Adding more yeast or different yeast towards the end.

[colgilbec]

HI,
Just a quick question regarding yeast.Eagerly awaited the st peters ruby red ale kit and put it on last fri 13/11 original gravity appx 1.044.
Used safe ale yeast as my preferred choice instead of the kit yeast as it has never failed.
Steady temp at 20-22dgrs.
Checked tonight sun and gravity has dropped to appx 1.016,not bad for a couple of days.
But the head is slowly starting to disperse/thin down and i have a gut feeling about it, that it will not end up around the 1.010 mark or less.
My main question is,would it be worthwile adding the yeast that came with the kit to help it along whilst it still has fermentables left to convert?.

[Madbrewer]

I would say you have a couple of degrees left before you can say the Safale stopped. Whilst that might not be down fully to 1.010, 1.012 For example would probably make for a very nice beer! The important thing really, is that you get near enough the 75/80% mark. I would wait three more days and see what happens. Once the reading doesn't change over a 2 day period the yeast has probably done all it's going to.

Some yeasts are Lazy and require at times a bit of rousing to get them going again. In my experience this is not the case with S04. If you want to add the other yeast it probably wont hurt (assumign everythings sterile enough) but I really dont think it's necessary. For example after a week, if it was 1.020 still and not changing iver a 24 hour period I'd be thinking about rousing or maybe another yeast or something.

It would be interesting for you, I Imagine to try the same kit next time with a different yeast (like Nottingham maybe) which I think is really dry. If you experience what I do, your beer will taste 'dryer' or less sweet.

I don't think your question can be answered in terms of an out and out right/wrong decision. There is one brewery I know of that initially pitch a cocktail of three dry yeasts into their fermenter. I have never done this and I don't know what difference it makes? I would assume the 'easy' sugars get fermented first by whatever yeast multiplies quickest and then over time he rest get's munched by the most attenuative yeast. In your case this is the result you are trying to acheieve but I really dont think it will be necessary.

[OldSpeckledBadger]

What you're describing is perfectly normal for S-04 and I'm somewhat surprised that you don't know that since you claim it's your regular yeast. Leave it alone and it'll probably be finished by day 7.

[colgilbec]

I would just like to thank you 3 chaps for the replies, your experience/knowledge is priceless,if you could bottle it [excuse the pun !]it would be worth a fortune.
Will keep the forum informed of the final results of this new kit once matured.