Can we talk about Safale/Saflager Yeasts?

[sonvolt]

So, I picked up an array of the fermentis yeast products today. I got at least one of each of their strains. Obviously, the Safale -04 is the English Ale Yeast and the -05 is the American strain. 23 is the German Lager, etc.

I also got the S-33 and the T-58. The website indicates that the 33 can be used in Belgians and Trappists and that the 58 is spicy and peppery. Wow - an abundance of information about them, huh?

Has anyone used either of these two strains? If so, what did you thinK? I will probably brew a belgian with the 33, but what should I do with the T-58?

 

[Reverend JC]

I have used one you did not mention, the S-56.

I was a great yeast. High attenuation, fermented quickly. I would not hesitate to try any of the other fermentis yeast strains. Right now i am making my way through liquid yeast strains though.

 

[david_42]

I've got a Schwartzbier lagering that used 23. It's coming along nicely, but haven't tried S-33 or T-58. Looking at the style guides, spicy & peppery are desirable in Belgians and alts. Not much help.

 

[Torchiest]

BeerSmith says this about the T-58:

"SafBrew Specialty Ale

Estery, somewhat spicy ale yeast. Solid yeast formation at end of fermentation. Widely used for bottle and cask conditioning. Use for: Complex ales."

It also says the S-33 is a good general purpose ale yeast with high attentuation, good flavor profile, and a clean finish.

 

[boo boo]

Haven't used either of those 2 but am getting ready to brew tomorrow using US-56 ale yeast and will do my next two lagers using S-189. US-56 I have used before with good results.

 

[the_bird]

I also got the S-33 and the T-58. The website indicates that the 33 can be used in Belgians and Trappists and that the 58 is spicy and peppery. Wow - an abundance of information about them, huh?

You know, my HBS guy told me to use the S-33 for a brown ale I've got planned, kind of a toasty, smallish (~1040 - 1045 OG) brown ale using some Fuggles and other British hops. Definately not Belgian or Trappist in nature. I had been planning to use the S-04, but he recommended against. Is he just getting himself confused, should I be using the S-04? Is there another dry yeast that I might want to order instead (have to place an order anyway). I have Nottingham and S-56 in the fridge, as well; should I just use Nottingham?

 

[homebrewer_99]

I just racked a batch on a -56 yeast cake...lag time was under 3 hours.

 

[JacktheKnife]

Sonvolt dude,

Fermentis Safale 56 and the S-04 yeasts,
have changed my life!
Its true!
The best ale I have produced in my homebrewing life,
ie. 15 years...
if I were to rate it with one I have brewed using the Fermentis yeasts...
Sheffield and Nottingham - 20
Fermentis Safale 56 and S-04 - 100!

I am loyal, in that when I find something that works I stay with it and never waver. I can't praise Fermentis yeasts enough.
Except to say I will never use anything else.

{Oh, and howdy there '99' }


J. Winters Knife
and Sandymay

 

[homebrewer_99]

{Oh, and howdy there '99' }J. Winters Knife and Sandymay

Howdy, back, Jack!

 

[veggiess]

I have used one you did not mention, the S-56.

I was a great yeast. High attenuation, fermented quickly. I would not hesitate to try any of the other fermentis yeast strains. Right now i am making my way through liquid yeast strains though.

Agreed. I have had awesome luck with US-56. Not one bad batch, and many have turned out better than when I've used liquid yeast. It always seems to take off pretty quickly, even without a starter (I always hydrate though).

 

[redsox1]

i have used both the 33 and the 58 strain and liked them both very much.

 

[McCall St. Brewer]

Only one I've used is US-56. As I recall, it worked really well.

 

[zoebisch01]

I am trying the T-58 simply because I had a pack. I followed the rehydration methods, pitched at ~75 F at 7:00. By 9:30 I had airlock activity (it may have started sooner, that was just when I first checked). So I'll let you know how it turns out (if I remember )

 

[Ryan_PA]

Wow, this is cool to hear. I bought a variety of packs on the suggestion of one of the guys at Keystone Homebrew. They have been sitting in my fridge ever since. I was (have been) of the mind set that dry yeast in inferior to liquid, but I guess I will have to force myself to brew another batch...purly in the name of comparison. ANy suggestion for which would be best in an IPA?

 

[the_bird]

Wow, this is cool to hear. I bought a variety of packs on the suggestion of one of the guys at Keystone Homebrew. They have been sitting in my fridge ever since. I was (have been) of the mind set that dry yeast in inferior to liquid, but I guess I will have to force myself to brew another batch...purly in the name of comparison. ANy suggestion for which would be best in an IPA?

I'd hit the US-56; supposed to be basically the Chico strain, which is nice and clean. You don't need (or want) a lot of yeast character in an IPA, you just want clean with pretty high attenuation.

 

[zoebisch01]

Wow, this is cool to hear. I bought a variety of packs on the suggestion of one of the guys at Keystone Homebrew. They have been sitting in my fridge ever since. I was (have been) of the mind set that dry yeast in inferior to liquid, but I guess I will have to force myself to brew another batch...purly in the name of comparison. ANy suggestion for which would be best in an IPA?

IMHO, dry yeast strains are the 'workhorses' of brewing, but you can produce some great stuff with them, they are reliable and inexpensive. What's not to love? Sure you can't make a Hefe or some of the Belgian styles with them but for quite a good number of different ales where the yeast properties are not being showcased they are winners.

 

[Evan!]

The website indicates that the 33 can be used in Belgians and Trappists and that the 58 is spicy and peppery.

While they may say that, I don't buy it. Every time I've used Safeale dry yeast, it's finished out clean. There's no peppery spicy nothin' in there.

You could use the 33 in belgians, but I wouldn't. It's not unique enough by any measure. It might be correct, but if you're making any kind of belgian, specialized yeast are a huge component. But otherwise, just use them however you want. They're good all-purpose ale yeasts that don't have much unique characteristics and are great for ales that showcase the malt or hops or additives, but not the yeast.

 

[brewt00l]

They're good all-purpose ale yeasts that don't have much unique characteristics and are great for ales that showcase the malt or hops or additives, but not the yeast.

Totally. I have used both fairly often and they are reliable performers. 33 doesn't have that crisp clean profile that 56 has..it finishes a little "rounder" and sweeter IMHO

 

[the_bird]

33 a decent choice for an English-style brown ale? Gotta do an order anyway, should I pick somethine else up while I'm at it? I prefer dry over liquid for simplicity, but I'm not wholly opposed to a Wyest/White Labs recommendation.

 

[mjm76]

I used the 23 on a recent Munich dunkel I made and I have no complaints at all. I pitched and immediatly lowered to around 43F and fermentation began w/in 36 hours and continued at a steady pace for 10 days. The beer turned out pretty clean and the yeast was very easy to use and alot cheaper than liquid.

 

[brewt00l]

33 a decent choice for an English-style brown ale? Gotta do an order anyway, should I pick somethine else up while I'm at it? I prefer dry over liquid for simplicity, but I'm not wholly opposed to a Wyest/White Labs recommendation.

I think it would work just fine if you were going for a smooth somewhat malty finish as opposed to a drier crisp finish (like a dry mild brown).

 

[mysterio]

I'm using T-58 in a Belgian wit at the moment. I wasn't overly impressed with WLP400 in my last Wit so we'll see how the dried yeast goes.

From what i've heard, s-33 is fine in any pale ale and doesn't have any Belgian character.

US-56 is a good, consistent high-attenuator and fairly clean. S04 I find a bit on the tart/acidic side for my tastes.

 

[sonvolt]

While they may say that, I don't buy it. Every time I've used Safeale dry yeast, it's finished out clean. There's no peppery spicy nothin' in there.

You could use the 33 in belgians, but I wouldn't. It's not unique enough by any measure. It might be correct, but if you're making any kind of belgian, specialized yeast are a huge component. But otherwise, just use them however you want. They're good all-purpose ale yeasts that don't have much unique characteristics and are great for ales that showcase the malt or hops or additives, but not the yeast.

So . . . you've used the T-58 strain? Can you indicate what you used it in, how you used it, etc?

 

[zoebisch01]

I have a pale ale brewing with the S-33. I had a couple of packs I wanted to get rolling. I am pushing it to just outside of the lowest point of the recommended ferment temp so we'll see how it goes. No news on the batch I brewed with the 58, still waiting to bottle.

 

[Evan!]

Used the T-58 in an Oatmeal Stout. Can't speak much to it, though, since Papazian's recommended dryhopping w/ crystal pellets really krunked up that batch. SWMBO loves it, but me...not so much. I typically use US-56 if I use dry at all (typically only in emergencies). As I said, though, this batch wasn't a good litmus test for this strain, cuz it turned out weird anyway.

 

[Torchiest]

I typically use US-56 if I use dry at all (typically only in emergencies).

Absolutely hilarious. "This is a homebrew emergency! I 20cc's of dry yeast, stat!"

 

[Evan!]

Sheeeheeeeit...sometimes my brewhouse does look like a freakin' ER.

 

[ahsndpro]

I've used the 33 twice now and I've had very good results. Both ferments started and completed very quickly. The first batch tasted great and the second is still underway.

 

[Hercules Rockefeller]

I've had great luck with us-56. I primarily brew IPA, APA, chili beer, and other beers that have neutral yeast flavors and so us-56 is my mainstay yeast. I recently made a blue paddle pilsner clone with one of the salager strains (I think s-23) and it fermented alright, but not great. it didn't carbonate to well and seems to be maturing very slowly. after pitching I noticed the instructions on the wen site stated to pitch two packets when primary fermentation is below 60 f, which I didn't know on brewday. so I can't complain about that one until seeing how it does with the double dose. I also just used a s-04 for an ESB, fermentation was strong and what I drank out of the bottline bucket (can't let it go to waste!) was good. I'm curious to check it out next week when it is carb'd.

 

[zoebisch01]

I've used the 33 twice now and I've had very good results. Both ferments started and completed very quickly. The first batch tasted great and the second is still underway.

Do you get strong airlock activity with the 33? The reason I ask is well here is my story. There are a few factors going on here.....

Sunday brewed a 39 beer. Pitched rehydrated yeast following my normal procedures which have produced excellent results. I decided to push the 33 down to 58 F (outside of the recommended range) (pitched at room temp ~72). Now 33 is declared as a good high gravity beer, so this brew should be cake. Monday, no airlock activity only a slight pressure. Monday evening, same. Not a bubble. So, in my haste I think there has to be something wrong, lt me take it upstairs where it is a little warmer. Come home Tuesday. Same, so (and this was an error) I repitched without taking a gravity reading. Come home today...same. No activity, no big krausen only a little thin thing. So I am getting a little worried...right...rdwhahb....gravity.....13. almost there. Wow. Not a sign of airlock, it is a good tight lid and the seal is good. This I'll have to keep in mind for the future. The sample tasted great too.

Ok so the yeast are obviously doing their job. Cooler initial temps, plus the fact that this strain is stong, I am guessing that is why I got this type of ferment. This was a first timer for me.