Can you add too much yeast to the must?

[Siwash]

You can use any container you want. Just cover it with a towel or something similar. FWK recommends a wine bottle, and it makes sense as most of us have a bunch lying around. I have numerous funnels that fit wine bottles (including a large one!) and put the dry ingredients in first, then the water.

Last spring I wrote a post that describes making a starter in greater detail. I updated it this morning with advice for conical fermenters.

https://wine.bkfazekas.com/how-to-make-a-yeast-starter/

Thank you! I just read in Techniques In Winemaking (Daniel Pambianchi) that you can use grape juice, must etc too instead of water. Make sense as they are loaded with sugar.

 

[Jusatele]

there is a book

Yeast the practical guide to beer fermentation

great book about the life cycle of yeast making alcohol. A must read for anyone serious about homebrew. I know it says beer but the all the information crosses over. It has so much info in it you can become a yeast nerd.

I read it years ago and it really stepped up my game.

 

[Jim Welch]

@Siwash I use 2L ball jars for my wine starters, they work just fine and I use grape juice AFTER the initial hydration water. Started using Welch’s Concord grape juice but now use frozen Zinfandel grape juice concentrate reconstituted to an SG of 1.100