Safbrew S-33

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It is probably along with s-23 the worst yeast that I´ve ever used. It doesn´t attenuate well, doesn´t flocc nicely, if you stress it like some people say for belgians styles (read underpitch and 70+ fermentatio temps) it´s even worst. Takes off rapidly and craps out early too. My advice is stay away from it.
 
Also it´s a very lazy yeast, yo may be able to take down a coupel of gravity points moreafter it craps out by getting the yeast back in suspension, little warmer temperatures and patience but this yeast needs to be babysitted. Propably some brewers will disagree but I founded more than one very experienced brewer that encounter similar problems with it. Again: unless you want to get really frustated stay away from this yeast.
 
I just used it for my first batch in over 3 or 4 years , I used 1 1/2 pack with a OG of 1.060 , it started fast , ended quick , was at 1.015 after a few days and it stayed there , I bottled it and it wasnt bad to me , I washed it and will try it in another beer just to see ,but yeah it worked out well for me
 
I've used it a couple of times and the results weren't bad at all. In fact, I used it recently in a witbier, with yuzu and ginger additions, that I wanted to try fermenting at 72-74*f for some fruity esters and I'm really pleased with the way it's turned out. Could just be my unsophisticated palate ;) but I'm really enjoying the aroma and flavour. I have to say it was a pretty average gravity wort though. OG 1.042, FG 1.012.
 
It seems I just have to try it to see for my self.....som day....
 
I think, as Obliviousbrew pointed out previously, that this yeast benefits from being "babysat". If you can fine control your fermentation temperatures quite accurately it'd increase your chances of getting a nice batch. I tried to start active fermentation mid 60s, let it creep up to 70 to 72 on the 3rd and 4th days, then a week or so at 74 to 76. Was using a swamp cooler so my temperature control wasn't exactly "spot on" but managed to stay relatively on track.
 
When I was first getting into brewing I did an experiment with 4 types of dry yeast and S-33 was one of them. Where the others all finished at 1.010 (S-04, S-05, Nottingham) for the same wort, S-33 crapped out at 1.020. I was a bit surprised as when I bought it I was under the impression it was a high attenuating yeast.

So in my one experience using it I found it also ran out of steam too early.
 
One 4 gallon recipe, 4x 1 gallon fermenters. Same amount of time as an all grain batch...
 
Brewing a Belgian Ale using this yeast at the moment.

OG was 1.077 on Dec 26th, measured SG of 1.020 yesterday. Started off fermentation in the low 60s for a few days then up to 68 for a couple more before ramping up to a constant of about 74* since then. Tasted the SG sample and it was pretty good:ban:

Oh yeah, the s-33 had an expiry/use by date of March 2012 and had been sitting in my fridge for a long time, honestly can't remember when I got this stuff but it must have been around the end of 2011:eek: Luckily, there were two packs as mrmalty was telling me that I needed about 1.7 packs to make up for the decrease in viability due to age plus the gravity of the wort. rehydrated both packs so maybe slightly over pitched, and it was, again, another volcanic krausen.
 
I brewed an english barleywine last year (OG: 1.092 - FG: 1.025) with a lot of caramel malt, the resulting wort was very fermentable. At the primary, in a week it goes from 1.092 to 1.035, the second week it reach 1.033 and stuck for 1 month at this point. When moved to secondary for a 2 month maturating it was measured hiting 1.025, fine by me. Considering that the batch had 5gal and IBU = 54 and I've just used 1 package not hydrated with 2 spoons of yeast nutrient, I'm very pleased with the S-33 final job. The beer is completely round, no diacetyl, no harsh alcohol, sweet malt aroma and great fruit taste. A little more sweetier than bitter, still on BJCP. Next brew of barleywine I'll definetely use 2 packages and less caramel malt. Obs.: I was not concerning too much for the fermentation temp, I suppose that it occured major part at 22~24ºC (72~75ºF).
 
I am doing a "yeast off" between S-33 and Wy 1388 using 10.5 lbs of LME, and 3 oz of saaz...

The Wyeast 1388 fermented like crazy for 3-4 days... the S-33 was a bubbling a lot less.

The Wyeast eventually slowed so I raised the temp from 68 to 72... that got the wyeast 1388 going again... the S-33 looked either done or just slow. I had a big CO2 bulge on the bucket top with the Wyeast 1388... the S-33, no bulge (thats what she said!)

After the wyeast 1388 slowed again 10 days in, I raised it to 76 degrees... it it started up again. The S-33, not anything noticeable (keep in mind I am blind to the buckets).

At 3 weeks I am debating if I should pop the lid and do a gravity check or just let it ride another week to 4 weeks total.

Should I raise the temp to 79?.
 
Old thread, I know.
I made an 1.111 OG english barley wine a week ago and S-33 got it to 1.037 in 36 hours at 62f outside temp. It is a 15l (4 gal) batch. I made a two stage starter, first was 1/2 gallon with 1 dry pack stirred for 2 days, the second was 1/2 gallon with all the yeast from the first one, stirred for 2 days too.
Three hours after pitching there was a thick layer of foam (like 2 inches), 24 hours after pitching the foam was really huge, like 3 times bigger than I usually get from a 10 gallon batch of medium strong ales. At 36 hours there was absolutely no foam, just some floating trub, so I took that reading. Hope it will slowly drop to at least 1.030 during secondary.
I can not comment on a taste yet but I know that this is made using S-33 and it is really a delicious one.
 
I am fermenting a 6 gallon AG IPA, 1.072 OG batch. I used 1 pkg Notty and 1 pkg S-33 hydrated. Started ferm at 61 degrees. Moved to mid 64-65 after 4 days. Very fast very strong fermentation. After it slowed down, about 8-9 days, I upped to high 60's.
Now after 15 days it is still going. I don't like to open my fermenter until I really need to. But of course I am impatient and want to dry hop. Nottingham would be done by now, but not S-33?
I was getting bored with Notty for an english strain, so that is why the combo yeast.
 
Ok, couldn't resist. I took a gravity reading and it is 1.010. I am surprised. So I put in some leaf hops. Sample tasted a bit hot. Not horrible, but a tad. I am moving bucket to a cooler spot for a week of dry hopping.
 
edit: misread subject, thought it pertained to s-23. Post deleted
 
I've only used S-33 once - and that was for a cider. It ended below 1 - which I was going for totally dry.

Beer and cider are different animals, but seemed like a nice clean ferment to me.

Notty is a beast, probably would have chewed that wort up by itself no worries.
 
I've only used S-33 once - and that was for a cider. It ended below 1 - which I was going for totally dry.

Beer and cider are different animals, but seemed like a nice clean ferment to me.

Notty is a beast, probably would have chewed that wort up by itself no worries.

Yeah, Notty is a beast. I wanted a little more English esters. I combined because I was afraid S-33 wouldn't finish dry enough. Its an dIPA.
 
just used this on a beer with a OG of 1.060.. it was moving along super fast the first two days now its dead. might need to move it out of my basement and give it a good shake?
 
I just used S-33 on a stout over the weekend. No appreciable krausen observable, but there was regular bubbling into the blow-off tube. OG was 1.054 and pitched at 68*. Bubbling had slowed to nothing noticeable after 2 days. I tested after 4 days total, as I was removing the blow-off and replacing with a simple airlock. Down to 1.020 fermenting at 64*. It tasted good, still a little sweet, as I'm expecting to finish around 1.014.
With the airlock on, you can still see it bubbling, just not enough activity with a blow-off.

Based on my own observations, my suggestion is to let it do it's thing. It seems like a slow mover in the 60's. Give it time.
 
yeah its sitting at 65 outside temp right now. i think my basement sits around 58 or so and we keep out house at 62 while we are not home. i might move it up to the main floor while i go out of state. thanks for the quick reply.
 
Exact same issues as everyone else. Brewed A Woodforde Wherry clone, with an OG 1.042 pitched at 68F it started great but was stuck at 1.017 after 2 days. Gave it several shakes but still no movement. So on day 4 I raised the temp to 72 and carefully stirred the yeast so some of it was back in suspension. No real change, but after another 2 days it started dropping, a point a day, and has finished now on 1.010. Need to be patient with this yeast.
 
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