# Lalvin EC 1118



## cmcca27966 (Apr 14, 2013)

I am making a kit and it cam with EC 1118. I read up on it a bit and saw some negative reviews. Stale tasting wine..Etc. what do you folks think about this yeast?

I also wanted to ask a question about specific gravity and temperature.
If the temperature is lower will the initial SG reading be lower?


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## GreginND (Apr 14, 2013)

I'm not sure what reviews you've been reading. But I've used ec1118 for many wines and it has always performed well for me. Im not sure what a "stale" wine taste is. But it may or may not be due to the yeast. It's a strong yeast with a large temperature range and can ferment up to about 16% alcohol or even a little higher.


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## FatPete (Apr 14, 2013)

cmcca27966 said:


> I am making a kit and it cam with EC 1118. I read up on it a bit and saw some negative reviews. Stale tasting wine..Etc. what do you folks think about this yeast?
> 
> I also wanted to ask a question about specific gravity and temperature.
> If the temperature is lower will the initial SG reading be lower?



Making my first wine. I'm using Lalvin EC 1118, it's what the guy in the home brew store recommended. He said it was quite versatile. So I dropped the 99 cents and tried it.

It appears to be doing exactly what it's supposed to be doing.

Did some research and saw many people favor it. Hope it works out for you too!

Good luck!


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## jagreek (Apr 14, 2013)

What kind of fruit is it? Each yeast will have different effects on different varieties of fruits (grapes). EC1118 is a good all purpose yeast and is very vigorous so you fermentation will not be likely to stop (probably one of the big reasons they put this yeast in kits).

Also your SG will vary with temperature, here is a good link to a calculator that will help get a more accurate SG: http://hbd.org/cgi-bin/recipator/recipator/hydrometer.html?15997445

Also here is a yeast chart from Lalvin which has EC1118 on it compared to the rest of the Lalvin yeasts.


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## K5MOW (Apr 14, 2013)

I have used ex 1118 for a lot of batches and have been very happy with it. One thing I like is the large temp range. 

Roger


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## K5MOW (Apr 14, 2013)

K5MOW said:


> I have used ex 1118 for a lot of batches and have been very happy with it. One thing I like is the large temp range.
> 
> Roger



Sorry I meant EC 1118. 

Roger


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## ibglowin (Apr 14, 2013)

EC1118 is included in 99% of the kit wines out there for a reason. It works, it doesn't cause any problems, the flavor profile is quite good for both reds and whites. It really is a great overall yeast for someone just starting out in winemaking. Other yeast may have different flavor profiles but they will not be as strong a fermentor or they may stall if the temps are not maintained within a proper range, they may need higher amounts of nutrients, they may produce loads more of H2S. 

EC1118 just works.


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## Turock (Apr 14, 2013)

1118 has always been a good standard culture because it ferments under all kinds of conditions. I've never had any bad results with it. We used it on a Syrah last year and that wine is coming along very nicely with good flavor. You should be able to use that culture with confidence.


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## cpfan (Apr 14, 2013)

cmcca27966 said:


> I am making a kit and it cam with EC 1118. I read up on it a bit and saw some negative reviews. Stale tasting wine..Etc. what do you folks think about this yeast?
> 
> I also wanted to ask a question about specific gravity and temperature.
> If the temperature is lower will the initial SG reading be lower?


Hi cmcca:

1) I wonder if some 'stale tasting' wine is caused by poorly degassed wine. Not the term that I would have used. Just a thought.

2) What kit are you making? As Dan/ibglowin said it's very common with kits. But there are some kits that I would think about switching to a different yeast.

3) Yes a lower temp will cause a lower sg. It's a pretty tiny change. Your hydrometer should have come with a chart explaining the temperature adjustment. Most hydrometers are calibrated at either 68F or 60F.

Steve


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## cmcca27966 (Apr 14, 2013)

I am making a Vino Del Vita "Chianti". The only issue I had was that the initial SG was 1.060 AND I followed the directions to the letter of the law. (Supposed to be 1.070 to 1.085 according to the directions) I brought the SG up to 1.075 in hopes that I could get close to 12% on the finished product.
On another note I have a welch's red that is about a month old on its first racking and i tasted it...I like dry wine and OMG did this taste incredibly good to me..Extremely young but I think it has a chance of becoming drinkable..lol. I hope that I got lucky!!!


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## cpfan (Apr 14, 2013)

cmcca27966 said:


> I am making a Vino Del Vita "Chianti". The only issue I had was that the initial SG was 1.060 AND I followed the directions to the letter of the law. (Supposed to be 1.070 to 1.085 according to the directions) I brought the SG up to 1.075 in hopes that I could get close to 12% on the finished product.


That's one kit that I might have considered changing to RC-212. You have to be a bit careful about yeast selection due to the concentrate in these kits.

How well did you stir the must prior to checking the sg. Many people report that their kits have a low initial sg, but the more experienced kit makers rarely have this problem. I assume because the must was not stirred well to mix the concentrate and the added water. I made kits (including this one) for several years in a Ferment on Premises. Very very rarely was the sg significantly low. As in, I only seem to recall once or twice (over all the kits made not just VdeV Chianti).

Steve


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## Dugger (Apr 14, 2013)

Regarding your starting SG, it 's unlikely it would be this low if you have the correct volume of 23 litres. The most probable cause of a reading this low is insufficient mixing of the juice and water. The juice is very viscous and it takes a vigorous stirring to get the water to mix with it. Even a vigorous stirring "round and round" may not be enough to mix it - I like to use an " up and down" stirring method which seems to work better for me and breaks the stratification layers. Some people also use a drill stirrer to make sure it is well mixed.


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## cmcca27966 (Apr 14, 2013)

Well I guess its going to be a bit higher on the ABV. I know the liquid measurements were perfect so that's not the issue. I pitched the yeast which according to directions was a sprinkle on the surface..Would it mess it up if i stirred it?? It says sprinkle yeast on top. (do not stir)


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## jswordy (Apr 16, 2013)

EC1118 is a very broad paddle. Hard to miss with a broad paddle of a yeast IF your primary goal is to make sure it ferments. 

However, there is more nuance to some others, if they are well-matched to the must, and they can bring out flavors and subtleties that are smashed by EC1118. It depends on your goals.

EC1118 or equivalent comes in lots of kits because it is one way to make sure ineptitude will not cause failure. That's not the same goal as making sure the very best flavors come from the must.

Match your yeasts to your goals.


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## jswordy (Apr 16, 2013)

cmcca27966 said:


> Well I guess its going to be a bit higher on the ABV. I know the liquid measurements were perfect so that's not the issue. I pitched the yeast which according to directions was a sprinkle on the surface..Would it mess it up if i stirred it?? It says sprinkle yeast on top. (do not stir)



Your yeast should have started off on top, which is easier on the yeast. I don't stir it in until I see or measure by SG drop that it has started.


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## cmcca27966 (Apr 26, 2013)

Just racked this one and actually tasted good for 13 days old...Just started a vintners reserve pinot noir..OK No more until October!


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