fermentation time - Safale S-04

Hi,

Did a brew on Saturday and pitched the yeast at around 3PM in the UK.

The OG was around 1.043.

I have come to take a hydometer reading today (Monday) at 11.22am and the reading only says 1.040.

It has a big yeast head on it so it must be working but i thought it might have come down more than that.

Anybody any ideas whats happening here?

Greetings MRMARTINSALES  - relax and enjoy the ride.  Dry yeasts will typically take longer to get started.  Make sure your fermentation temperature is where it's supposed to be and give it a couple days and check again.  I recall using US-05 once before and if memory serves, it was a slow fermentation also.

Dry yeasts US 04 and 05 benefit from rehydrating with some boiled then cooled water for a few hours before pitching. Best practice is to make a yeast starter to ensure viability.  Depending on fermentation temperature, it can take a few days to get going if used dry.

RE: Starters for Dry Yeast

from NB:

"Dry yeast is also packaged with nutrient reserves and is ready to directly pitch without a yeast starter. For high gravity fermentations, more than one pack of dry yeast should be used. Yeast starters are not optimal for dry yeast because they can use up the nutrient reserves of the yeast."

OP, how did your beer turn out.  I rehydrate in lukewarm water (about 85?F) for 20 minutes and notice 04 to be sluggish compared to 05 which is usually dancing within 24-26 hours. 

A very convenient way to rehydrate dry yeast is to add some water to the bottom of your fermenter and sprinkle the yeast on top (about thirty minutes before you're ready to transfer the wort into the fermenter). Then splash the wort into the fermenter, seal it up and let it do whatever it's going to do.

My fermenter is an SS Brewbucket which has a small conical section in the bottom. It holds an appropriate amount of water for rehydrating two packs of yeast. I typically see fermentation activity within two days with this method.