Damn you S04!

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chumpsteak

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25 hours into fermenting my SamuRye Red Ale and enough yeast has already escaped through the blow off tube to form a nice puddle in the bottom of my fermentation chamber. The beer is being fermented at a temp controlled 65 degrees. Holy psycho yeast batman!

Last time I try to use a 22 oz bomber bottle for a blow off container. It was only about 1/4 full of sanitizer when I pitched.

At this rate I expect that fermentation may be done sometime tomorrow :drunk:
 
I have had to be gone for a week at a time during a ferment, and getting back ONE fruit fly has vinegared the entire schiznocitie! I am now making a blow-off tube into an airlock 'grant' that will have a normal air lock on top of it.

It's a 2-stage blowoff air lock, and I hope it helps keep down the lactic issues I have had *(multiple fruit flies floating INSIDE the airlock).
 
Ha, S04 and most english yeasts always do that for me. I knew what this thread was about by the title.

I use fermcap and always put a blowoff into either a 1gal water jug or a 2 liter bottle. Silicone tubing works awesome since you can just boil it, really easy sanitation.
 
Didn't learn my lesson. Pitched more S04 yesterday and 24 hours later the fermenters are full of krausen and blowing out the tubes already. Someone needs to tell this yeast to calm the hell down!
 
Out of curiosity, did you rehydrate before pitching? I almost exclusively use dry yeast and haven't been rehydrating, although I'm considering it now after reading so much saying that it should be rehydrated. I've got Nottingham foam passing through the tube right now and can't imagine making it even more active.
 
What temp are you fermenting at chumpsteak? I don't have any serious issues fermenting the SO-4 at 61 degrees.
 
Did you make a starter? They only go crazy for me when I repitch onto a yeast cake or make a starter.
 
I read this when you posted it the other day, hadn't used S-04 for a while but decided to do so...woke up this morning and it was starting to come out of my airlock even with the 5 drops of FermcapS i used yesterday...had to quickly fasten a blow-off tube
 
I wish yeast would go crazy for me like that! What's your trick? O2 stone?

s-04 ferments fast even if it doesn't go crazy.
 
I am on the fence with s04, I need to try it in a few more beers. It left a weird taste in my pumpkin ale, although I may have let the fermentation run a bit hot. It was good in my Captain Hooked on Bitters Clone and so far seems good in my Chocolate Milk Stout. I do love how quickly it ferments and how clear it gets. I did however just buy 5 packs off ebay for 16 bucks shipped so I guess I am committed to it. Now that I buy my grain in bulk and my specialty grains several brews in advance I do like dry yeast because it means I can brew at the drop of a hat with no worries about a starter.
 
I used SO-4 for my Strawberry Blond today for a 12 gal batch. My fermenter is 15 gal and I should have around 3 gal headspace so I'm not worried much about a blowout. I do like this yeast and keep a lot of it on hand. It hasn't failed me yet.

beerloaf
 
I wish yeast would go crazy for me like that! What's your trick? O2 stone?

s-04 ferments fast even if it doesn't go crazy.

I always rehydrate my dry yeast and I hit it with pure O2 for 45-60 per 5 gallons. I was actually looking up reviews of S-04 on pro brewer and they were saying they got funny flavors when using O2 on the first pitch, but not on subsequent. I hadn't used it in a while so we will see how the flavor turns out this time around.
 
I rehydrated before pitching and always pitch the correct amount according to Mr.Malty. I've read Jamil's yeast book and now I always rehydrate my dry yeast before pitching.

This batch pitched and fermented at 67 degrees as suggested by the recipe. That is a temp controlled 67 degrees so that's the liquid temp.

I came home from work tonight 48 hours after pitching and the kraussen has completely dropped and while it is still bubbling like crazy there is a huge layer of yeast on the bottom.

I aerate using a venturi type vacuum T that coupled with my pump really sucks the air into the wort as it enters the fermenter. I don't think I'm doing anything special, just good processes and this yeast is just ape sh*t.

A word of warning on S04 though, the only time I've had diacetyl in one of my beers was when I fermented with S04. It was a beer I rushed and since it fermented out so fast I cold crashed it after 5 or 6 days and locked in the diacetyl. It's important with this yeast to give it another few days after you're sure fermentation has stopped so it can clean up after itself. The last beer I made with it was in primary for 14 days and has no sign of off flavors or diacetyl so this yeast can be very clean, it just needs more time that it appears. I normally also let the temp bump up a few degrees after most of the fermentation is done.
 

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