Temp setting for SO-4

[Morrey]

Brewing a Best Bitter this coming weekend and plan to use a dry sachet of SO-4. Can anyone suggest the sweet spot temperature controller setting for this yeast?

Mfg suggests 59F to 68F, but undoubtedly there is an ideal temp this yeast ferments nicely w/o throwing lots of funky esters.

Thanks!

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

I use it all the time. I ferment at 62 as do most. This last batch I didn't use my ferm chamber and it got up to 67 in the height of fermentation before I dropped it to 64. I thought I would get a "weird fruity" taste as its described if fermented over 65 but I didn't pick up anything in the sample. 04 is a strange yeast with a mind of its own. Finishes at different times. Sometimes drops clear sometimes doesn't. Overall I like it and use it a lot. Other people hate it...to each there own

 

[mongoose33]

I typically use 64 degrees with this.

 

[Morrey]

I have a few sachets of SO-4 which are fresh, and I'd like to try them for the first time. I gravitate towards liquid yeasts based on wide strain varieties, but in this case (Best Bitter), I think SO-4 should fit the bill nicely. Plus will save me the time and effort to build a starter....rehydration seems like a vacation.

I'll stay in the low 60's for sure!

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

You only need one pack for 5 gallons. I never rehydrate dry yeast but that's a whole other ball of wax. My last batch (last week) started within 24 hours and finished in 3 days...good enough for me

 

[FVillatoro]

No higher than low 60s (60-64). There's a brewer here who's won several awards with it and ferments it initially at 57-59 and ramps up near the end of fermentation.

S-04 is a beast and without adequate fermentation control it will go ballistic and throw all kinds of esters you don't want - the ones most people complain about.

 

[BrewerinBR]

I use SO-4 a lot as I make many English ales. Depending on what I am doing I will ferment it at 62 for an ESB and as high as 68 for an English Oatmeal stout. On thing I have learned with SO-4 is to always boost the temp 70 to 74 at the end of the fermentation (after 14 days for me) and leave it for 36 hours or so. Then cold crash. This will help with the esters it throws and will help it settle and clear. In an English oatmeal stout some raisin and prune and stone fruit notes are typical and common and to the style. If you ferment it lower than 60 you will find it will have some buttery off flavors, you can reduce this by doing a temp increased to 70 to 74 at the end of fermentation.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

I use SO-4 a lot as I make many English ales. Depending on what I am doing I will ferment it at 62 for an ESB and as high as 68 for an English Oatmeal stout. On thing I have learned with SO-4 is to always boost the temp 70 to 74 at the end of the fermentation (after 14 days for me) and leave it for 36 hours or so. Then cold crash. This will help with the esters it throws and will help it settle and clear. In an English oatmeal stout some raisin and prune and stone fruit notes are typical and common and to the style. If you ferment it lower than 60 you will find it will have some buttery off flavors, you can reduce this by doing a temp increased to 70 to 74 at the end of fermentation.

14 days is way past finished. Are you saying even though its completely finished ramping it up reactivates it and clears esters? People are talking about how when the yeast is done its done and cleaning up after itself is false. I have no idea but I've never heard of someone ramping up the temps 9 or 10 days after fermentation has finished to try to clean up the beer

 

[Morrey]

14 days is way past finished. Are you saying even though its completely finished ramping it up reactivates it and clears esters? People are talking about how when the yeast is done its done and cleaning up after itself is false. I have no idea but I've never heard of someone ramping up the temps 9 or 10 days after fermentation has finished to try to clean up the beer

Does yeast clean itself up given time in the fermenter to do so?: This is a good point to discuss, Jonny. For example I brewed a lager a couple of months ago using Papazains Cry Havoc yeast keeping the temps at a steady temp with no ramp up. This yeast produced some really terrible off gas smells, and at one point a few days into fermentation smelled like burned windings of an electric motor. However, I let it ride on out for 14 days in my fermentation tank, and all smells cleared nicely. The beer was a bit "edgy" for several weeks as it lagered in keg, but finally turns out to be an acceptable lager. Did this yeast clean itself up?

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

Does yeast clean itself up given time in the fermenter to do so?: This is a good point to discuss, Jonny. For example I brewed a lager a couple of months ago using Papazains Cry Havoc yeast keeping the temps at a steady temp with no ramp up. This yeast produced some really terrible off gas smells, and at one point a few days into fermentation smelled like burned windings of an electric motor. However, I let it ride on out for 14 days in my fermentation tank, and all smells cleared nicely. The beer was a bit "edgy" for several weeks as it lagered in keg, but finally turns out to be an acceptable lager. Did this yeast clean itself up?

Whose to say whether the yeast are continuing to work after fermentation is finished and are doing "something" or the beer is just conditioning on its own? Is it the yeast or just time? Beer changes with time. I'll be the first to say I don't know exactly whats happening. With out disrespect to any members I'd say its mostly hearsay and nobody really knows EXACTLY whats happening.
I would be more than happy to listen to anyone that's chimes in and explain their opinion and how they came up with it. I know I've read here that the smart yeast folk that wright the books have said when its done its done and that's it...but I haven't researched it myself