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Fermenting S-04 Cleanly

CornyKegs 728
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KISS Brew

KISS Brew

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I'll be making a variant of Yooper's Fizzy Yellow Beer in the near future. It would be more convenient for me to use S-04 in place of US-05, but I could be talked out of this.

I've convinced myself this is a good idea for beer clarity, since I know from experience that S-04 flocs out extremely well. I'm concerned about flavor contributions. I've never used S-04 in such a light beer before.

Have you had a good/bad experience fermenting S-04 "cleanly"? At what temperature, and for what style of beer?

Thanks!
 
S-04 ferments cleanly as well, it just doesn't attenuate quite as much as US-05. FWIW, I've used S-04 in a cream ale before, and the slight added sweetness from the residual sugars was a nice addition. I fermented between 63F and 65F. I'm actually considering using S-04 in my cream ale style beers going forward.
 
I like s04 in the low 60s. Ferments clean, drops clear, and leaves you a couple points higher than us-05. I haven't used it in anything as light as a cream ale but I say go for it.
 
KISS Brew said:
I've convinced myself this is a good idea for beer clarity, since I know from experience that S-04 flocs out extremely well. I'm concerned about flavor contributions. I've never used S-04 in such a light beer before.
Click to expand...

If temperature control is a concern you could consider Nottingham. It flocs like a champ and is clean well into the low 70's.
 
I'll give it a shot in the low 60s and report back.

Thanks again for the advice, everyone. :mug:
 
niquejim said:
So you don't like it when a British yeast gives the beer a British taste:D
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Ha- that's really not the case for the other dozens of yeast strains. But both nottingham and S04 get weird estery, not pleasant estery, at a pretty low temperature. I think nottingham is positively foul above 72 degrees, while I like Wyeast 1335, 1098, and 1318 even at 75 degrees.

S04 gets a weird flavor above 70, but not as bad as nottingham. But fermented cool (59 even, for nottingham), both are clean and leave a clear beer behind.
 
Yooper said:
Ha- that's really not the case for the other dozens of yeast strains. But both nottingham and S04 get weird estery, not pleasant estery, at a pretty low temperature. I think nottingham is positively foul above 72 degrees, while I like Wyeast 1335, 1098, and 1318 even at 75 degrees.

S04 gets a weird flavor above 70, but not as bad as nottingham. But fermented cool (59 even, for nottingham), both are clean and leave a clear beer behind.
Click to expand...

This is concerning... I chose 04 for my ESB because the recipe called for it and it made sense. Plus, the Fermentis info states that this is okay to about 75F. My basement is at about 70, and the fermentation brings that up to about 74-75. Hope it's okay...
 
tytanium said:
yes, it should be just okay. Probably not good or great, but okay.
Click to expand...

grrr

My Nut Brown (not completely done clarifying, but completely done fermenting) tastes amazing with s-05 fermented at the same temperatures. The Fermentis info shows both of these yeasts working well at the same temperatures. Also, I've always wondered whether the temperature range listed by Fermentis are temperatures in the environment (room) or within the fermenter during full activity.
 
I always have issues with my S-04 flocculating. It takes a month + to do so and is still not as clear as the same batch that was split and fermented with us-05 after the first week and a half in the primary (from which all yeast has settled out of suspension) and I ferment low enough.. around 16degC
 
I'm using it for the first time right now. I'm using a swamp cooler and have kept it at 64-66 for first two days and today it got up to 68 for a little while and I knocked it back down. I'm thinking that probably wouldn't effect it too much at this point. The krausen's falling so I'm guessing I got through the most critical part. Reading these posts got me kind of nervous about it lol.
 
I ended up using the S-04 in my Blonde Ale, which I bottled last night. The hydrometer sample tasted clean, but I'll definitely be updating when I have a cold and carbonated final product to judge.
 
Not sure if this helps but lately I have been brewing 10 gal batches and splitting them, half with s04 and half with s05.

The s04 batches have been a bit sweeter with lots more hop flavor. Although the hop flavor starts to disappear after about a month.

The s05 batches are drier with more hop bitterness evident.

As time passes the more similar they taste.
 
Well I took a gravity reading because the krausen started to fall and the airlock was showing slowed activity. 1.013 right now. Not bad. Only problem is, it isn't the best taste. But then again, it has only fermented for 48 hours. I'll hold off judgement until about 2 weeks from now =P
 
With all this talk of English yeast, I thought I would mention that many, if not most, English breweries actually ferment their beer quite cool. Like 60-62F, with a maximum temp of no more than 67-69F!

I don't know where American homebrewers get the idea that English yeasts make better beer at 70F, but that's not really the case at all. And if you look at pitching temps, most are around 58F... and that goes back to the late 1800's. Just something to think about.
 
bierhaus15 said:
With all this talk of English yeast, I thought I would mention that many, if not most, English breweries actually ferment their beer quite cool. Like 60-62F, with a maximum temp of no more than 67-69F!

I don't know where American homebrewers get the idea that English yeasts make better beer at 70F, but that's not really the case at all. And if you look at pitching temps, most are around 58F... and that goes back to the late 1800's. Just something to think about.
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You may be right, but where did you get this info? (Keep in mind, I'm not saying one should ferment at 70.)
 
afr0byte said:
You may be right, but where did you get this info? (Keep in mind, I'm not saying one should ferment at 70.)
Click to expand...

For historical beer, here is a good place to start. http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/

For the modern stuff, I've been reading the JIB (Institute of Brewing, Journal) since I took brewing classes while living in Ireland.

I'm not saying fermenting English yeasts warm, or at 70F, won't make good beer. It's just not as normal of a practice as we might think.
 
Well damn it! I've got ten gallons fermenting with it right now. It better be good! Maybe someone else can chime in about how crappy it's going to be lol.
 
jsguitar said:
Well damn it! I've got ten gallons fermenting with it right now. It better be good! Maybe someone else can chime in about how crappy it's going to be lol.
Click to expand...

I didn't know what "estery" meant until I did KingBrianI's Common Room ESB with S-04 at around 65F ambient (so probably 70F actual). Not entirely unpleasant, but wow, the yeast just destroyed any other flavors in that beer.

Actually, only other time I used it was for a 2-Row/Centennial SMaSH that came out a little bready to my surprise. Probably that yeast. I liked it!

Temperature control is everything. I have a freezer rigged up to a temperature controller now and I'm doing a tour of the yeasts I had previously written off, starting with Notty and S-04 (next up)!
 
jsguitar said:
Well damn it! I've got ten gallons fermenting with it right now. It better be good! Maybe someone else can chime in about how crappy it's going to be lol.
Click to expand...

I've made some good beers with S-04. It can definitely get fruity if you don't control the temps, though. I've not noticed this bready character people mentioned, but I haven't used S-04 in quite a while.
 
jsguitar said:
Well damn it! I've got ten gallons fermenting with it right now. It better be good! Maybe someone else can chime in about how crappy it's going to be lol.
Click to expand...

A lot of people seem to like it, I wouldn't be too worried if you kept temps under control!
 
jsguitar said:
Well damn it! I've got ten gallons fermenting with it right now. It better be good! Maybe someone else can chime in about how crappy it's going to be lol.
Click to expand...

Well, friend... I had a day of 74 degree s-04! Then could only get it down to 69! Mines about 7 gallons. So, We are in the same boat.

Trust me, I'll still be drinking mine.
 
JordanThomas said:
Well, friend... I had a day of 74 degree s-04! Then could only get it down to 69! Mines about 7 gallons. So, We are in the same boat.

Trust me, I'll still be drinking mine.
Click to expand...

Ha ha, I'm sure it will be good, and like you I'll be drinking it either way!

:mug:
 

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