Fluffy sediment at bottom of bottle

[gobluedc]

I recently brewed an extract/specialty grain pale ale using some sweet orange peel and coriander (in a muslin bag) in the last 15 minutes of the boil. I also used whirlfloc and the yeast was S-04.

4 weeks primary and so far 3 weeks in the bottle.

I've noticed that there is a sort of fluffy sediment at the bottom of each bottle. Most of the bottles are still conditioning at 70 degrees...I threw 6 in the fridge after two weeks of conditioning which have been in the fridge for a week and they also have the fluffy sediment that moves a little bit when you move the bottle.

Every other beer I've brewed had a nice and tight yeast sediment. I know different yeasts settle differently, but I did a search and didn't find anything which surprised me since S-04 seems to be used so commonly. Could this be due to the orange and coriander even though I couldn't find anything with the search feature? Or do I just need to give it even more time than 4 weeks in primary and 3 weeks in the bottle?

I tasted one at two weeks in the bottle, before I noticed or looked for the sediment and it tasted great, so I assume it's not an infection...it was a bit hazy but i wasn't too concerned.

Thanks for your help!

 

[DoubleAught]

That would be the yeast. You can drink it if you like, live yeast does a wonderful job on a body's digestive system.....hehe. Most leave the last little bit of brew in the bottle to avoid drinking the sediment.

 

[Revvy]

It's yeast sediment. It's common to ALL bottle conditioned beers both craft and homebrew. It's really a necessary part of the process and can't be avoided.

Just pour to the shoulder, into a glass, leaving the yeast behind.

 

[PurpleJeepXJ]

It is good for you... Drink it.

 

[phenry]

I've almost stopped caring about pouring the yeast into the glass for almost all styles I brew. I can't taste the difference with a full pour and careful pour (actually tried a blind test). But I brew mostly IPAs and stouts. So YMMV depending on what you brew with what yeast.

 

[gobluedc]

Thanks for the input. Every other yeast I've used so far (WL007, WY3787, WL001, WY1028) has settled down tightly, looking like a sort of like a compact silt whereas this is kind of cottonlike.

Is this normal for S-04? Just S-04 being S-04?

Thanks!

 

[iammatt]

Thanks for the input. Every other yeast I've used so far (WL007, WY3787, WL001, WY1028) has settled down tightly, looking like a sort of like a compact silt whereas this is kind of cottonlike.

Is this normal for S-04? Just S-04 being S-04?

Thanks!

Different yeasts have different sedimentation and flocullation properties. Normally the yeast will state these properties on it's label.

 

[gobluedc]

Thanks. I read up on S-04 before I brewed with it and that is why I was confused. The manufacturer describes S-04 as:

"A well-known English ale yeast, selected for its fast fermentation character and its ability to form a very compact sediment at the end of the fermentation, helping to improve beer clarity."

I would have posted the question in the yeast forum, but thought that the fluffy sediment might possibly be due to orange peel and/or coriander.

Still curious to see if this is just how S-04 settles in the bottle. I'm not at all worried or freaked out, just looking to learn more about this yeast that a ton of people seem to use regularly.

 

[iammatt]

Normally I don't get a good "compact" sediment in the my bottles until they're about 5-6 weeks in bottle, even then it takes a good week or two in the fridge for the fluffiness of the sediment to settle all the way. S-04 and S-05 are my standbys for brewing.

 

[Tubba]

It's formed a compact sediment in my bottles. But as always in the art and science of homebrewing, YMMV.

 

[gobluedc]

Thanks for the input folks. I've got another batch to bottle today that used S-04 and almost the same recipe. Will see how that settles out in a few weeks.