help with yeast selection

[goldnut]

Wow! I am new and yeast is confusing! I was going to make a mango/pineapple wine and I am not really sure what yeast to use. I was going to use Lalvin EC-1118. Will this be OK or should I be going with something else. I have read the recommended yeast charts and confused myself! LOL

 

[calvin]

I would probably use the 1118. It's almost fool proof and imho it makes good wine

 

[goldnut]

Thank you Sir.

 

[Bergmann]

The 1118 is an old reliable yeast and as Calvin said Fairly fool proof. It is a hard fermenter, and that is exactly why it would not be my choice.. I know sounds like a contradiction. A beginner can hardly go wrong with it and that is why it is recommenced so often. But your choice of fruit are what makes me think differently. Personally I would choose Red Star Code De Blanc, I would keep the starting SG blow 1.090 Preferably around 1.075 so as not to burry the fruit in alcohol. The code de blanc yeast is one that works well with fruit and I find it retains more of the Mango flavor.

 

[Deezil]

1.075 is a little low for a beginner, a stuck/stalled fermentation would leave a beginner with a wine that is prone to spoilage or infection. For that reason, I would shoot for an SG between 1.085 and 1.090.

1118 would work, 1116 as well. They're both pretty surefire fermenters.

 

[goldnut]

Just read what bergmann and deezil posted. If too much alchohol will cover the fruit taste too much, is stabilizing before fermentation is complete, an option? How would I go about this? I will probably just use the 1118 since I have it on hand. If I started sg at 1.075 like bergmann suggested, what might cause the fermentation to stall? Thanks for the help. Ken

 

[terroirdejeroir]

Just read what bergmann and deezil posted. If too much alchohol will cover the fruit taste too much, is stabilizing before fermentation is complete, an option? How would I go about this? I will probably just use the 1118 since I have it on hand. If I started sg at 1.075 like bergmann suggested, what might cause the fermentation to stall? Thanks for the help. Ken

Stabilizing before fermentation is complete will not reliably stop an active fermentation. Been there, done that. The only way I have been able to stop an active fermentation is by spiking with alcohol to kill the yeast - like in a port.

I target the SG for all my fruit wines at 1.085-1.090 as well and that seems to work very well. I generally backsweeten to somewhere between 1.000-1.005 and have had a lot of success. I don't think a 1.075 SG would cause the fermentation to stall, but it may not generate enough alcohol to prevent spoilage. Plus, you would have to drink to damn much of it to get a buzz....

 

[Bergmann]

A starting SG of 1.075 fermented to dryness will produce an alcohol By volume of Just under 11% which is more than enough to prevent spoilage. Using the 1118 yeast will most certainly bring the final SG down to the 0.995 area which will result in a ABV of over 11%. Since 1118 Has a wide temperature tolerance, I would keep the ferment slow by ferment in a 65F environment. Using a step in nutrient regiment will ensure an active ferment.
I realize that many feel this may be a bit complicated for beginners, But I feel to often beginners are not given enough credit for having imagination and intellect.

 

[Deezil]

You'd need to be on top of your yeast nutrient additions to keep it from stalling, lack of nutrition and/or using generic yeast nutrient can cause a fermentation to stall

 

[goldnut]

A starting SG of 1.075 fermented to dryness will produce an alcohol By volume of Just under 11% which is more than enough to prevent spoilage. Using the 1118 yeast will most certainly bring the final SG down to the 0.995 area which will result in a ABV of over 11%. Since 1118 Has a wide temperature tolerance, I would keep the ferment slow by ferment in a 65F environment. Using a step in nutrient regiment will ensure an active ferment.
I realize that many feel this may be a bit complicated for beginners, But I feel to often beginners are not given enough credit for having imagination and intellect.

Could you please detail how to "step in nutrient". My fermenting area does hang around 65*f.

 

[Deezil]

Staggered Nutrient Additions are a way of dosing out yeast nutrients in multiple steps/additions, to create a more linear fermentation - if you think of a fermentation as a line graph, it's a smoother line with less peaks and valleys than a fermentation with all the nutrients added up front.. When and how much you add depends on the nutrient you're using.

If I assume you're using generic Yeast Nutrient, you'd want to calculate the amount of nutrient needed for the whole fermentation, then divide that by two; add the first dose/half after the 'lag phase', basically when the fermentation cap forms, and the second dose/half when 50% of the sugar has been consumed

 

[goldnut]

Sounds simple enough. Usually the nutrient is added when I put everything into the primary. If I understand you right, I should add the 1st dose after fermentation starts. Is that what you mean by the cap? Then add the rest when sg is half way home.

 

[Deezil]

Yeah, after fermentation starts, for the first addition. The cap is the fruit particles and foaming that occurs on the top of the must, depending on what you're making.. Some kits and white wines don't have enough solids to form a cap,but instead they sound like a soda pop you just opened..only it doesn't stop fizzing, like a soda would..

 

[goldnut]

You folks have been a great help and are a wealth of knowledge. I thank you for your patience helping this rookie!

 

[Bergmann]

To step nutrient simply determine the requirement of the must , IE: if your chosen nutrient instructs 1/2 tsp per gallon and you are making 6 gallons then you nutrient needs will be 3 TSP. Next determine Your Starting specific gravity and divide by two. Add 1/2 the nutrient at the beginning of the ferment and the remainder when the SG reaches the half way mark. this can also be done in thirds. I personally only use thirds when dealing with high starting SG.

BTW Goldnut, we are practically neighbors, I live in clarion county, Had a shop in Jackson center for years..

OOPS; Did not see that deezil had already answered this.. That is what happens when you go to a post from the who quoted me portion of the site. it brings you to the quoted post and not the end of the thread. Sorry

 

[goldnut]

Bergmann, What kind of shop in JC? Wine? Where about in Clarion Co do you live? When I was a young buck I worked at the Agway feed mill in Greenville and we shipped to Clarion Agway a lot. Must be a bunch of farms that way.