Anybody ever try a big pitch of S-04 at lager temps?

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Jon
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Anybody ever try a big pitch of S-04 at lager temps?

Post by Jon »

I know a lot of ale yeasts can handle cooler temps as long as you up the pitch rate enough (I've personally used US-05, Notty and Munich with success), but has anyone tried this with S-04?

I'm thinking of dropping a cream ale (with Masa Harina as the corn adjunct) on the yeast cake from the brown ale I've currently got fermenting--and I was wondering if anyone has had any luck fermenting S-04 at 55* or so--since it's rated for 59* by fermentis, I figure using the full cake from the brown will be enough to let it thrive at 55*...and the little bit of brown ale left over will just give a little bit of extra character to the cream ale, which is fine by me. :)

If anyone has used it that low (or close), any feedback on what kind of character it gave to the beer?

Thanks!
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bpgreen
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Re: Anybody ever try a big pitch of S-04 at lager temps?

Post by bpgreen »

I've never done that with S-04, but have with US-05 and Nottingham. Since it's rated the same as US-05, I suspect it would work similarly.

It would probably ferment more cleanly than S-04 normally does, but I think that's what you're looking for, anyway.
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MadBrewer
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Re: Anybody ever try a big pitch of S-04 at lager temps?

Post by MadBrewer »

I have only done that with US-05. I feremented that at lager temps, but it was a huge pitch.

I would also suspect it would work but hard to say if it would cleaner because of it. I have used S-04 a lot but mostly in the mid 60's range. When I have taken S-04 higher (68-70*) it gets more fruity/tart. When I have taken it lower, like 64* I notice it gets more of that "bready" almost doughy character it is none for. Hard to say what S-04 would do that low but who better to find out. :clink:
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BigPapaG
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Re: Anybody ever try a big pitch of S-04 at lager temps?

Post by BigPapaG »

I had one batch of stout that I used S-04 on and it was sitting at about 58-62°F.

It stalled terribly... It smelled like bread yeast...

I brought it up to 68-70°F and pitched another pack to try to get it going again but I don't think it ever really recovered.

The resulting stout was bready and had meaty overtones...

After a couple of pints it lubricated my drains.

I think it likes it warmer... And when in the right conditions, finishes quick.

:(
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Jon
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Re: Anybody ever try a big pitch of S-04 at lager temps?

Post by Jon »

BigPapaG wrote:I had one batch of stout that I used S-04 on and it was sitting at about 58-62°F.

It stalled terribly... It smelled like bread yeast...

I brought it up to 68-70°F and pitched another pack to try to get it going again but I don't think it ever really recovered.

The resulting stout was bready and had meaty overtones...

After a couple of pints it lubricated my drains.

I think it likes it warmer... And when in the right conditions, finishes quick.

:(
It's funny you mention bread yeast--I once did a test batch with bread yeast, and it came out pretty good! Very englishy, in fact!

I'm figuring that the HUGE pitch (seriously, the brown ale is low gravity and not heavily hopped, so hopefully the S-04 will have grown up into a strong and healthy colony of yeasties, and will have no trouble fermenting at the cooler temps.

But I guess there's only one way to find out for sure! :jumpy:
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Whamolagan
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Re: Anybody ever try a big pitch of S-04 at lager temps?

Post by Whamolagan »

I am trying to figure out the advantage that you are looking for Jon. Or are you just wanting to experiment.
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bpgreen
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Re: Anybody ever try a big pitch of S-04 at lager temps?

Post by bpgreen »

Whamolagan wrote:I am trying to figure out the advantage that you are looking for Jon. Or are you just wanting to experiment.
It's JON. What do you think?
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Jon
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Re: Anybody ever try a big pitch of S-04 at lager temps?

Post by Jon »

Whamolagan wrote:I am trying to figure out the advantage that you are looking for Jon. Or are you just wanting to experiment.
Possible advantages:

1) Cleaner, more to style Cream Ale.
2) Not having to pitch fresh yeast.
3) Not having to harvest yeast to reuse it.

And yeah, also looking to experiment, just to see how it turns out. :)
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mashani
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Re: Anybody ever try a big pitch of S-04 at lager temps?

Post by mashani »

Some yeasts get weird a too low temps (not just too high like people think).

But I don't know if S-04 is one of them, I have never used it below around 62-64 - at least not on purpose.
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Jon
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Re: Anybody ever try a big pitch of S-04 at lager temps?

Post by Jon »

mashani wrote:Some yeasts get weird a too low temps (not just too high like people think).

But I don't know if S-04 is one of them, I have never used it below around 62-64 - at least not on purpose.
Munich gets pretty weird at low temps--it throws off lots of sulfur and some funky phenols.

Comes around nice if you give it enough time, though!

I guess I'll just have to see how S-04 reacts. :)
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