Bad Montracet and delivery issue

[Quince]

Got grape juice yesterday. This morning I did add Montrachet yeast and it looks like it was past expiration; zero fermentation after 12 hours. My order for new yeast comes in about 6-7 days. Now, my dilemma is this: do I use my wife's bread baking yeast, and in that case how much, or wait 7 days for delivery? Need help deciding.

 

[sour_grapes]

Welcome to WMT, @Quince !

You really won't be able to notice whether a fermentation has kicked off in 12 hours. For me, I usually cannot tell for sure until 48 hours later. (I may get "hints" at 24 hours.) I suggest that you give it a day or two before deciding to use the bread yeast.

 

[Jovimaple]

I wouldn't panic yet. Sometimes fermentation takes a while to get going.

What is your starting SG?

What is the temperature of the must?

Did you rehydrate the yeast or just dump it into the must?

Was the yeast stored in the fridge/freezer prior to use?

Many of us ferment in an open bucket covered with a thin towel to keep dust and bugs out of the must. This allows for the oxygen the yeast needs at the beginning to reproduce.

Some yeasts don't produce much visible evidence of fermenting. I did a couple of kits that had very little foam. I always track fermentation progress using my hydrometer to measure the SG so I knew the kits were fermenting even though they didn't look like it.

Good luck and welcome to WMT!

 

[Juniper Hill]

How far out of date was your yeast? 12 hrs isn’t particularly long to wait for yeast to start up. Can easily take 24 to 48 hours depending upon yeast, fermentation conditions and how the yeast was introduced to the must

 

[CDrew]

Let me agree with others and tell you not to sweat this at all. It's only 12 hours. Did you start with goferm or other nutrients?

I would not use baking yeast as while it's the same species, won't tolerate the finishing alcohol level and is likely to stick.

 

[winojoe]

This morning I did add Montrachet yeast

I am curious about why you selected Montrachet as it is notorious for producing hydrogen-sulfide in a low-nutrient environment .

Where abouts do you live? I could drop some yeast in the mail for you. Maybe it will get there quicker?

What varietal are you fermenting?

Cheers!

 

[Quince]

I cannot say I selected Montrachet; years back it was all that store had. Never got to use it, I was in Michigan at the time, just South of Grand Rapids, planted 700 vines and by year 4 went through a divorce and left. I am in Ohio by Cleveland now, but I still plant trees on a property I have in Michigan just North of Reed City. This morning found a local source and I got Red Star Premier Classique, hydrated in grape juice and looks like they all started. I have a 60-40% Foch-Concorde, one just Foch, one Dechaunac Red, a Vincent Dark Red and a Vidal. Both Foch's are going like a speed train without any yeast, the others just started slow now with the Premier Classique. I wonder if I should have used a different yeast for the Vidal carboy. Thank you everybody, I'll raise a glass of wine in your honor.

 

[winojoe]

I love when a plan comes together

 

[winemaker81]

Temperature matters -- while the yeast is fine with lower temperatures, getting into the 75-78 F range will speed things up.

24 to 48 hours is very normal, especially if you sprinkled the yeast one top. 72 hours is not out of the question.