Safale S04

[hhouken]

Second brew with this yeast, both with issues. The first, a sweet stout, I bottled to early with FG too high. The second, a strong Scottish Ale, I waited for FG to drop within bottling range (1.015). The latter has been a week in PET bottles and very little carbonation. The sweet stout is finally carbonating after 4 weeks in the bottle but is realy sweet. Based on earlier comments on this forum regarding S04 stalling issues should I be worried?Is the sweet stout lost? Will the Scottsih Ale be ok?

 

[beerbog]

Second brew with this yeast, both with issues. The first, a sweet stout, I bottled to early with FG too high. The second, a strong Scottish Ale, I waited for FG to drop within bottling range (1.015). The latter has been a week in PET bottles and very little carbonation. The sweet stout is finally carbonating after 4 weeks in the bottle but is realy sweet. Based on earlier comments on this forum regarding S04 stalling issues should I be worried?Is the sweet stout lost? Will the Scottsih Ale be ok?

Doesn't sound like a yeast problem, as the second one dropped to FG, sounds more like a secondary carb issue to me. :beerbang:

 

[Nick JD]

I hated S04 when I bottled - bloody stuff always stalled before FG and would take a week or more to finish off after getting stable. I stopped using it.

Since moving to kegs I've rediscovered it (I always liked the fruity esters it makes at higher ferment temps). I keg the ale after it's "stalled" - and leave it in the laundry for a few weeks - and then hey presto, it's carbed up!

 

[Synthetase]

I found that S04 needs considerable patience. I needed to wait for FG, wait for carbing and wait considerably longer for that dusty flavour to disappear. Once all that was done, it did ferment out some very tasty ales including a bloody good clone of Samuel Smith's Nut Brown. Hmm, I might have to give it another go.

 

[Swordsman]

I have used S04 quite a bit for a range of ales (english variety obviously). Best dry yeast for english bitter, amber etc. IMO. I used it for a 'dark porter' toucan recently (only yeast i had around and better than the coopers can stuff) and it also seemed to stall. After 10 days it wouldn't drop the FG below 1018 (there was a fair bit of malt in the beer and oats etc. so not all was fermentable perhaps). I left it a week, raised room temp, gave it a shake...nada. So i bottled it with a reduced amount of dextrose. I got lucky and as i estimated it 'woke up' in the bottles (which is stored near a hot water system) and promply ate both the dextrose and any remaining malt....carbed up very nicely.

This was the first time it did it to me though so i can't complain too much...

 

[kelbygreen]

one week in bottle is way to short to say that its not fermenting. 4 weeks minimum before you test for carbonation I think

 

[rowanb]

I've used this for my past 4 brews - have found it to be a fast and vigorous at 19/20 degrees, rehydrated with a burst of oxygen in the wort at pitching time - takes off quickly and hasn't stalled yet & has reached FG with no difficulties - gravities between 1.055 and 1.070 - temp controller & raising temp after the first 2-3 days.