to it from the yeast. I used it in a double IPA before and it was fantastic.

TriggerFingers · 11-02-2012, 02:14 AM

I recently made an ESB that just came out weird with S-04. I kept the temps around 70 and it still came out "off." I pitched a 1.5 cups of the S-04 slurry from my ESB into my Obsidian Stout clone and it turned out absolutely fantastic! If I use dry yeast in the future, it will be S-05 or Nottingham. S-04 just didn't work out for me.

**corkybstewart** · 11-02-2012, 03:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TriggerFingers

I recently made an ESB that just came out weird with S-04. I kept the temps around 70 and it still came out "off." I pitched a 1.5 cups of the S-04 slurry from my ESB into my Obsidian Stout clone and it turned out absolutely fantastic! If I use dry yeast in the future, it will be S-05 or Nottingham. S-04 just didn't work out for me.

Temps around 70? Is that ambient or fermentation? No offense but I haven't let a beer ferment that hot in years except for my saisons.
Several years ago I brewed a 15 gallon batch of Mild, OG around 1.045. I fermented it in 3 buckets with different yeasts but all at around 62-64F. I used WLP004, Safale 04 and Nottingham. The hands down favorite was the Nottingham with a very clean taste, but the 04 was a very close second. I used a very un-scientific evaluation method, several friends and family members sitting in the backyard drinking, but they had no idea they were evaluating yeasts so their comments were pretty honest.