Safale-04 - Too flocculant?

[BarryNL]

I've just made up a batch with Safale-04 for the first time and it seems to have gone well - it's a 1.052 pale ale and seems to have pretty much fermented out in 4 days from pitching.

It already seems far clearer than any other beer I've brewed. Is this a characteristic of S-04 or is it more likely that it's because I also used Irish Moss for the first time on this batch.

Do you generally need to add more yeast or stir up some off the bottom when bottling a brew with S-04, or is there usually enough yeast left in solution even though it looks pretty clear? I'm intending to leave it sitting there for about another week before bottling so it will probably clear even more...

[niall]

S04 ferments like a rocket and settles very firmly so your beer will be very clear. Don't worry, there's plenty left for carbonation.

[mysterio]

I really love this yeast for kegged low gravity ordinary bitters. You can brew one and have it bright in the keg the next week.

[yojimbo]

Agree with whats been said already. Was using finings before with other yeasts but now find I can leave out the finnings as there is less yeast in suspention when i barrel the beer and its clears so quickly but still enough there to get plenty of condition.

I would be carefull how long you leave it though as I can imagine you could have a problem with conditioning if too much yest were to settle out.

[Northern Brewer]

Welcome to the wonderful world of S04

I ferment in a 13C cellar and beers are always fermented out and starbright within 5 days of pitching.

[Calum]

I agree with all the comments. Safale S-04 is a great yeast and particularly good for bottling as it sticks to the bottom and stays out of the way when pouring.

Don't worry about priming. Just follow the normal rules and you will get really good condition within a couple of weeks.

[Chappie519]

Used it for the fist time the other day, although it never got a very good start as the room temperature droped below what i thought it would, 14c on the first night. I moved it to a warmer room and it started but only had a head for a few days then died off again at 1015. I racked the brew into demi-johns after that and fitted airlocks, do you think it will be alright?

ALOT of sediment in bottom of primary compared to my usual!

[BarrowBoy]

I agree with all the comments. Safale S-04 is a great yeast and particularly good for bottling as it sticks to the bottom and stays out of the way when pouring.

Don't worry about priming. Just follow the normal rules and you will get really good condition within a couple of weeks.

Calum, are you saying that the bottles don't need to be primed? I'm interested 'cos I've just brewed a pale ale with S-04 (currently fermenting beautifully) and was planning to put it in bottle but, in the past, I've always primed with 1/2 tsp glucose.

[oblivious]

I agree with all the comments. Safale S-04 is a great yeast and particularly good for bottling as it sticks to the bottom and stays out of the way when pouring.

Don't worry about priming. Just follow the normal rules and you will get really good condition within a couple of weeks.

Calum, are you saying that the bottles don't need to be primed? I'm interested 'cos I've just brewed a pale ale with S-04 (currently fermenting beautifully) and was planning to put it in bottle but, in the past, I've always primed with 1/2 tsp glucose.

I think he means follow the normal rules of priming, but you still have to prime

[BarryNL]

ALOT of sediment in bottom of primary compared to my usual!

Yeah, a really lumpy sediment in my brew too - still, it got bottled last night so in a couple of weeks I should know how it all turns out. Tastes pretty good now anyway.