# US04



## CyriusBrew (11/4/20)

It has been years since I used US04, because I did not like how it squashes the hop flavours in my beers. However, with the lockdown happening, I gave it a whirl again....

The yeast does indeed squash my hops. However, this yeast is a beast! It churned through 1.060 to FG in a little over 2 days! If you want a beer quick, I reckon it is one of the yeast to go to.

Have any of you tried harvesting this yeast from a previous batch? Does it hold up well to re-pitching if I make a starter? How successful generations have you been able to get out if it?


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## wide eyed and legless (11/4/20)

CyriusBrew said:


> It has been years since I used US04, because I did not like how it squashes the hop flavours in my beers. However, with the lockdown happening, I gave it a whirl again....
> 
> The yeast does indeed squash my hops. However, this yeast is a beast! It churned through 1.060 to FG in a little over 2 days! If you want a beer quick, I reckon it is one of the yeast to go to.
> 
> Have any of you tried harvesting this yeast from a previous batch? Does it hold up well to re-pitching if I make a starter? How successful generations have you been able to get out if it?


Fermentis say you can harvest and re pitch, what temperature was you fermenting at?


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## CyriusBrew (11/4/20)

wide eyed and legless said:


> Fermentis say you can harvest and re pitch, what temperature was you fermenting at?



A wee bit high...I was trying to keep it at 20c. It is totally possible that it went a little higher over night, maybe 21.5. I reckon worst case scenario, I will get some fruity esters.

What do you think Weal?


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## wide eyed and legless (11/4/20)

I think there is a chance.


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## Grmblz (11/4/20)

CyriusBrew said:


> It has been years since I used US04, because I did not like how it squashes the hop flavours in my beers. However, with the lockdown happening, I gave it a whirl again....
> 
> The yeast does indeed squash my hops. However, this yeast is a beast! It churned through 1.060 to FG in a little over 2 days! If you want a beer quick, I reckon it is one of the yeast to go to.
> 
> Have any of you tried harvesting this yeast from a previous batch? Does it hold up well to re-pitching if I make a starter? How successful generations have you been able to get out if it?


A go to whoa from 1060 in 2 days at 20.5 and not a Kveik at 35+deg's, can you send me samples of what you're drinking pretty please.


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## CyriusBrew (12/4/20)

Update ====

Well, a bit of an embarrassment, but still good news...

I tasted a sample, and thought it was a bit sweet. So, instead of using my refractometer, I used a hydrometer....it showed 1.030. I went back and checked my refractometer with distilled water and found it was way off! Apparently one of my kids was playing with my refractometer. DOH!

I should have known this was too good to be true!

Having said this, I still think this yeast is doing a fairly quick job, and apart from the hops getting a bit squished, I look forward to it finishing.


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## Kev R (12/4/20)

What yeast do you use that is kind to the hops?
Refractometer's are only accurate until fermentation starts without a conversion table. The alcohol throws them off.


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## MHB (12/4/20)

Kev is right, I to wonder what you think the yeast is doing to your hop character?
I haven't noticed any difference between the hop notes when using say 04 and 05 for instance, which we use at work all the time, attenuation, beer clarity, sedimentation...yes hop flavour no.
Is this just something you have experienced, or is it something you have read.
Mark


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## CyriusBrew (12/4/20)

MHB said:


> Kev is right, I to wonder what you think the yeast is doing to your hop character?
> I haven't noticed any difference between the hop notes when using say 04 and 05 for instance, which we use at work all the time, attenuation, beer clarity, sedimentation...yes hop flavour no.
> Is this just something you have experienced, or is it something you have read.
> Mark



Hiya Mark and Kev...good point on the refractometer. I did do the conversions, but did not calibrate the refractometer. My kid played with it, and mucked with the adjustment screw. Neverthless, your point is totally valid!

Looking at my notes from a few years back when I was sticking to the same Smash recipes with different yeasts, I found S04 to squash the hop flavour quite a bit. However, i did like its clarity and the fruityness when fermented high. (This could just be me and my taste buds  )

Depending on what I am brewing I tend to use WY1056 and WY1968 the most. (occasionally US05) However, with all of this time on my hands I am redoing some of my old recipes with different yeasts.


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## Kook beer (13/4/20)

I am just about to use s-04 for the first time. 

What is the ideal fermentation temp for this yeast? Is it a little lower than us-05?

I was thinking of pitching at 16c then bump up to 19c after a few days to finish off.


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## CyriusBrew (13/4/20)

According to Safale, 15 to 20c. I found the esters are more fruity on the higher end, so it depends on what You want I guess. I like a bit of fruitiness in my bitters / IPA, but it is not what most peope would want.

I seem to recall a lot of people keeping S04 at 18.


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## Sidney Harbour-Bridge (13/4/20)

Just use llamande Nottingham yeast


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## citizensnips (13/4/20)

04 will attenuate less than 05, as is stated on the fermentis fact sheets. This has always been the case when I've used it at home and commercially. 
Quite possibly you're picking up a combination of more residual malt sweetness on the nose as well a few more esters from the 04, perhaps leading to less apparent hop aroma than with 05.


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## CyriusBrew (14/4/20)

citizensnips said:


> 04 will attenuate less than 05, as is stated on the fermentis fact sheets. This has always been the case when I've used it at home and commercially.
> Quite possibly you're picking up a combination of more residual malt sweetness on the nose as well a few more esters from the 04, perhaps leading to less apparent hop aroma than with 05.



That is entirely possible. I will check what the FG were on the 04 samples.


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## MaggieO (14/4/20)

I run it at 16 to 20 and get good results. It heats up more than some while working. I have a chill box I ferment in. Takes a little extra ice when the S-04 really gets going. It's fast. Can be mostly done in four days.


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## Danscraftbeer (14/4/20)

CyriusBrew said:


> It has been years since I used US04, because I did not like how it squashes the hop flavours in my beers. However, with the lockdown happening, I gave it a whirl again....
> 
> The yeast does indeed squash my hops. However, this yeast is a beast! It churned through 1.060 to FG in a little over 2 days! If you want a beer quick, I reckon it is one of the yeast to go to.
> 
> Have any of you tried harvesting this yeast from a previous batch? Does it hold up well to re-pitching if I make a starter? How successful generations have you been able to get out if it?


Questions I think is what was your pitch rate? S-04 can vary from vigorous, to slugish and under attenuation. 
Using it myself I have never got to its highest attenuation by the specs. 
It is a nice yeast, I'm friendly with it and I always like to have packs of it in the fridge.


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## CyriusBrew (16/4/20)

Danscraftbeer said:


> Questions I think is what was your pitch rate? S-04 can vary from vigorous, to slugish and under attenuation.
> Using it myself I have never got to its highest attenuation by the specs.
> It is a nice yeast, I'm friendly with it and I always like to have packs of it in the fridge.



Hiya Dan...As noted above, it actually took a little longer to fully ferment out. My initial readings were way off due to my kid adjusting my calibration screw on my refractometer...
Having said this, I am still impressed by the speed of this yeast. It was very vigorous. It does attenuate a little higher than I would see with Wy1056 on this recipe, and the late addition hops are a bit squashed. This can be easily adjusted for.
I also like how well this floculates. The beer is quite clear. 
One last thing...although I know fermentis says it is not required, I used a starter. Old habits die hard when one normally uses liquid yeasts. It also lets me keep more of the yeast on hand since getting brew supplies is getting a bit challenging in NZ right now.


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## MHB (16/4/20)

Dan we pitch it at about 60-80g/hL (gravity dependant), hydrated and with Oxygen about 20 minutes after pitching. Ferment at 18oC, very consistent pretty quick and crystal clear beer out of the fermenter in a week.
Only time I've seen it not preform was a brewer who messed up his Ca additions, too little Ca and it gets a bit sluggish and wont flock as expected, not sure if its the Ca directly or the resultant higher pH but either way it likes at least 100ppm at the end of the boil so additions to suit.
Personally I like it a lot more than US-05 or W1056 for that matter, if choosing a liquid try American Ale 2 or North West, prefer the flavour and clarity of both.
Mark


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## MaggieO (28/4/20)

CyriusBrew said:


> I also like how well this floculates. The beer is quite clear.



This is one of my favorite things about S-04. It settles out nice and fast and really clings to the bottom of the bottle. Easy to get a nice clean pour.


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