YEAST STARTER
Yeast Nutrients
Fall Bright, The Winemakers Shoppe
Directions for
Rehydration with Go-Ferm. Go-Ferm is a nutrient for the yeast Rehydration process. It is not a nutrient for the juice. Add GoFerm to 2 ounces of warm NOT HOT distilled water (43oC or 110oF) at the rate of 6.25 grams (or 2 teaspoons)
per pack of yeast. Mix well, allow to cool to 104 degrees F (40degrees C) and THEN sprinkle the yeast on top of the water-GoFerm mixture. Let stand for 10-15 minutes without
stirring, then stir well to suspend all the yeast. Let stand for another 15-30 minutes. Stir gently again. Combine an equal amount of must or juice to be fermented. This will
help the yeast to adjust to the cool temperature must. This "atemperation" may need repeating in very low temperature must. Add immediately to must or juice that is room
temperature. Our juices and some grapes have been refrigerated. Let them come up to room temperature before inoculation.
Mitchell's short cut starter: Yeast starters take about 2-3 days to fully expand. If you wish to use GoFerm, follow the above procedure. When the yeast re-hydration process is completed, add to equal amounts of sterile grape juice and distilled water, shake to aerate. OR if not using Go Ferm, sprinkle the yeast onto warm (40-45oC or 104-115oF) distilled or sterile non-chlorinated water. Leave for 5-10 minutes (NOT LONGER) (see above) and add to an equal volume of sterile grape juice. Shake to aerate. It will take up to two days to become active. Make up however much you want. (A 5-gram pack of yeast is rated for 5-7 gallons and yet a starter made with one pack of yeast will inoculate much more than 5-7 gallons.)
Starter recipe in Frishman Enjoy Home Winemaking: 2 cups water, 2 tablespoons sugar, *1/2 teaspoon nutrient, 1/4 teaspoon citric acid, yeast
*NOTE: In any recipe recommending 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon of yeast nutrient (diammonium phosphate or
DAP) in a small volume of water (4 oz to 2 cups) reduce the nutrient to a pinch or eliminate it so it
won't be too hot. The dose for nutrient is 1 teaspoon per 5 gallons of
juice. Put it in the juice--and yet a starter will require some nutrient so use a pinch of a micro nutrients in the starter after you have rehydrated the yeast using Go Ferm
We use distilled water for starters calling for water.
The use of a nutrient minimizes hydrogen sulfide
problems.
Yeast Nutrient: Diammonium phosphate or DAP is a major nutrient found in grapes and is well suited for grape yeast that needs to ferment grapes or grape juice. Some varieties of grapes such as Chardonnay and Seyval, as a rule, are lower in nutrients and benefit from the routine use of the addition of DAP.
DAP
usage is 1/2 pounds per 1000 gallons
1.13 grams per 5 gallons
1.13 grams is about a heaping 1/4 teaspoon PER 5 gallons.
Yeast "Energizer" is a term indicates a nutrient that is more
complex and is recommended for fruit wines other than grapes and yet would be acceptable to use in grapes. We use Enovit which is a multiple ingredient nutrient of which each 1000 grams
contains: 240 grams of DAP, 747 grams of ammonium sulphate, 2 grams of thiamine, 1 gram of potassium tartrate, 10 grams of bentonite.
Enovit
usage is 3 to 4 grams per 5 gallons.
3 grams = 1 teaspoon PER 5 gallons