S-04 not performing as expected

[Yob]

Bollox.. If it needs rousing, use a long spoon, gently stirring, you can whip up a fair amount pretty quickly... Sieve indeed..

 

[manticle]

This is what I mean hoppy.
At no point, after fermentation has begun, no matter what yeast, should you run the fermenting wort/beer through a sieve into another bucket.
That is awful advice and I wish you wouldn't give it. Stir, rock or gently rack - yes but sieve?
Please don't.

 

[hoppy2B]

Some English breweries pump from the bottom of the ferment vessel to the top and as well as the yeast getting a good rousing the brew gets a good aeration. If you want a good fruity English ale you need to get the yeast pumping and fermenting as fast as possible. Should finish well then too.

 

[JasonP]

Some English breweries pump from the bottom of the ferment vessel to the top and as well as the yeast getting a good rousing the brew gets a good aeration. If you want a good fruity English ale you need to get the yeast pumping and fermenting as fast as possible. Should finish well then too.

Aeration should be done in the growth stage not ferment stage. This will give negative affects if continuosly aerated. I doubt breweries pump to aerate. If they do, it's probably to circulate to maintain uniform temperature in the fermentor.

Which brings me to the point about this yeast - I have used it a few times. I don't like the yeast but it has never stalled on my - inculding HG ales. I reckon it stalls on people due to lack of oxygen atthe begining of ferment.

 

[manticle]

Some English breweries pump from the bottom of the ferment vessel to the top and as well as the yeast getting a good rousing the brew gets a good aeration. If you want a good fruity English ale

you need to get the yeast pumping and fermenting as fast as possible. Should finish well then too.

They don't pour it through a sieve when it stalls at 1020 though do they? I'm trying to be polite hoppy but please stop posting rubbish disguised as knowledgeable advice.

 

[hoppy2B]

I never said to pour it through a sieve when it stalls at 1020 Mr Manticle. Maybe you need to lay off the grog a bit so you actually understand what it is people are writing. Otherwise you just look like an illiterate.

 

[manticle]

Totally illiterate, me. Maybe you need to consider your words and their implications more carefully?

 

[Yob]

Some of the English ale yeasts that need rousing during fermentation might benefit from it though.

Seemed pretty clear you were actually, perhaps you should explain yourself better if you are saying something you don't actually mean.. Just a thought that may help peeps decipher potentially misleading information.. After all, few of us are mind readers and less of us can interpret what the hell you are on a about if you don't type exactly what you mean..

Ed: just as a bye... Can't stand that yeast myself, won't have it in the house, never had a good result with it

 

[slash22000]

I've only used S04 once, and I had the opposite problem. It went completely ape-****, spewed krausen all through my fermenting freezer, never seen anything like it before. Didn't stall, beer ended up fairly low (not sure how low), but I didn't much like the taste. Going by this thread, and Google, it seems most people don't. Not sure if maybe we're doing it wrong or what.

 

[GalBrew]

To people like slash who have had no probs with s-04, how much do you oxygenate the wort compared to when you use other yeasts?

 

[jaypes]

I gave it a heap of aeration into the fermenter as it was cubed. I just checked it then - 1025

I might try Yob's advice and rouse with a spoon

 

[Yob]

Raising temp a bit won't hurt either mate

 

[jaypes]

I have it at 20 now, might bump it to 22

 

[JasonP]

I have it at 20 now, might bump it to 22

to be honest, i'd be chucking in some more yeast and be done with it. Its been in the fermentor almost 3 weeks and done bugger all for the last 2. You want the ferment to finish as soon as possible. Any reason why you dont want to pitch more yeast?

 

[jaypes]

Because im a tightwad, there should have been plenty of healthy yeast to do its job

 

[JasonP]

Because im a tightwad, there should have been plenty of healthy yeast to do its job

should have been, but need plenty oxygen, FAN, mg, zn, vitamins - so your initial pitch might be done. Up to you what to do but i'd be doing this.

Did you re-hydrate?

 

[jaypes]

Yes, i always rehydrate dried yeast but i dont use it that often

 

[slash22000]

My S04 was also rehydrated. No special oxygenation though.

 

[Bridges]

I'm currently using S-04 for the third time. Each time I've said I wouldn't use it again as I've had to coerce it into dropping the last few points as per the OP by swirling, raising temps and once chucking more yeast at it when doing a k and k. Current batch a BIAB brown ale seems to have stalled at 1016 when I was expecting 1012. I'm swirling and bumping a degree a day and trying to remain patient. Fast ferment test is also handy. If you look at fermentis' own tips and tricks guide for their range it is an interesting read and surprise surprise, they recommend pitching more yeast for a stuck ferment.

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[TasChris]

Ed: just as a bye... Can't stand that yeast myself, won't have it in the house, never had a good result with it

:icon_offtopic: I agree, I can taste S04 a mile away..will not brew with it. There are many better yeasts than this one.