champaign yeast

[sidycat411]

I started making wine last summer only using a bottle of grape juice from the grocery store. It's quick, it tastes good but I'm having trouble finding the yeast. I like the Elvin ec 1118. I got a pack the other day from amazon and it didn't work, I'm thinking it was too cold outside where it sat inside the back door for 3 hrs. Can this happen? Must I wait till spring when it gets warmer outside to get yeast, we have no wine supply stores around here. The temp the other evening was about 28 degrees.

 

[VinesnBines]

Heat is the enemy of yeast. You should be storing yeast in the refrigerator anyway. I've bought EC 1118 from Amazon without issue. When did you pitch the yeast? What is the temperature of your juice? Do you know the SG of the juice and most of all, did the juice have any sulfites added?

If the juice is too cool (under 70 degrees F), the yeast won't start working. If the sugar level is too high or low, the yeast won't work (SG much over 1.120). If the juice contains sulfites the yeast will have trouble starting.

 

[Granrey]

If the juice is too cool (under 70 degrees F), the yeast won't start working. If the sugar level is too high or low, the yeast won't work (SG much over 1.120). If the juice contains sulfites the yeast will have trouble starting.

I think I had this issue in two batches. I suspected the issue was the sugar. Its there a procedure on how to step feed?

I have read bit and pieces but I don't see to find the right info.

Btw, the reason for too much sugar is that some juices are very low in sugar and when you add the sugar, the juice seems (for lack of better word) become "slushy". Notice this has not happened to me with grapes though.

This for me is still hard to understand. why does it become like slushy?

If for example if you want to make 1L of wine. You can add 208g of sugar for every 0.8 L of Welch's grape juice which has a a sugar content of 168g/L to bring final density to 348g/L.

You figure that if you have a juice like soursop with a sugar density of 80g/L (very low compared to grapes).Now you need to add 289g of sugar to 0.72 L of juice instead.

Adding 208g of sugar to 0.8L of juice is very different to adding 289g of sugar to 0.72 L of juice.

 

[JohnW]

I started making wine last summer only using a bottle of grape juice from the grocery store. It's quick, it tastes good but I'm having trouble finding the yeast. I like the Elvin ec 1118. I got a pack the other day from amazon and it didn't work, I'm thinking it was too cold outside where it sat inside the back door for 3 hrs. Can this happen? Must I wait till spring when it gets warmer outside to get yeast, we have no wine supply stores around here. The temp the other evening was about 28 degrees.

I make sure the yeast is at room temperature and then start with a yeast nutrient called Go-Ferm and follow their directions. Never had a problem to date. Attached is a link to working with yeast from the MoreWine! website.

 

[sidycat411]

Everything was room temperature but nothing seemed to work, I even had other packs of champaign yeast some in red packs some in yellow (forgot the name) and those didn't work either bu they were right out of the fridge. I'll try the Go-Ferm, thanks much

 

[JohnW]

Everything was room temperature but nothing seemed to work, I even had other packs of champaign yeast some in red packs some in yellow (forgot the name) and those didn't work either bu they were right out of the fridge. I'll try the Go-Ferm, thanks much

I'm thinking there might be an issue with the juice you purchased as champagne yeast is almost failproof. They may have added some sorbate to the juice. It's a preservative that stops the growth of mold, yeast, and fungi. If that's the case you need to start over with some different juice.

 

[Raptor99]

I have stored yeast in the freezer and it still worked after thawing, so storing yeast in a cold place should not be a problem. I take yeast out 12 hours before I plan to use it to allow it to come up to room temperature. When I first started brewing I sometimes had problems getting the yeast going. Proper rehydration procedure is key to getting the yeast off to a good start. The document shared by @JohnW gives a great summary. Some yeasts are pickier than others and require more care in rehydration. With my current procedures I can usually smell the yeast and see clear signs of fermentation within 12 hours of adding the yeast.

If the grape juice had any preservatives in it that could be the problem. EC-1118 is very tolerant of adverse conditions.

 

[winemaker81]

All the above advice is good -- I'll summarize it in a concise list of instructions.

Start with 100% juice. Most commercial juices are poor wine making material, as they contain preservatives including potassium sorbate and potassium metabisulfite. Sorbate is what we (home wine makers) use to stabilize a dry wine before backsweetening -- it prevents a renewed fermentation. If there is sorbate in your juice, getting a fermentation going is difficult. Not impossible, but if I see sorbate on the ingredient list, I'd put it back on the shelf.

Check your specific gravity (SG). The initial SG should be between 1.070 and 1.100, with 1.090 being a good starting point. If the SG is higher, the yeast may be in too rich an environment and won't start. If the SG is lower, the environment is poor.

If you don't have a hydrometer, get one. Without it you will be unable to determine the initial sugar level, and will not be certain when fermentation is complete. Fermentation stopping does not mean it's complete. It just means it stopped for some reason.

Optional -- Add a yeast nutrient to help ensure the environment is best for yeast growth.

Take the yeast out of refrigeration 6-12 hours before use, e.g., put it on the counter before you go to bed. It needs to be at room temperature when you rehydrate it.

Rehydrate the yeast before use, following the instructions in the document listed above.

Room temperature is critical! The yeast is already trying to grow is what is probably not an ideal environment, so the temperature must be at least 70 F. Given the situation, I'd rather have closer to 80 F.

Good luck!

 

[Sailor323]

I have yeast in the freezer that is years (maybe 15 years) past the use by date. I proofed a packet of it recently and it is still quite viable.

 

[sidycat411]

I just tried 2 different packs of yeast which I left on the counter overnight, one was an e c 1118 the other was red star, neither one worked the yeast just sank to the bottom with no foaming at all. The red star yeast I bought last July when I started making this wine but switched to the ec 1118. I've read on yeast packets to dissolve it in 1/4 cup water, do I add sugar to this before I add it to the jar of juice? The juice I buy is 100% juice with nothing added.

 

[VinesnBines]

You need to wait awhile for it to start fermenting. May be up to 24 hours. The temperature needs to be at least 65F or more. Also you may have too much sugar in the juice. You have to take a hydrometer reading and start with an sg of 1.085 or so. It can be higher or lower but not much.

 

[Sailor323]

I just tried 2 different packs of yeast which I left on the counter overnight, one was an e c 1118 the other was red star, neither one worked the yeast just sank to the bottom with no foaming at all. The red star yeast I bought last July when I started making this wine but switched to the ec 1118. I've read on yeast packets to dissolve it in 1/4 cup water, do I add sugar to this before I add it to the jar of juice? The juice I buy is 100% juice with nothing added.

Not usually necessary but it doesn't hurt.

 

[winemaker81]

Not usually necessary but it doesn't hurt.

Agreed. I often add 1/2 tsp sugar when rehydrating yeast. Let the set at least 15 minutes or until it starts foaming well. When starting a kit I rehydrate the yeast, then continue with the process. By the time I'm ready for the yeast, it's ready for use.

Key points from the MoreWine document @JohnW attached to post #4:

Don't use distilled water. This one surprised me, but the reasoning makes sense.

Ideal temperature is 102 to 104 F (39 to 40 C). I'd have said 85 to 90 F, and am surprised the ideal temperature is higher. I have a digital kitchen thermometer that I'll use next time starting a batch.

 

[sidycat411]

OK, I ordered 3 packs of the ec 1118 yeast from amazon, it was delivered yesterday, I tried rehydrating it yesterday but again it did not work. I left it out overnight and tried again this morning and nothing is happening, I am so frustrated right now, why is this happening? I never had this kind of trouble with yeast. What am I doing wrong???

 

[winemaker81]

What am I doing wrong???

What was the temperature of the water, and what is the temperature in the room?

From this side of the keyboard, it appears you have either a problem with your rehydrating process, or a problem with the yeast. Unless your temperature is too hot/cold, it may be the yeast. Where are you buying from? You might try buying from a different source.

I buy yeast from my LHBS, so I know I'm getting good yeast as I know the storage conditions and that the yeast is not old. When buying online, there are no guarantees.

 

[sidycat411]

Yeah I got it from amazon and the water is 120 degrees. I'm starting to think it's amazon, but I did get yeast there when I started this last July but that yeast has proven to be no good either. I started out with 10 packs of the red star yeast which now is useless. I'll try getting it from somewhere else, because I don't have an answer as to what could be happening.

 

[Chuck E]

Yeah I got it from amazon and the water is 120 degrees. I'm starting to think it's amazon, but I did get yeast there when I started this last July but that yeast has proven to be no good either. I started out with 10 packs of the red star yeast which now is useless. I'll try getting it from somewhere else, because I don't have an answer as to what could be happening.

120 degrees is WAY TOO HOT! I rehydrate my yeast at 90 - 100F, and I've never had a problem.

 

[winemaker81]

Yeah I got it from amazon and the water is 120 degrees.

120 F is way too hot! In a previous post I mentioned that the posted document recommends 102-104 F.

 

[cmason1957]

I don't measure the temp directly (Probably should), but I was always taught, sprinkle some on your wrist, like you would with a bottle for a baby. If it feels hot, it is to hot. If it feels cold, it is to cold. If it just feels wet, you are at about the right temperature. It has always worked for me.

 

[winemaker81]

I don't measure the temp directly (Probably should), but I was always taught, sprinkle some on your wrist, like you would with a bottle for a baby. If it feels hot, it is to hot. If it feels cold, it is to cold. If it just feels wet, you are at about the right temperature. It has always worked for me.

That's a great tip as 98.6 is pretty close to the recommended 102-104 F.

I have a digital kitchen thermometer which helps greatly.