Safale S-04 Need more yeast at bottling?

[dwc]

I'm just getting back into homebrewing after a 20-year absence. For my first batch I used Safale S-04 yeast in a 1.048 OG amber ale. I was amazed at how fast it worked. I transferred to secondary fermenter at day 2 and bottled at day 8 with a final gravity of 1.012. I was concerned that if I left it much longer there would be insufficient viable yeast in the bottle to carbonate. This yeast settled out so rapidly and so thoroughly I'm wondering if it is advisable to add more yeast at bottling?

 

[blacklab]

Nope - there is still yeast in suspension. Just add corn sugar and bottle.

 

[McKBrew]

You will not need anymore yeast at bottling.

In the future though, I would recommend not transferring to secondary so soon. Beer needs at least 1 week to 10 days in primary. Many of us now forgo the secondary (except for beers that require long term aging) and leave it in the primary for 3-4 weeks.

 

[emoutal]

From what i've read, you would only possibly need to add more yeast if you let it age for many many months. And even then, you would still probably be ok.

Also, I would recommend you leave it in the primary for longer. This will help clean up an off flavours. Be lazy and skip the secondary altogether. I leave mine in the primary for at least 3 weeks, then bottle.

 

[Chad]

I'm just getting back into homebrewing after a 20-year absence. For my first batch I used Safale S-04 yeast in a 1.048 OG amber ale. I was amazed at how fast it worked. I transferred to secondary fermenter at day 2 and bottled at day 8 with a final gravity of 1.012. I was concerned that if I left it much longer there would be insufficient viable yeast in the bottle to carbonate. This yeast settled out so rapidly and so thoroughly I'm wondering if it is advisable to add more yeast at bottling?

The conventional wisdom about getting the beer off the yeast has changed since you last brewed. Autolysis rarely, if ever, happens, even when leaving the beer on the yeast for 6-8 weeks. In fact, many homebrewers now skip the secondary altogether and keep the beer in primary for 2-3 weeks. It gives the yeast time to clean up after itself and remove diacetyl and other fermentation byproducts that can mess with the flavor of the beer. There is plenty of yeast available for bottle carbonation, even after several weeks.

You do not need any additional yeast. Even though S04 is a strongly flocculating strain there is still plenty of yeast in suspension to provide carbonation. In fact, there may be more than you want. I'd give the bottles plenty of time to carb up and settle out before drinking.

Chad