Weird taste with S-04

I just brewed an ESB on Saturday and pitched a fresh pack of rehydrated S-04. Temp at pitch was 64*F. I saw signs of fermentation within 18 hours and by 36 hours I had a huge (6-7") layer of foam on top of the beer. I kept the temps under 65*F (ferm temps, not ambient). The krausen started dropping yesterday and is gone today so I decided to take a hydrometer sample. The sample had a slight vinegar smell to me, but I've been sick so I had my wife smell it and she said it smells like beer. I lifted the lid on the bucket and took a smell and it was like sweet beer with a slight hint of vinegar. The taste is like watered down green beer with a slight vinegar taste, but I think I'm getting that from the smell (or lack thereof from being sick).

O.G. was 1.034 and it is currently at 1.014 at 63*F. This is my first time using S-04 so I'm not really sure what I should expect. There are no visual indications of infections (film on top of beer or slime).

I clean all of my equipment with One Step and sanitize with StarSan, before and after each batch. I use a Cooper's fermenter and clean it with a soft sanitized 3M sponge and One Step. I used distilled water to rehydrate the yeast.

I wouldn't worry about it yet. I'd carb it up and wait until it's truly done to see how it came out. I say that because I've gotten odd smells from hydro samples with English yeasts and the beers turned out great once done.

If it were me, I wouldn't trust my senses when sick, especially if it's a chest or upper respiratory thing. It doesn't sound like you have any cleaning issues. Maybe give it another week to see if your perception changes?

if your wife isn't sick, her senses are probably more trustworthy right now. sometimes things smell and taste pretty weird when you are sick. most likely the beer is going to be fine, when it is fully conditioned, and you're healthy again...

There is a entire thread dedicated to S-04 haters somewhere on here. Search it. I have had some beers that were fine and some that we're not with S-04. But nothing that was great. See how it goes and be sure to wait on final judgement. It may take a couple months for the favors to come together.

S04 is a love it or hate it yeast. I will say that what you may be tasting is diacetyl. Was it kind of buttery? I get it every time I use s04. But fear not, it will go away. Give it a diacetyl rest once fermentation is complete. About a week is all it needs. It has always worked for me, in fact I am drinking an ESB right now fermented with s04 and it is delicious.

gcdowd said:

S04 is a love it or hate it yeast. I will say that what you may be tasting is diacetyl. Was it kind of buttery? I get it every time I use s04. But fear not, it will go away. Give it a diacetyl rest once fermentation is complete. About a week is all it needs. It has always worked for me, in fact I am drinking an ESB right now fermented with s04 and it is delicious.

Click to expand...

I put the hydrometer sample in a container with a lid and gave it a shake so I could smell it better. It has a buttery smell to it, but I swear I smell vinegar too. In fact, I convinced my wife to taste it (she will never taste a hydro sample) and she said it had a vinegar taste.

I guess I'll let it get down to FG (I'm shooting for 1.009ish) and reevaluate. I guess I'll either have 5 gallons of beer or malt vinegar. I've never had an infection before but I've read other posts about them and most of them mention visual indicators in addition to smell and taste. If I hadn't taken a hydro sample I would have never suspected anything by the looks of it.

I used S04 on my first Stout and liked it enough to use it on my second Stout. I didn't notice a vinegar taste but isn't this yeast supposed to have a little bit of a sourness to it, it seems that I remember reading that somewhere.

It's at 1.014 (I'm shooting for 1.009) so I guess I'll put a heat belt on it and bring the temp up to help it attenuate and give it a D rest.

goodsuds said:

I put the hydrometer sample in a container with a lid and gave it a shake so I could smell it better. It has a buttery smell to it, but I swear I smell vinegar too. In fact, I convinced my wife to taste it (she will never taste a hydro sample) and she said it had a vinegar taste.

I guess I'll let it get down to FG (I'm shooting for 1.009ish) and reevaluate. I guess I'll either have 5 gallons of beer or malt vinegar. I've never had an infection before but I've read other posts about them and most of them mention visual indicators in addition to smell and taste. If I hadn't taken a hydro sample I would have never suspected anything by the looks of it.

Click to expand...

Always worth letting it complete and clear up. It may become the best beer you've ever made!

I put a heating pad in the ferm chamber near the fermenter but not on it. I was able to bring the temp up from 63*F to 70*F in about 24-26 hours and I held it there until this morning. Actually got up to almost 71*F, but when I lifted the lid slightly to smell it all I got was a sweet bread smell, no vinegar or butterscotch. The temp should drop gradually through today and tomorrow. I'll take a hydro sample tonight after work to see if the taste improved and see how much it attenuated.

I'm really hoping it was just crazy amounts of diacetyl.

goodsuds said:

I put a heating pad in the ferm chamber near the fermenter but not on it. I was able to bring the temp up from 63*F to 70*F in about 24-26 hours and I held it there until this morning. Actually got up to almost 71*F, but when I lifted the lid slightly to smell it all I got was a sweet bread smell, no vinegar or butterscotch. The temp should drop gradually through today and tomorrow. I'll take a hydro sample tonight after work to see if the taste improved and see how much it attenuated.

I'm really hoping it was just crazy amounts of diacetyl.

Click to expand...

I bet it is. Once my fermentation was done I brought the temp up to about 68 for roughly a week and the diacetyl was gone.

If I did have an infection, shouldn't I expect to see a pelicle form (if bacterial) and/or have it over attenuate way beyond what I should expect from the yeast?

goodsuds said:

If I did have an infection, shouldn't I expect to see a pelicle form (if bacterial) and/or have it over attenuate way beyond what I should expect from the yeast?

Click to expand...

You don't always get a pellicle... or it might take time to form. Full attenuation from various types of infections takes a long time... a Flanders beer often takes a year or more to complete. Lambics go for up to 3 years.

I wouldn't worry about infection though, RDWHAHB . . . until there's some clear reason to worry.

Well, I tried a taste of the hydrometer sample and its definitely infected. It has a slimy mouthfeel and the vinegar taste is still there. I guess I should look on the bright side since I'll be dumping 5 gallons of malt vinegar from the fermenter instead of 5 gallons of beer that got infected in the bottles.

Ah that sucks.