# How Rapid Is Safale S-04 Yeast



## stephen (14/1/06)

Hello brewing Gurus

24 hours ago I put down a brew using Safale S-04 yeast. Now it's 24 hours later and this thing is going absolutely berserk. The water in the airlock looked as though it was boiling - the CO2 was coming out that fast. I looked up the specs on the yeast and all I could find, without searching through every site that is listed it, is that it is a fast yeast. I check the temp of the brew and noted that it was somewhere up around 25-26 degrees C. the packet that the yeast came in says 15 - 24 deg. I have since wrapped the fermanter with a wet towel and have a fan blowing on it to try and lower the temp. I also had a taste of the stuff blowing out throught the airlock and it appears quite sweet - as a brew 24 hours would I expect: I have just placed two complete brews down the drain due to infection, so I am quite familiar with what some of the infections taste/smeel like.

Back to my original question. Is this a relatively normal event for this type of yeast when it gets up towards or over its upper operating temp?

Thanks in advance (TIA)

Steve


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## normell (15/1/06)

stephen said:


> Hello brewing Gurus
> 
> 24 hours ago I put down a brew using Safale S-04 yeast. Now it's 24 hours later and this thing is going absolutely berserk. The water in the airlock looked as though it was boiling - the CO2 was coming out that fast. I looked up the specs on the yeast and all I could find, without searching through every site that is listed it, is that it is a fast yeast. I check the temp of the brew and noted that it was somewhere up around 25-26 degrees C. the packet that the yeast came in says 15 - 24 deg. I have since wrapped the fermanter with a wet towel and have a fan blowing on it to try and lower the temp. I also had a taste of the stuff blowing out throught the airlock and it appears quite sweet - as a brew 24 hours would I expect: I have just placed two complete brews down the drain due to infection, so I am quite familiar with what some of the infections taste/smeel like.
> 
> ...



Here's some info Steve
http://www.fermentis.com/FO/EN/pdf/SafaleS-04.pdf


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## stephen (15/1/06)

Normell

Thanks for the link. It pretty well said everything that I had found out. The fermenter with the wet towel and fan blowing has dropped the temp down to about 24 degrees and the airlock seems to be holdong some water - not the volcano I had 2-3 hours earlier. I think when they said fast, they mean FAST!!!. I think the other thing is that this brew is running in a 25 l fermenter as opposed to my normal 30 l fermenter - less head space for krausen.

The main reason I queried this phenomenom (say that after 15 beers) is that one of my brews that went wheels up spewed froth up through the airlock for over a week and the smell from the airlock was very harsh. The smell from this little gusher was quite sweet so I wasn't overly stressing much - yet!!.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Still drinking,

Steve


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## normell (15/1/06)

The SAF yeasts are very good.
How about next time, not filling up so high, say maybe a 19-20Lt ferment


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## Mr Bond (15/1/06)

I try to keep it @ 18c ,but even then its over in about 3 days.I recently had bitter that got up to 26c early with so4 b4 i cooled it down.I racked it onto some simcoe pellets for an extra fruity kick :blink: 

Tried one @ 2weeks in bottle and its fruity alright(apricots) This is definitely one that will get 12 weeks conditioning to tame the flavas a little.


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## Weizguy (15/1/06)

Steve,

Headspace is crucial if U don't want, or not prepared for, a gusher.

U could use a commercial brewing technique calle "blending". Basically, it means U brew a stronger batch and dilute it at bottling. Commercially, a brewery can (and do) actually punch out 20% more beer than it has capacity to brew, by using this method.

Seth


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## Pumpy (15/1/06)

Stephen ,

In absence of fermenting fridge use one plastic boxes from Big W with coke bottle Ice blocks to control temp for Primary fermantation this has two in secondary 

recently a proffesional brewer recommended Safale S-04 yeast ferment at 15C-17C 

Pumpy


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## stephen (15/1/06)

Thanks to all that replied.

the brew has since calmed to a steady bubble through the airlock (about a bubble every 4-5 secs). It was just that I had never seen a yeast work that hard. It was as though someone was on the inside blowing straight out through the airlock.

Steve


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## Mr Bond (15/1/06)

Pumpy said:


> recently a proffesional brewer recommended Safale S-04 yeast ferment at 15C-17C
> 
> 
> [post="102672"][/post]​



Personally i try to brew all ale strains below 20c,16/18 is perfect.Saf us 56 performs well @ 15c.
Weizen strains seem to benefit from 20c plus,or maybe belgians(I'm yet to get there.)
coopers recultures are tolerant of warmer temps for summer.


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## stephen (15/1/06)

Ive just been reading the thread about the Coolmaster Fridge/Freezer temp controller Model No KC5413. This now my next investment for the brew shed.

Steve


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## Tony (15/1/06)

i used SO-4 when i started brewing and thought it was great stuff.

I have actually been thinking of giving dried yerast a go again after trying sevel dozen liquid strains to see it its worth going back to.

I used to brew with it at 18 deg and i thought it was great. Finished in 3 to 4 days and settled out well.

I dont think i would brew with any ale yeast over 20 deg c unless i wanted a very fruity finish!!

Most will work well at the 17 to 20 deg range.

A good example is my "exploding stout from a year or so ago when a very active starter od WLP004 irish ale was added to a 1.070 AG stout at 24 deg.

It got down to 20 deg or so in the fridge when this happened..............

a renigade fuggle hop flower blocked the airlock and she was hissing like a snake

there is still a black stain on the roof from the fountain that came out when i pulled out the temp probe.

i lost 3 liters out the airlock and the stout that blew out the bolw off tube i later installed started firmenting in an idophour solution. amazing.

I firment all my ale at 18 deg and less now.

cheers

edit:
I still have a couple of bottles of this left and its great. Stuck the second last bottle in the fridge an hr ago.

cheers again


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## stephen (15/1/06)

Those photos look familiar....


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## mudsta (15/1/06)

Im a fairly usual user of the S-04. Reliable, cheap and good quality.

I find it best ferments at around 18-20'c. It is a fast fermenting yeast and generally gets off to a ripper of a start due to the increased amount of cells at pitching. (usual dried yeast pack are 5-7g, safale is around 11.5g) It also flocculates (drops bright) fairly quick. Personally i find it ferments at around the 70-73% mark for all malt worts. Great stuff!!

I have had a AG stout froth a bit thru the airlock, came up a treat though.

For my temp control i use a fridge fitted with an air conditioner thermostat. I put my fermenters in that and it keeps it an exact 18'c in summer. 

Happy brewing,

Mudsta :beerbang:


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## bradmcm (15/1/06)

Weizguy said:


> Steve,
> 
> Headspace is crucial if U don't want, or not prepared for, a gusher.
> 
> ...



Incorrect terminology.
It's called "high gravity brewing" and although there is an increase in volume, the main reason is to save money as the water used to dilute the batch doesn't have to be heated and boiled. Kunze suggests that savings of about 13 or 14% is easily obtainable. If you dilute at bottling you must use de-aerated water, often not easy to have at home without boiling.

"Blending" is mixing batches together to ensure consistency.


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## warrenlw63 (16/1/06)

Oh no Brad!  ... Not another Kunze quoter. h34r: 

He should have started his own cult. :blink: 

Warren -


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## bradmcm (16/1/06)

Gotta use my textbooks for something other than propping the door open!


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## warrenlw63 (16/1/06)

Thought you were turning into -S Alexander of HBD fame.  

Warren -


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## colinw (16/1/06)

mudsta said:


> Im a fairly usual user of the S-04. Reliable, cheap and good quality.
> 
> I find it best ferments at around 18-20'c. It is a fast fermenting yeast and generally gets off to a ripper of a start due to the increased amount of cells at pitching. (usual dried yeast pack are 5-7g, safale is around 11.5g) It also flocculates (drops bright) fairly quick. Personally i find it ferments at around the 70-73% mark for all malt worts. Great stuff!![post="102705"][/post]​


After staying away from Safale for a while, I've started using it again recently and am enjoying the results. I quite like the flavour profile it gives when fermented around the 20 mark. Below 18 it slows down markedly, and I notice an increase in diacetyl levels.

If you leave it alone for an extra week it will ferment an all-malt wort mashed at normal temperatures out to as much as 75% apparent attenuation. A recent batch with it started at 1.048, and was at around 1.015 after 3 days, and 1.012 after 8 or 9.

One thing I've found with Safale is that if you crash chill the beer for a couple of days before bottling, it still carbonates fine but you can get a minimal yeast sediment in the bottle which sticks to the bottom like some commercial bottle conditioned beers. It sure is nice being able to pour right to the bottom without picking up sediment.

cheers,
Colin


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## Simon W (18/1/06)

stephen said:


> .....I think when they said fast, they mean FAST!!!.....



Your not wrong!!
I made my third AG brew on Monday(OG=1059), pitched the starter into the fermentor(@20C) at 6:30pm.
By 7:30pm there were islands on the surface, by 9:30pm the airlock was bubling 4 times a min. By midnight it was bubbling 3 a second. I didn't get a frothing mess out the airlock but I'm sure I would have at a slightly higher temp. By midday Tuesday it had slowed right down, one bubble a min maybe at 18C. This morning(Wed) the airlock had stopped bubbling(no leaks) and the yeast is floccing rapidly.
I'm doing an IPA so I guess its time to dry hop.

My second AG brew(OG=1044), also with S-04, did the same.
My First AG brew, with Saflager W34-70, took almost two weeks to stop bubbling at 9C!

Edit: speling


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## NRB (18/1/06)

Simon W said:


> Edit: speling



Better edit the edit then


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## Simon W (18/1/06)

Hehe, thats deliberate, honest!


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