US-05 and S-04 & diacetyl rest?

[BrewinBromanite]

I brewed a blonde with US-05 and a brown ale with S-04 three weeks ago. First time using either of these yeasts. Held them at 62-63 deg. for the first week and a half, then 65 for the last week and a half. I usually let my brews warm up close to 70 for a couple days before bottling, but haven't this time, and am planning to bottle in the morning.

Question is - do I need a diacetyl rest with this yeast at these fermentation temps (beer temps, not ambient), or is 65 for the last week and a half going to take care of any diacetyl? Again, never used these yeasts, so not sure what to expect. Thanks for any feedback!


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[Yooper]

I have never noticed diacetyl with either of those strains.

So5 gets weirdly "peachy" at below 65 degrees, so I rarely use it for that reason, but I've never once noticed any diacetyl from it.

 

[BrewinBromanite]

Awesome. Thanks, Yooper!

I actually took a cue from your Fizzy Yellow beer (although that was from '09) - I think you mentioned using US-05 at 62 deg for 14 days. If it's a little peachy, I probably won't complain much.


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[schokie]

A diacetyl rest is more for lager yeast. For normal ale temos like what you've fermented at, the yeast will clean up any diacetyl compounds pretty quickly as a normal part of fermentation. It won't hurt to bump up your temps towards the end for a couple days, but I'd do it because you wanted a complete fermentation, not for any diacetyl concerns.

The temps you described sound perfectly middle of the road for the yeast. I'd like to think you'd be completely done after 3 weeks. Package them up!

 

[BrewinBromanite]

Thanks for the feedback! Bottled last night (US-05 - blonde ale; S-04 - brown ale). Both fully attenuated, and both tasted very clean and smooth. No diacetyl in either, nor peachiness in the blonde. Of course the true flavor always comes through after bottle conditioning, but so far so good.


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[BrewinBromanite]

.... So5 gets weirdly "peachy" at below 65 degrees, so I rarely use it for that reason, but I've never once noticed any diacetyl from it.

So, it's been in the bottle now for 6 weeks, and...there's a distinct odd estery taste - pretty close to your description of weirdly peachy. More apricot-ish I'd say in mine. I didn't pick up on that flavor on bottling day at all, but it's there now. Pretty sure this won't age out much.

I'll chalk this up as a learning experience, as it was my first time with US-05. I did like the ease of using it as last minute yeast option (I did rehydrate). I usually prefer making a starter with liquid yeast when I have the chance (this was a very last minute brew-day).

Anyways - what would you recommend as an optimal fermentation temp with this yeast for a very clean and neutral flavor, rather than 62. 65-66? Any warmer from my experience with other ale yeasts I've tried, and I worry about different off-flavors. Thanks!!

 

[PGEduardo]

With us05 I typically set my controller at 66F with a 1F differential. This keeps it between 65-67F during the active fermentation. Anywhere from 65-70F and you should be fine with 05...

 

[Natdavis777]

I had diacetyl in my very first beer and I used 1056. It was fermented in a 65F basement and I let it stay in the primary for 14 days before kegging. Now being my first beer, there is a very good possibility that sanitation was most likely the culprit, but as a rule of thumb, I D-rest all my beers at the end of fermentation. It doesnt harm the beer at all, but gives me the at ease that I should have any diacetyl.