# Dead yeast need racking?



## tonyt (Jul 18, 2013)

My protege called me last night saying that he started a kit three days ago and it has not started fermenting yet. I am not sure what brand or variety, I don't think for this question that matters. Bottom line is he killed the yeast by using very hot tap water (no cold) to hydrate the yeast. I gave him a EC1118 knowing it would work. It was fermenting away bu this morning. My question is should I have told him to rack off of the dead yeast before adding the new yeast? BTW don't laugh - me having a protege!


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## beardy (Jul 18, 2013)

tonyt said:


> My protege called me last night saying that he started a kit three days ago and it has not started fermenting yet. I am not sure what brand or variety, I don't think for this question that matters. Bottom line is he killed the yeast by using very hot tap water (no cold) to hydrate the yeast. I gave him a EC1118 knowing it would work. It was fermenting away bu this morning. My question is should I have told him to rack off of the dead yeast before adding the new yeast? BTW don't laugh - me having a protege!



I would assume it would be like yeast food! Isn't there a nutrient that is essentially dead yeast?


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## robie (Jul 18, 2013)

Yep, it won't hurt a thing and could partly become food for the new yeasties.


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## DoctorCAD (Jul 18, 2013)

Kits dont require starters, at least any of the kits I have made.


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## JohnT (Jul 19, 2013)

It should not really matter. After all, we are only talking about 1 of 2 packets only. There will be a hugh amount of dead yeast yet to come.

Protege??? Be careful! Remember what happened to Obi Wan Kanobi. The last words he heard before being struck down was Darth Vader saying... "when I met you, I was but a learner. Now I am the master".

_(Did I really quote Star Wars on a winemaking website???? GEEEEEESH, I am such a nerd)_


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## Sammyk (Jul 19, 2013)

FWIW We have never hydrated yeast; be it fresh fruit or a kit. Never had a kit that did not start in 12 to 18 hours. A few took a bit longer but still went to work. The key is to make sure the must is warm. For that reason we use warm tap water and pitch the yeast right away. Yeast will not start in cold or too cool must until it warms up.
OR the yeast is old. We store packets of yeast in the fridge and bring what we need out and let it warm to room temperature before pitching.


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## Rocky (Jul 19, 2013)

FWIW, I have done the yeast both ways, hydrating and dry, when starting a new wine and I don't see any appreciable difference in the two methods. In that hydrating requires more work, I normally go dry. If, however, I am trying to re-start a stalled wine or a wine having fermentation difficulties, I will hydrate. I run tap water until if just feels warm to the touch, i.e. the temp is greater than 98.6 degrees F.


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## robie (Jul 19, 2013)

When it comes to kit wine, although I do create a yeast starter, it is mainly so I will know for a fact that the yeast are viable. If fermentation doesn't start right away, it eliminates having to wait (and worry) for that first 72 hours, wondering if the yeast were viable or not.


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## tonyt (Jul 19, 2013)

JohnT said:


> Protege??? Be careful! Remember what happened to Obi Wan Kanobi. The last words he heard before being struck down was Darth Vader saying... "when I met you, I was but a learner. Now I am the master".


I prefer to think of myself as Mr Miyagi.
*Miyagi:* "Walk left side, safe. Walk right side, safe. Walk middle, sooner or later get squish just like grape.


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## Lowc23 (Dec 31, 2015)

I know lol is overused, the lol statement, but here I am alone in my kitchen at 330a.m. and I laughed out loud at your fruit yeast sugar comment. Say no to hooch!


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