S04 conditioning time recommendation

[Timothy Gibbs]

Pretty new brewer here...I have a maple brown I brewed 6 weeks ago. 1 week primary, two weeks secondary, been conditioning in the keg now for three weeks. Is it normal for s04 yeast to take longer then this to get a beer to maturity??? It's very green tasting right now. Thanks in advance.

 

[brewswithshoes]

S-04 works really fast for me. usually goes all but the last few points in 72 - 96 hours for me. I typically leave it in primary for 13-14 days though before kegging. I've never had the need to rack S-04 to secondary.

Green taste could just be the characteristic of the temp in which you fermented at. By 3 weeks kegged i think you should be pretty close to what it's going to be. Can you describe a bit more what you are saying is the "green taste"

 

[Timothy Gibbs]

By green I mean, I get a bitter yeast bite during tasting and in after taste. The temp (according to fermenter thermometer) got up to 70°F for abt 12 hrs during the first couple days. I use my basement, a constant 64°F for fermentation of my beer as I do not have a chamber yet.

 

[RM-MN]

By green I mean, I get a bitter yeast bite during tasting and in after taste. The temp (according to fermenter thermometer) got up to 70°F for abt 12 hrs during the first couple days. I use my basement, a constant 64°F for fermentation of my beer as I do not have a chamber yet.

With those basement temperatures you don't need a chamber but you do need a way to keep the yeast from running away and getting too warm. Just setting your fermenter in a tub of water may be sufficient. If not, draping an old tshirt over it so the bottom is in the water to wick some up for evaporative cooling will probably do the job.

 

[Timothy Gibbs]

With those basement temperatures you don't need a chamber but you do need a way to keep the yeast from running away and getting too warm. Just setting your fermenter in a tub of water may be sufficient. If not, draping an old tshirt over it so the bottom is in the water to wick some up for evaporative cooling will probably do the job.

Thanks. Think high run away temps could be the culprit then I assume.

 

[RM-MN]

Thanks. Think high run away temps could be the culprit then I assume.

No, but the temperature the beer ferments at controls the formation of esters and fusel alcohol so for clean tasting beer the control of the temperature is critical.

The "green" flavor is often easy to get rid of by warming the beer at the end of the fermentation. We try to keep it cool during the fast part so it doesn't get too warm but as it slows the beer cools and the yeast slow way down. Warming the beer keeps them working.

When you say you have the beer conditioning in the keg you may be keeping it too cool for the yeast to bread down the acetaldehyde which is what usually give the beer the "green" flavor. Warm the beer to mid 70's for a couple days, then sample it.

 

[Timothy Gibbs]

No, but the temperature the beer ferments at controls the formation of esters and fusel alcohol so for clean tasting beer the control of the temperature is critical.

The "green" flavor is often easy to get rid of by warming the beer at the end of the fermentation. We try to keep it cool during the fast part so it doesn't get too warm but as it slows the beer cools and the yeast slow way down. Warming the beer keeps them working.

When you say you have the beer conditioning in the keg you may be keeping it too cool for the yeast to bread down the acetaldehyde which is what usually give the beer the "green" flavor. Warm the beer to mid 70's for a couple days, then sample it.

Thanks, yeah, I have been stories g the kegs in the mid 60, that would explain alot then.

 

[couchsending]

So4 fermenter that warm can produce some really weird flavors. It kinda needs to be kept below 64. I’d recommend some more forgiving yeasts in the future. US-05 will work wonders at 64 ambient.

 

[Timothy Gibbs]

So4 fermenter that warm can produce some really weird flavors. It kinda needs to be kept below 64. I’d recommend some more forgiving yeasts in the future. US-05 will work wonders at 64 ambient.

Thanks. Would you recommend splitting a 10 gallon batch and pitching different yeast into each one?

 

[couchsending]

I always recommend splitting a 10g batch and changing one variable in each if that’s an option. It’s the best way to learn what impact said variable has when you can drink the two beers side by side.