Safale s-04

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b33risGOOD

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Brewed a PM IPA on the 16th, and it didnt get into the bucket untill about 10pm. I pitched one pack of safale s-04 (first time using it) into 70F wort.

The next day, the 17th, it was bubbling like crazy in my basement of 65f. All of my beers have a quick start to fermentations. The weird thing is today the 18th there is no air lock activity.

I know air lock doesnt mean anything but ive never seen this happen, and I try never to open my pail for at least 10 days for a reading. I have heard s-04 is super fast, but even if it was finished there should still be enough risidual pressure to pop a few bubbles out. Anyways should I just open her up and take a reading?

I always used s-05 but wanted to experiment, I didnt realize this was english yeast and now my IPA is more english IPA. :(
 
Personally, I have no experience with Safale products, but the mantra of HBT is "Airlock activity does not equal fermentation". Repeat after me "Airlock activity does not equal fermentation, Airlock activity does not equal fermentation".;)

Seriously though, what are your hydrometer reading? Could your pail/stopper just have gotten a little loose? Only the hydrometer will tell for sure.
 
I know airlock activity doesnt mean anything, but i use the same equip everytime and its fairly new so there are alot of typical things that happen and this isnt lol.

I guess there is no answer to this question really, Im thinking its done but im not gonna open her up for a while.
 
While S04 might be an "English" strain, it doesn't throw many esters and it clears the beer well. It attenuates pretty well too.

I have done my last two American IPAs with S04, and I'm doing an American amber (bubbling away next to me right now) with it.

It's fast, "clean", and very versatile. I use it more often than S05. As long as you keep S04 under 70 degrees, you won't get any "English" esters from it.
 
Oh yea my temps are very low 60's. Im trying to brew as much as possible to take advantage of it.
 
Leave it alone for a few weeks. I've done 2 batches with 04 and had great results. If your can keep it in the low 60"s while fermenting it will turn out great.:mug:
 
bwomp313 said:
S-04 is a beast.
Click to expand...

amen to that, always keep few spare in fridge in case something is a miss with fancy ones - goes off like rocket, chews all in 24-48h and generally is done in 3 days... after that just cleanup. tho keep in mind, S-04 might give you a tad of yeast smell while young - takes about 2 weeks in primary to get rid of the most.
 
b33risGOOD said:
Brewed a PM IPA on the 16th, and it didnt get into the bucket untill about 10pm. I pitched one pack of safale s-04 (first time using it) into 70F wort.

The next day, the 17th, it was bubbling like crazy in my basement of 65f. All of my beers have a quick start to fermentations. The weird thing is today the 18th there is no air lock activity.

I know air lock doesnt mean anything but ive never seen this happen, and I try never to open my pail for at least 10 days for a reading. I have heard s-04 is super fast, but even if it was finished there should still be enough risidual pressure to pop a few bubbles out. Anyways should I just open her up and take a reading?

I always used s-05 but wanted to experiment, I didnt realize this was english yeast and now my IPA is more english IPA. :(
Click to expand...

You may know better but was the yeast in the fridge or freezer prior to pitching? If it was you may have a really slow start but it will probably still ferment. Yes I did this once and the beer came out fine, just really slow start.
 
That's the one I use. I love it because when it first starts going it bubbles furiously, it's a great sound. Depending on your gravity, I would advise a blow-off tube. Heck, even just to be safe. When it gets going it ferments with great fury. lol
 
Some of the dry yeasts go through their active phase rather rapidly, producing loads of carbon dioxide and really rattling the airlock before slowing down and doing the "dirty work". Just because it isn't bubbling doesn't mean it isn't fermenting anymore, just that it is done with that phase of its fermentation. Let it sit another 2 to 4 weeks and it will finish its job and drop out of suspension, ready for bottling or kegging. Be sure to take a hydrometer reading before you bottle or keg in case the yeasts went on a Christmas break and didn't finish right on schedule.
 

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