Who's using any sort of spunding/pressure fermentation and what sort of yeasts have you had experience with? I know that some Belgian strains want to stall with pressure but I've been read about spunding to full pressure with a number of different yeasts and they seem to do fine.


I'm closing off my Unitank on day 3 of a 1/2 barrel batch using a combination of S-04 and Nottingham (didn't really trust the S-04 slurry so I pitched an additional packet of Notty). I didn't sample right at the time I capped the tank, but based on my last sample, it should be 2-3 points away from FG.

 

Some sub charts list S-04 as a interchangeable with WLP002 but most charts don't list a direct match for it. I think it's definitely somewhat different. The high floculation is the characteristic that makes it want to stall and that seems to happen without pressure. Since I pitched Notty along with the S-04 slurry as an assurance, I've got plenty of drop-like-a-rock potential.
I sampled yesterday and it seems to be at target FG with higher than average attenuation. I'd be surprised if it went any further but the Nottingham is probably responsible for an extra point or two and it could bump down another notch before it's done.

 

I've had esters take a while to clear on the first pitch S-04, and had sort of similar with Nottingham but the current beer is pretty clean, even as it's just starting to finish up and drop. I'll start looking at some liquid versions of the English yeasts, but I'm leery based on some beers that I know were done with some of the WLP English yeasts and were pretty heavy on the diacetyl. I'd rather lager an ester-y beer than drink anything with a substantial dose of diacetyl.