Wee Heavy with S-04

[Architect-Dave]

I have read a much older post regarding a Scottish Wee Heavy using S-04. I am brewing an extract kit, and this was the available yeast for it. I am getting mixed signals about this particular strain. The Wee Heavy is a time investment of almost 3 to 4 months (with the ability to be aged). So, I do not want to waste an opportunity - is this a good yeast to use? I have heard of using S-05 (another dry) and various liquid yeasts. But, but plan is this weekend to brew, and I think I just need a little talking out of the tree - sort of speak.

 

[Miraculix]

I have read a much older post regarding a Scottish Wee Heavy using S-04. I am brewing an extract kit, and this was the available yeast for it. I am getting mixed signals about this particular strain. The Wee Heavy is a time investment of almost 3 to 4 months (with the ability to be aged). So, I do not want to waste an opportunity - is this a good yeast to use? I have heard of using S-05 (another dry) and various liquid yeasts. But, but plan is this weekend to brew, and I think I just need a little talking out of the tree - sort of speak.

It's supposed to be clean beer, isn't it? The current version of s04 is supposed to be way more neutral than the old version (something has changed). So if that's true, s04 should be ok. Nottingham is more attenuative and also really clean so I probably would go for Nottingham.

 

[Architect-Dave]

It's supposed to be clean beer, isn't it? The current version of s04 is supposed to be way more neutral than the old version (something has changed). So if that's true, s04 should be ok. Nottingham is more attenuative and also really clean so I probably would go for Nottingham.

Miraculix - thanks. I read good things about the S-04 and have two packets to pitch on hand. I brewed two batches so far - a brown ale and a brown porter - and both came out great with the suggested dry packets. I am just a bit nervous about this one. But, heck, I will give it a shot with the s-04 on hand. Push comes to shove, I can get another batch and try a different yeast another time.

 

[dmtaylor]

S-04 is an excellent choice for a wee heavy, maybe the best choice of anything. Go for it.

Nottingham is almost identical. S-04 attenuates the same as Notty.

 

[Architect-Dave]

S-04 is an excellent choice for a wee heavy, maybe the best choice of anything. Go for it.

Nottingham is almost identical. S-04 attenuates the same as Notty.

Thank you!

 

[Miraculix]

S-04 is an excellent choice for a wee heavy, maybe the best choice of anything. Go for it.

Nottingham is almost identical. S-04 attenuates the same as Notty.

I am going to order S 04 with my next order and use it in one of my next beers.

If this beer will not turn out great I will sneak into your home and inject canned corn juice into each of your next ten brews, straight into the fermenter, just to make you wonder where all this dms is coming from!

 

[hotbeer]

I just used S-04 for the first time and the results have me on the iffy side of whether I wish to use it again. Previous two batches were with US-05 and S-33. I liked the results with them, but S-04 seems to take quite long to fall out of suspension.

 

[Miraculix]

I just used S-04 for the first time and the results have me on the iffy side of whether I wish to use it again. Previous two batches were with US-05 and S-33. I liked the results with them, but S-04 seems to take quite long to fall out of suspension.

Then something is wrong. S 04 drops usually like a stone. Most flocculant dry strain that I know of.

 

[hotbeer]

Then something is wrong. S 04 drops usually like a stone. Most flocculant dry strain that I know of.

Might just have a hop haze or something going on. The conditioned unrefrigerated beer is pretty clear in the bottle. But when I put them in the fridge they get very cloudy. Though the bottles I put in the fridge a week ago are just now showing signs of clearing up.

Might be time to sample one tonight. This is just a simple ale with Rahr 2-row and some Carapils. Though I messed up and weighed out too much Carapils to make it 6% of the recipe instead of 2%.

But so far the four or five bottles I've had of this beer aren't to my liking.

 

[DBhomebrew]

Might just have a hop haze or something going on. The conditioned unrefrigerated beer is pretty clear in the bottle. But when I put them in the fridge they get very cloudy. Though the bottles I put in the fridge a week ago are just now showing signs of clearing up.

That's chill haze.

 

[hotbeer]

That's chill haze.

You aren't helping! But you might be right. If it's chill haze, then I might be stuck with the crappy taste of this beer!

Where are friends to drink up all the beer when you need them?

Or is chill haze something that can be tasted? One article seems to say it is, another seems to say otherwise. But I might be adding my own imagination between the lines.

 

[DBhomebrew]

You aren't helping! But you might be right. If it's chill haze, then I might be stuck with the crappy taste of this beer!

Where are friends to drink up all the beer when you need them?

Chill haze doesn't ruin your beer. As you've observed, a few days in the fridge takes care of it.

Proteins coagulate when it drops to a certain temp forming the haze. A few days later the protein clumps fall to the bottom leaving a perfectly clear tasty beer.

 

[Architect-Dave]

O.G. 1.100 …Potential for a 12% finished beer…S-04 is rated max to 11% ABV. Keeping finger’s crossed…

 

[Kickass]

O.G. 1.100 …Potential for a 12% finished beer…S-04 is rated max to 11% ABV. Keeping finger’s crossed…

If you pitched both packs, you should be fine. I’ve found that if pitch rates, aeration and nutrients are appropriate, most yeast can exceed their max ABV.

If you pitched both packs you should be fine. Aeration isnt as big of a deal with dry yeast and your big barley grain bill should have tons of nutrients for the yeast.

What temp did you mash at? I’d bet this is a bigger contributor of FG and ABV than s-04 boozing out.

 

[Architect-Dave]

If you pitched both packs, you should be fine. I’ve found that if pitch rates, aeration and nutrients are appropriate, most yeast can exceed their max ABV.

If you pitched both packs you should be fine. Aeration isnt as big of a deal with dry yeast and your big barley grain bill should have tons of nutrients for the yeast.

What temp did you mash at? I’d bet this is a bigger contributor of FG and ABV than s-04 boozing out.

It is an extract kit. There were steeping grains, but it was a mix of different things so i do not know what the actual bill was, but it was only a pound of grains.

 

[Kickass]

It is an extract kit

That’s fine. Extract is concentrated barley wort. It’s loaded with nutrients.