Sale!

SafAle S-04 Ale Yeast 11.5g

Original price was: $4.75.Current price is: $2.38.

Sale Discounted due to a best-before date of 31 August 2026.

A SUITABLE YEAST FOR AMERICAN & ENGLISH ALES English ale yeast selected for its fast fermentation profile. Produces balanced fruity and floral notes. Due to its flocculation power, tends to produce beers with higher clarity.

Ideal for a large range of American and English Ales – including highly hopped beers – and is specially adapted to cask-conditioned and beers fermented in cylindro-conical tanks.

Only 9 left in stock

$5 flat rate shipping Australia-wide (up to 8 packs)
Free local pickup in Noble Park, VIC
Real best-before dates: what you see is what ships

Description

Safale S-04 is Fermentis’s workhorse English ale yeast — fast-fermenting, aggressively flocculant, and reliably expressive of the malt-forward, slightly fruity character that defines British brewing. This listing is a close-to-best-before batch offered at a reduced clearance price. Stored cold and pitched at the recommended rate, the yeast remains fully viable and will perform exactly as expected throughout your fermentation.

Parameter	Range
Fermentation Temperature	12–25°C (optimum 15–20°C)
Apparent Attenuation	73–82%
Flocculation	High
Alcohol Tolerance	~10% ABV
Pitching Rate	50–80 g per hL
Format	11.5 g sachet (close to best before)

Brewing Notes

S-04’s high flocculation is its headline feature — this yeast drops bright within days, significantly reducing conditioning time and making it ideal for brewers who keg or bottle on a tight schedule. Ferment at the lower end of the range (15–16°C) for a cleaner, drier profile with less ester expression; stepping up to 18–20°C introduces more fruit character, which suits sweeter, maltier styles. Close-to-best-before product should be pitched with a slightly higher dose — use the upper end of the pitching range (70–80 g/hL) or rehydrate before pitching to maximise cell viability.

Beer Styles & Brewing Tips

ESB & Best Bitter — S-04’s hallmark application; the high flocculation and medium attenuation leave a satisfying malt body behind.
Brown Ale & Mild — the yeast’s biscuit and fruity esters complement caramel and chocolate malts without muddying the finish.
Porter & Dry Stout — ferment cooler (15°C) for a clean, roasty result with no distracting fruity notes.
Cask-Conditioned Ales — S-04’s fast clearing and moderate CO2 production make it well-suited to real-ale cask formats.

In the Glass: Expect a clear amber to dark chestnut pour, a cream-coloured head, and an aroma of biscuit malt with restrained stone-fruit esters. The palate is balanced, malt-forward, and satisfyingly full despite moderate attenuation — everything a British pub ale should be.

Limited clearance stock — order now while available. Safale S-04 ships Australia-wide from our Queensland warehouse. Questions about viability or pitching adjustments for close-to-best-before yeast? Reach out to the Yeast Platform team.

Recommended Hops for This Yeast

S-04’s English character pairs naturally with classic British and Pacific hop varieties that add bitterness and aroma without clashing with the yeast’s malt-forward, fruity baseline.

East Kent Goldings — the traditional English bittering and aroma hop; honey, floral, and earthy tones
Chinook — pine resin and grapefruit; adds backbone to porters and stronger bitters
Cascade — floral citrus; works well in American-influenced ESBs and pale ales fermented with S-04
Saaz — subtle spicy noble character; elegant bittering hop for session bitters and milds