# what is a 'cereal yeast' ?



## St Allie (Mar 15, 2009)

I have a recipe which requires two yeasts.. a cereal one to deal with the rice content of the wine and a 'tokay' yeast for the fruit content.

local brew shop has wine/ cider and beer yeasts .. would I substitute a beer yeast?

any help much appreciated.

Allie


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## Luc (Mar 16, 2009)

Allie,

i have never heard of a cereal yeast. However the name suggest
that is special for fermenting 'cereals' which would be flour etc and that indicates indeed a beer yeast. but hey I am just guessing.

Tokay yeast is a yeast that has it's origine in Hungary where
the Tokaj wine comes from. So that is a well known strain over here but might be a little hard to come by where you are located.

I think the philosophy is that beer yeast will go to 5 or 6 % and then let teh tokaj yeast take over.
What is the origine of the recipe ???

Luc


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## St Allie (Mar 16, 2009)

*Morning Luc*

It's a recipe from a book by Ben Turner (british author) called Home Made Wines and Beers - Recipes for every month of the year...

There are two recipes calling for cereal yeast.. one is a rice and raisin wine, the other a 'poor mans brandy' that takes 3 years to mature.( this one asks for tokay yeast as well) The brandy one is intriguing me. Based on potatoes and wheat and is an old irish recipe.

Am going to ask the local brew shop today, whether it's possible to get hold of the tokay yeast at all. Is there a substitute for that yeast ?


Allie


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## Luc (Mar 16, 2009)

St_Allie said:


> Am going to ask the local brew shop today, whether it's possible to get hold of the tokay yeast at all. Is there a substitute for that yeast ?
> 
> Allie



Allie,

As I am not familiar withe the brands sold over there it is hard to say what can replace a Tokay yeast.

As it is a brandy style I would suggest going for a high alcohol tolerance strain like the Lalvin Ec-1118

Luc


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## St Allie (Mar 18, 2009)

*Luc*

I popped into the local brewshop and the owner was unfamiliar with a tokay yeast..

so...have purchased a 48 hour turbo spirit yeast called Alcotec 48..it ferments out to 20% with 8 kilos of sugar in 5 days.

My thoughts are.. I will ferment on the pulp with a beer yeast, when that slows I will strain, add remaining sugar and ferment out with the spirit yeast. It says not to use an airlock.. so am figuring on a hugely violent ferment. perhaps I should add sugar in increments and slow ferment down a bit? This recipe says to leave the wine for at least 3 years to mature.

Anyone that has tried to make brandy style wines without fortifying?

all input appreciated.

Allie


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## Luc (Mar 19, 2009)

DO NOT USE IT !!!!

Sorry for shouting but please do not use it.

Turbo yeast will ferment indeed in a short time to a high alcohol level. I have used it once myself in the past.

The problem is that it is not made for making a good wine, it is made for making high alcohol.
It produces off odors and off flavors in the process.

That is the reason why the manufacturer states that you should filter the wine over active coal after fermenting. That will get rid off the odor and taste. 

It is a stressed yeast that will make a high alcohol from just sugar and nutrients and water for distilling purposes, not for winemaking purposes.

You will get a high alcohol beverage by using it but it will not taste any good. Believe me I tried it with elderberry wine. Do not use it, it is not made for winemaking.

Luc


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## arcticsid (Mar 19, 2009)

*This is where seniority comes in*

Luc said don't do it.

DON"T

Enough said.

Troy


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## St Allie (Mar 19, 2009)

*Thanks Luc..*

what about if I substitute a champagne yeast?.. will that work?

 Troy..I trust Luc.. he's a bloke what does fings wiv fruit 

grins

Allie


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## arcticsid (Mar 19, 2009)

*Do the best you can with what you have*

If you can get champagne yeast it will work. I am assuming however, if you have access to champagne yeast you can come up with wine yeast. What do you have available to you? Depending on what you can get some of the others may recommend some particular brand. And their recommendation of course will depend on what you are trying to make. As for me give me Premiere Cuvee. I only say that because I like it, no other criteria to back it up.
Troy


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## St Allie (Mar 19, 2009)

Troy, I can get champagne yeast and general purpose yeast. I use champagne for my fruit wines because it is more viable than foiled yeasts in my experience.

I'll wait for Luc's assessment of the champagne yeast scenario then. In the meantime I'm having a look online to see if I can get a tokay yeast couriered from somewhere.

Allie

(aren't ingredients frustrating!)


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## Luc (Mar 20, 2009)

Too much honour guys.........

Sorry for my late reply, I was busy for two days with my pineapple and rhubarb wines.
The pulp had to be pressed etc.......
Two more batches on the go !!!!

I would use a yeast that is capable fermenting to a higher alcohol level like the EC-1118 when available. Otherwise choose another Champagne yeast.

Hope this helps.

Luc


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## St Allie (Mar 23, 2009)

Thanks Luc,

champagne is about the highest finished abv I can buy.. the brewshop says yeah just bring that turbo one back for a refund.

Just out of interest darl, your rhubarb wines.. do they take at least 4 rackings to clear? I find rhubarb is the most difficult fruit wine to clear.. oh and damson wines.. they are full of tiny sediment.. and I do freeze both before making up the musts..


Allie


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## Camelia (Jul 29, 2010)

St Allie said:


> It's a recipe from a book by Ben Turner (british author) called Home Made Wines and Beers - Recipes for every month of the year...
> 
> There are two recipes calling for cereal yeast.. one is a rice and raisin wine, the other a 'poor mans brandy' that takes 3 years to mature.( this one asks for tokay yeast as well) The brandy one is intriguing me. Based on potatoes and wheat and is an old irish recipe.
> 
> ...


Hi Alli, I am just about to try the exact same recipe as you and have come across the same problem. Noone seems to have heard of cereal wine yeast. Did you finally resolve the problem and if so, how was the wine. (Believe it or not, I am also looking to do the second option Honey Beer - what do they say about great minds!) Thanks for any help you can give, I'm a really new wine maker - but my Elderflower Cordial was out of this world! Camelia


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## Deezil (Jul 29, 2010)

A few minutes of searching - i dont know if its any kind of answer... But...

There are "Nutritional Yeasts" recommended for adding to cereals?.. Sold by Red Star, even..

http://www.mothernature.com/p/Nutri...duct&zmam=1000941&zmas=18&zmac=110&zmap=40240

Another site i found, if "Nutritional Yeast" is what you're looking for..

http://vegetarian.about.com/od/glossary/g/nutyeast.htm

"Nutritional yeast can be found in the bulk foods or supplement section of your health food store. You can look for either nutritional yeast flakes or powder, but be sure you don't get brewer's yeast by mistake, as its quite similar in appearance. In Australia and New Zealand, nutritional yeast is also called "savory yeast" or "savory yeast flakes". "

Maybe that helps... Or maybe it distracts... All i can do is try


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