2nd try at an amber

[gcarter]

All extract, 5 gallon batch:
6 lb amber DME
1lb dark DME
0.5lb Crystal 60L steeping
Hallertau AA 3.1% @30
30 min boil
Safale S-04
2 weeks in the fermenter
155g dextrose to bottle

Second time making it, this is the only recipe I have used this yeast with. I have several others that I use US-05 with, with good results including a blonde that was made, fermented, and bottled at the same time with good results.

Yeast date on this one was 01/01/2018, so it is not stale. I always dry pitch.

Both times making it I have liked the flavour, but it just does not carb up. It has only been 2 weeks, but I had the same result last time and more time in the bottle did not help, up to 2 months. The blonde has great body & fizz after the same 2 weeks, same environmental conditions all around.

Is this something peculiar to this yeast?

 

[Braufessor]

I have not used the dry version of this yeast.... however it is an english yeast and sometimes they tend to really drop out and flocculate. If you have had good luck with SO5 there is no reason that yeast would not also work great in this beer.

I would say that it seems like the amber DME + the Dark DME and the steeping grains would make for a very "caramel" flavored beer. There is barely any hops in the beer to offset the amount of caramel/crystal type aspects of this beer.

 

[gcarter]

Also meant to mention - OG was 1.052 and FG 1.012, ABV 5.24%

And I also left out the amount of the Hallertau - 2 oz.

The beer has a slight sweetness, not very much, as I said I find the flavour nice, just enough hops. It is an easy drinker, just not very carby.

I generally like me some IPAs, and this would be a nice switch-up if I could fix this.

How much do you think US-05 would change the flavour?

 

[AZCoolerBrewer]

I had a similar issue with S-04. I was keeping the bottles at ferment temps, 62-63 and it didn't really carb at all. The forum suggested that I leave them at room temp 70-72 for a couple of weeks and that worked out well.

 

[Braufessor]

Also meant to mention - OG was 1.052 and FG 1.012, ABV 5.24%

And I also left out the amount of the Hallertau - 2 oz.

The beer has a slight sweetness, not very much, as I said I find the flavour nice, just enough hops. It is an easy drinker, just not very carby.

I generally like me some IPAs, and this would be a nice switch-up if I could fix this.

How much do you think US-05 would change the flavour?

2 oz. is a lot better.....

I don't think 05 would change it a lot.

What temp. were you carbonating at? As the other poster suggested - that could be an issue.

 

[gcarter]

Ambient is 68f-70f. I tend to think you may be right about the yeast dropping out.

 

[Braufessor]

yeah - that temp. should have been fine.

I suppose you could add some 05 at bottling perhaps just to ensure that you get carbonation. That would give you the flavor profile of the 04 but also add yeast for bottling to hopefully ensure that carbonation happens ...... like I said, I have not used this particular yeast.... so maybe others have some better insight. All bottles were flat? Sometimes people don't mix priming sugar well enough and they end up with flat bottles and over cared bottles.....

 

[gcarter]

Yes, the last batch yielded an even 60 x 355ml bottles, not completely flat, but the head that appeared with a vigorous pour was small, and would disappear withing minutes. The carbonation was very very light. Over about 2 months, they were all about the same, no improvement, but very consistent. I have not had an issue (yet) with priming sugar distribution.

This batch yielded 61 355ml bottles, only one opened so far @ 2 weeks. I may be premature in asking the question, but I really do expect that this is a repeat.

I was going to brew something else this weekend but I am now thinking I will try the amber again but with the US-05.

Thanks.