# Yeast Starter



## Casper137 (Jun 4, 2015)

two questions.

I'm going to attempt my first batch of Skeeter Pee.

I have 1 x 6 gallon carboy and 2 x 5 gallon carboys.

I'd like to utilize both 5 gallon carboys for skeeter pee so I can use the 6 gallon for another batch of fruit kit wine which is all I have ever made.

5 gallon carboy is fine for a 5 gallon batch I would assume yes? I only ask cause last time I dumped a buttload of sugar into a fruit kit wine that was already fermenting it bubbled over like crazy.

**disregard first question -- I forgot I'll be using a 23 litre bucket as a primary so I should be fine then I'll be racking into the 5 gallon carboys as secondaries.**

I do not currently have any wine on the go fermenting so no go on slurry as a starter.

Is their a somewhat tried/tested/true way of people getting a good starter going for Skeeter Pee?

I'll be using EC1118 yeast.


----------



## wineinmd (Jun 4, 2015)

Casper137 said:


> two questions.
> 
> I'm going to attempt my first batch of Skeeter Pee.
> 
> ...


I see you already came to the same conclusion, but never ferment in a container that is the same size as the batch you are making unless you really like cleaning.

If you don't have a slurry, I have been reading where some people don't add any of the lemon juice at the beginning and instead add it when the wine has finished fermenting. The thought being that there really isn't any benefit to adding it right away, just drawbacks. I plan to take that approach with the SP I'm starting tonight even though I have a slurry ready to go.

Not adding the lemon juice in the beginning will let the yeasties get going without the acidic environment you'd get with the juice. If you shoot for something around 1.070 as per the original recipe, that is well within EC1118's capabilities. If you have Go-Ferm (or something similar) that would help as well.


----------



## richmke (Jun 4, 2015)

Rehydrate the yeast per instructions - 2 ounces of warm TAP water (95-105 degrees) for 15 to no more than 30 minutes.

In the meantime, warm 2 cups of TAP water to 85 degrees. Add 2 teaspoons of sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon of yeast nutrient or energizer. Mix well

Sometime during the 15-30 minute period, pour the rehydrated yeast into your mixture. Mix well.

Note: At this point, you will want the mixture to sit for 4 hours. You want a larger container because it will foam. I use a 1 quart canning jar (lid loosely on top). A 1/2 gallon wine bottle would work well too. If you remember, give it a swirl every 30 minutes.

In the meantime, prepare your SP. Ideally, you want the yeast temp to be within 15 degrees Fahrenheit when you pour the yeast into the SP. If the temps are a little far apart, add 1 cup of SP to the yeast slurry. Mix and allow to sit for 30 minutes. Then pour that into the SP.


----------

