Opinions on Safale S-05

[Ridire]

My first IPA (partial mash with S-05) did not turn out very good and I am planning to tweak the recipe and process to get better results. I am wondering if I should change yeast now or wait to see what my other changes do to the beer. The goal here is to brew IPA after IPA with minor changes until I have something I consider perfect to use as my "house IPA".

Here is the plan:

1. I am going to convert my PM to an AG, BIAB recipe.

2. I pitched my yeast warm on the first try but got the temp down pretty quickly after pitching (before noticeable signs of fermentation). I am going to cool the wort properly this time prior to pitching.

3. I kept the fermenter in the basement at around 65 degrees ambient temp. last time. This time, I am going to keep it in the basement but add a water bath to try and keep the temp a tad lower during the initial stage of fermentation (who really knows what the ferm temp was the first time?).

4. I did not really understand the flavor differences between the timing of my hop additions the first time around. I did late additions and a dry hop but I got very little hop flavor (but a very good aroma). I am going to revisit my hop schedule.

5. I plan to do a "hop stand" this time, by which I will add an ounce or two to the cooling wort at around 160 degrees (stalling the cooling process) and let is stand for 30 minutes before I finish the cooling. Will this add flavor or just aroma?

6. I will eventually go with a liquid yeast but have never done a starter and was hoping to do the next batch before I get the stir plate and start learning more about liquid yeast. Ultimately, I want to harvest yeast from Bell's ales for this recipe, but that is down the road.

So, my question is this...can I get a significantly better beer by doing the things I list above but still using the S-05? Or, will I just produce another sub-par beer if I do not go directly to liquid yeast?

Any thoughts? This originally was an all centennial IPA. I am debating adding something else to the mix (Amarillo or Simcoe?).

 

[Ridire]

By the way, I am not looking for over the top IBU (55-60 would be fine) but I want a serious hop flavor.

 

[prpromin]

I don't make a lot (read: any IPAs), so your hop schedule is up to the others here. Regarding yeast - US-05 is a great yeast. I use it almost exclusively for any beer that needs a clean, neutral yeast. In fact, the only reason that I go with liquid yeast, is if I need a particular flavor profile from the yeast itself (I'm thinking Saison, for instance).

Your fermentation plan seems sound. I like to ferment in the low 60s. At that temp, 05 has always worked like a champ.

Good lick on your IPA

 

[bds3]

1, 2, and 3: Ok, sounds good.

4 and 5: Late additions will provide both flavor and aroma. Technically flameout additions will add relatively less flavor and more aroma than if the same addition was at 10 minutes or 5 minutes, but I personally feel like even flameout additions will add mostly flavor, as it makes sense in my head that aroma is lost as air and CO2 fly out of the airlock for days during primary. That's why I rely on my dry hop after fermentation slows/finishes for aroma.

6: US-05 is a great yeast, and I use it most of the time. Even if you use liquid, you don't necessarily need a starter (depending on your OG of course), but dry yeast can be great for many styles, especially an IPA.

 

[bierandbikes]

The S-05 is a great yeast, but in my experience you need to let your IPA condition longer in the bottles than expected. I was very disappointed at first and blamed the yeast. After about 4 weeks, the flavor was very good. After 6 weeks it was great.

As for techniques, I am a big fan of dry hopping. There are differing opinions on how to accomplish this, but I add hops to a secondary. I seem to get great aroma this way and I can concentrate more on flavor in my boil.

Make sure you cool your wort adequately before adding the yeast, although the S-05 is pretty tough so that may or may not matter as long as you were below 80F.

Also, if your OG is high, you can add two packets of S-05. It is still cheaper than liquid and more yeast cells than a small starter.

The down side of dry yeasts is limited variety. They are economical, easy, and in my experience work well. However, I typically use liquid unless I just want a clean ferment or am in a hurry. I also try to keep some around as a backup in case an old jar of harvested yeast fails to reawaken.

It is all a grand experiment. Don't change too many variables at once so you can figure out how each affects the final beer.

 

[Ridire]

Thanks, guys. I think my disappointing IPA was mostly due to the process, not the yeast. You guys are confirming that belief. I think I will keep the 05 for now and focus my tweaks on the hops schedule.

 

[Bazaar]

Hop flavor tends to come from around 20-minute hop additions, apparently. I've made many IPAs with US-05, and I think they came out pretty great. If you're worried about the yeast, it's not too difficult to make a starter and pay a little extra for some liquid yeast. Also, if you're doing AG, a little gypsum can make the hops pop.

Temperature control is important in order to reduce off-flavors that may compete with the hops, so keep an eye on your temperature. Ambient temps can be almost 10 degrees lower than fermenting temp, which can make a huge difference.

Also, what is your recipe?

 

[unionrdr]

The US-05 is a good yeast & can go down to high 50's. Fermenting at 60F is fairly common with it. I've had it produce clean flavors up to 74F. Low to mid 60's is good. Get the wort chilled down to pitch temp. Or close to it & top off with very cold water. Get the starter or rehydrated yeast down to within 10 degrees of current wort temp to avoid shocking the yeast when pitched.
As for the "hop stand",keep the temp up to flame out temps. It'll be good for aroma from say 3 minutes left in the boil to flame out additions. And keep flavor additions to,say,25 minutes down to 10 minutes. I do 20 & 10 minute flavor aditions,generally. Unless I'm brewing an IPA,then 1.5oz of three different hops at equal intervals from 25 minutes down to 8:30 minutes left in the boil.
Liquid yeasts are good,but the US-05 will do a great job here for a couple bucks less.

 

[mtyquinn]

+1 to doing a dry hop
+1 to using 2 packets of US05

that yeast strain is a work horse. I would focus on you brewing technique and stick with the yeast. Temp control is important but that yeast will work nicely at lower temps.

 

[chungking]

I made a cascade pale ale with s05. Very good. Nice hoppy flavor an aroma, very little yeasty taste. If you are unhappy with the hop profile, I wouldn't blame it on the yeast. Rework your hop schedule. If it just tastes funky, it may have been you fermentation situation. What was OG and FG, recipe?

 

[Ridire]

Here was the original plan for the recipe/process. I know I made minor adjustments on the eve of brew day and have those adjustments in my hand-written notes (not with me right now). But here is the basic idea of what I did that produced this underhopped beer (it has bitterness just not the citrus, hoppy taste I was hoping for). I let it bottle condition a full 4 weeks (at 2 weeks it was horrible) and then fridge for 12 days. It smells nice...doesn't taste so hot. As I said, the next attempt will be AG/BIAB. I am thinking I will use the grain bill from Northern's Dead Ringer (which is similar to this and also an all centennial) but change up the hops and yeast (they do not have a dry yeast option on their recipe).

Goal:

ABV = 6.5% - 7.0%
IBU = 55-60
OG = 1.060 - 1.065
FG = 1.011

Proposed Ingredients:

Malt Extract:
(6.6) lbs Light LME

Grains:
(2) lbs Vienna Malt
(1/2) lbs. Caramel/Crystal Malt 20L
(1/2) lbs. Cara-Pils

Hops:
(6) oz Centennial 9.5% hops


Yeast:
Safale S-05

Other:
Whirlfloc Tablet

1. Mash grains at 152 for 45 minutes in 1 gallon of water.

2. Sparge with 1 gallon of water at 170 degrees – then remove grains and add another gallon of water at 170+ degrees.

3. Add 3.3 lbs. of LME and 1 oz. of hops and bring back to boil (60 minute)

4. Add 1 oz. of hops and Whiflfloc (15 minute)

5. Add 3.3 lbs. of LME and 1 oz. of hops (5 minute)

6. Add 1 oz. of hops at flameout.

7. Fill primary to 5 gallon mark with cool water and pitch yeast.

8. Ferment for 14 days in primary (FG = 1.010 – 1.015).

9. Transfer to secondary fermentation vessel.

10. Let clear for 14 – 21 days (add 2 oz. of hops in final week).

11. Add priming sugar and bottle – leave for 14-21 days at room temperature.

 

[Brewerguy48]

I make many IPAs and have found out that the best way to get lots of hop flavor and aroma is to do ALL your hopping in the last 20 minutes of the boil. I used high AA hops and add an ounce every few minutes. I also put my hop pellets in muslin bags to keep the wort more free of hop sludge. For an Imperial IPA with a OG in the 1.085 range I use a total of a pound of pellets of different varieties in a 5½ gallon batch. My IPAs are outstanding!

Two pro brewers also told me that throwing a couple of ounces of hop pellets into the primary is what they do for big hop flavor. This prevents you from reusing the yeast slurry later, though so I do this only after I've gotten lots of batches from my yeast.

Dry hopping in secondary and keg is also necessary for big hop flavor and aroma.

 

[Ridire]

Just thought of other things I will change this time around (all in my notes). I am going to strain out my trub as I transfer into primary and I am not going to use a secondary. One of the things I believe is causing my off flavor (but not necessarily the lack of hoppy flavor) is that I had never made a beer with so much hop in it before. I had a nightmare of a time racking to secondary and ended up introducing a lot of oxygen into the beer while racking (clogged siphon).

 

[stevedasleeve]

S05 works very well, it's my go to yeast for pretty much every style I brew. So far as hop schedules, well you can get old and grey ( if you're not already...!) reading the myriad opinions and e periences from dedicated hopheads!

Here are the two approaches I have moved towards: 1. 60 + 30 minute additions - enough to get your calculated IBUS for the recipe, then massive 0 minute additions. 2. Hop bursting with no additions till the last 20 minutes of the boil - easy to do these days with all the ubiquitous super high alpha hops. I dry hop in the fermenter and in the keg as a matter of course.

Also check your water chemistry. Frankly the biggest impact on my hoppy beers in recent years was to adjust my water - which is soft - by adding gypsum, Epsom salts, and baking soda. Might want to research that a bit though since it can truly mess your beer up if you go too high or without figuring in what your unadulterated water is...

YMMV always and I hope it does - in a good way..!

Cheers!
Steve da sleeve