Enough Sugar for Cranberry Wine?

[Deezil]

I am not even sure if you should use Fermaid O or not to be honest.

Not until after the lag phase, if I remember correctly

is the sugar really that stressful on the yeast? I look at it as just giving them something to munch on

They're not ready for the sugar yet.... Say, it's kind of like... You're coming out of the deepest sleep ever; almost comotose.. And someones standing over you yelling at you, that you need to be dressed and running a mile already.. You're just not ready yet, with 1 elbow up on the bed lol

 

[peaches9324]

maybe they wake hungry So what? about 1/4 tsp of yeast energizer or nutrient is not good either?

 

[BernardSmith]

maybe they wake hungry So what? about 1/4 tsp of yeast energizer or nutrient is not good either?

I don't think that dry yeast wake hungry. They were active before all the moisture was removed - so they have enough O2 and nutrients in the cells. All you need to do is rehydrate them with water. A package of dry yeast contains the billions of yeast cells you need to ferment 5 gallons. Once they have been added to the must then you may need to add nutrient. This - as I understand it - is VERY different from creating a yeast starter.

Yeast starters start off with relatively speaking very few yeast cells but they are already active. What you are doing is creating a culture that encourages the yeast to bud (reproduce ) rapidly. That takes O2 and nutrient and sugar. After a few days you will have the billions of cells you need.
But as I say, I am not a chemist and my understanding is perhaps fundamentally flawed.

 

[seth8530]

Not until after the lag phase, if I remember correctly




They're not ready for the sugar yet.... Say, it's kind of like... You're coming out of the deepest sleep ever; almost comotose.. And someones standing over you yelling at you, that you need to be dressed and running a mile already.. You're just not ready yet, with 1 elbow up on the bed lol

Correct, I guess my thought git chopped off. I only stated that since fermaid o does not have DAP.

 

[Vertumnus]

Wow, the discussion here certainly is fascinating and has given me some key insights on how to correctly prepare yeast starters from now on! You guys rock!

Anyways, I thought I should give you all some progress. I wrapped the primary in an emergency blanket to keep in whatever heat it had a couple days ago. Yesterday, I took the SG, reading 1.084, progress! Checked the temp for the first time though today, and as you can see it reads 62F. I'm still a novice, but my understanding is that that is probably too low for an efficient fermentation, does that sound right?

 

[seth8530]

You know, that actually all depends on the yeast strain. However, I do agree it is a little low if you are not making it cold on purpose.

 

[Vertumnus]

Another update on progress. I measured the SG in the wee hours of the morning at 1.063. It seems like everything is moving along, if a lot slower than usual. Probably a combination of the temperature and the cranberry's natural benzoate. Interesting to have a ferment take so long, any insights on how it may affect the final product for a low temp, prolonged fermentation?

BTW, the yeast is EC-1118. It's pretty much what I use for everything

 

[BernardSmith]

But again, a yeast starter is not the same as rehydrating dried yeast. You might make a yeast starter if you use liquid yeast but it seems to me that most (all?) wine yeasts are dried yeasts. Brewers tend to use liquid yeasts and so they tend to make starters. The one exception may be the yeast recommended for Skeeter Pee. The idea is that you use a slurry made from the lees taken from a batch of wine made earlier. In many ways that is a kind of "starter".

 

[seth8530]

EC-1118 is a pretty neutral yeast and a strong fermented too. Looks like the ferment is moving on along though.Colder ferments tend to express fruity flavours better while warmer ferments do better colour, tannin and skin related flavor components.

Typically, for meads, white wines and I imagine ciders you want a cold ferment. For red wine you generally do warm ferments but I kind of like my pinot noir that I made from a blend of warm and cold fermented grapes.

However, the temperature also has an effect on the flavours the yeast makes as well. So you have to take that into consideration since you have to consider the effects temperature will have both on the yeast flavour components as well as the components from the fruit you are using. In beer land, fermentation temperature is everything.

Welp, that is my rant.