Recipe Advice Thread

[denimglen]

Thought it might be handy to have a thread for some of the more advanced brewers to give some advice on recipes.

Let's see how it goes eh...

[Stu McKinlay]

Barry brews great beers with S04.... and I've brewed a couple of ok ones. 'twas definitely tongue in cheek. It is just a yeast that needs a bit more forethought, love and attention than the average homebrewer will put in. That's why I recommend people start with S05 and branch out when they realise it's a actually a bit boring.

[jt]

'0S(tu) - '05 normally gets bagged once a year for popping out some murky beers, not it's lack of character

Are we getting out of sequence here ?

 

cheers, jt

[Tilt]

So what are the specific aspects of "love and attention" that S04 needs?

I'm keen to know how to tame this cantankerous beastie.

It often gets a bad rap - but as a dry yeast with english character I'm sure there's many who'd use it (myself included) if we knew its foibles and ways to make the most of them.

[Druid]

Agreed!  Keen to hear the details...

[Richard Jack]

I've had good luck with just keeping it nice and cool, or letting it get to 20 if I want some esters... But I'm a relative novice, so take from that what your will.

[Tilt]

Righto  Matt and Richard - thanks for the advice - maybe its those esters that turn some folk off. 

I had it in my mind that for some reason it needed to be kept strictly around 17 degrees and above this it produces 'dust and wooden' flavours.  Not sure where I read this but it stuck in my mind. 

Does it need a decent D rest at 21-22 deg?

Glad to hear you've made it sing - I might have to give it a go sometime soon!

[Reviled]

"maybe its those esters that turn some folk off. "

 

For me thats mainly what it is, not a fan of the particular esters that it gives off, or some of the flavours, but I havent tried it below 19*c personally... On top of that the thing that really pi*ses me off about it, is that it does hide a sh*t load of hop character, more so than other english strains I've used, meaning you need to up the amount of hops you're putting in which adds more cost to your brew.

 

I guess the other thing that puts me off S-04, was moving to liquid strains and finding some AMAZING yeasts like 1469 and 1968 and just not being able to look back.

[Dougal]

I made my first decent beer with S-04. I got some fresh 2nd gen stuff from Wigram, and followed Coop's suggestion about holding it at 17C. Quite a pleasant clean tasting beer. So, a decent pitch and cool temps help.

Agree with Reviled though, the liquid English yeasts seem easier to get a good result with and the esters are more pleasant (and then there's that hop thing). It's only anecdotal, but the other thing I noticed is that my S-04 beers tasted pretty ordinary after a few months. Sort of a generic "home brew" flavour. My beers with 1968 and other liquid strains seem to have greater longevity.  

 

[Tilt]

Great insights thanks.  The picture is becoming clear. 

It sounds like there's a price for convenience - often the way really.

But its weaknesses are surmountable. 

I'm sure a few of us move forward better equipped and with eyes wide open!

Cheers

[jt]

I think 1.1gm/L was my extreme in the mild

[Llew Bardecki]

I'm thinking of doing a Belgian IPA this weekend with the starter of Wyeast Trappist High Gravity I've got ready (Thanks Dave!)

Problem is, I can't decide about which way to go about it:
Darker, and sweeter with English-y hops (Fuggles and NZ Goldings.)  Mash a bit warmer.  Dark Candi sugar and Special B in the grist.  Kind of a Dubbel-IPA.

or Lighter and drier with American-y hops (Centennial, Chinook and NZ Cascade), coriander.  Mash cooler, with cane sugar and pale crystal.  Kind of a Tripel-IPA.

What do you all think?

[Reviled]

My vote goes for the American-y style - although - coriander with it? Idk about that personally...