American Pale ale with S04?

I was about to brew an "American Ale" (pale ale) kit from morebeer.com when i realized I had Safale S04, which is an English ale yeast. Even though morebeer recommended that yeast for the kit, I know US-05 american ale yeast would be better for what i want.

My question is, how much difference is there between these two dry yeasts? Both are considered to be clean yeasts that don't impart much flavor, so should I pitch the S04, or wait a week or so for some US-05?

Both are good yeasts. S-05 tends to be "cleaner' tasting with less of its own flavor. It will probably dry out the brew a little more than 04-- good or bad depending on the recipe and style. S-04 is more typical of English ales with estery overtones. 04 is also a little more flocculant.

Results may vary.

I wouldn't call S-04 "clean" - it doesn't tend to attenuate as much and throws off quite a few esters and other flavors that accentuate the crystal malts and English hops that tend to be used heavily in English Pale Ales/Bitters. It'll probably make a perfectly fine beer if you use it in your brew, but I wouldn't expect it to have that Chico crispness/dryness that US-05 will give you.

I think of American ales as being much more defined by their hop profile than the yeast used. To that extent, I think you'd be more much able to make S-04 work in an APA than you would get US-05 to work in an English pale (which is more defined by the malt and yeast ester profile).

yeah you guys are right, I was hoping to have a miracle answer that S04 would be the same but I knew you guys are right so i drove my lazy ass to the LHBS and got the US-05. thanks guys