Pitching yeast.

[Harbrook]

Hi All,
So I'm about the pitch the yeast on my first wine, A Vineco Italian Amarone.
The instructions say dry pitch, but the yeast packet that came with it states on it that i should rehydrate the yeast first.
Please could you advise me which way i should go. The customer service team at Vineco have emailed to say that I should just follow the instructions given for the kit.
If you think I should rehydrate the yeast, please could you let me know the best and easiest way to do this and how to introduce it to the wine.
Thank you in advance for any help you can give me.

 

[Julie]

I always just sprinkle the yeast on top and about 24 hours later, I stir it in and I stir daily.

 

[Mismost]

And I always follow the instruction on the yeast package.
The best way to rehydrate is like it says on the package.
I figure the yeast folks know about yeast AND I like know my yeast is good when I pitch it and my yeast always takes off real quick.

I reckon it is a lot like Church folk...you got got your sprinklers and you got your total dunkers... and everybody is just trying to get to Heaven!

 

[Brickhouse]

Limited experience, but I do what the kit says. While the yeast folks may have instructions for their specific yeast, I would rather go with what the kit folks say works best for their kit.

 

[StBlGT]

Sprinkle on top.

 

[bkisel]

I've done it both ways but for years now just sprinkle it after insuring a must temp in the 72-76F range. I'm thinking the only difference it makes is how soon your fermentation kicks off. I think the right must temperature is way more important than whether or not you re-hydrate your yeast before pitching.

 

[Johnd]

Rehydrated when I first started, but became a sprinkler soon afterwards. Never had an issue either way.

 

[Mismost]

Rehydrated when I first started, but became a sprinkler soon afterwards. Never had an issue either way.

I suspect I rehydrate because Grandmother said always "proof" your bread making yeast. I know, we're doing wine (and beer) not bread, but Grandmother SAID, so I do.

When I do it, I think of her...and hope my wine or beer is half as good as her dinner rolls!

 

[NorCal]

Not a sprinkler; I follow the instructions of the yeast manufacturer. May be overkill, but who knows better?

 

[Rodnboro]

I sprinkle and have never had one that failed to start.

 

[Harbrook]

Ok, I'm going to dry pitch it and sprinkle it on top, Should I then gently stir after about 15mins when it has naturally rehydrated?
I want to avoid the clumps that I've got when pitching in to beer and not strirring.

 

[bkisel]

Not a sprinkler; I follow the instructions of the yeast manufacturer. May be overkill, but who knows better?

I hear you but it seems to me that with a kit it'd be more prudent to follow the kit instructions. My thinking has to do with the kit's warranty. Should you have issues with the kit you can assure CS that you followed the kit instructions.

 

[Harbrook]

I hear you but it seems to me that with a kit it'd be more prudent to follow the kit instructions. My thinking has to do with the kit's warranty. Should you have issues with the kit you can assure CS that you followed the kit instructions.

Ok, I'm going to follow kits instructions and dry pitch it and sprinkle it on top, Should I then gently stir after about 15mins when it has naturally rehydrated?
I want to avoid the clumps that I've got when pitching in to beer and not strirring.

 

[wineforfun]

No, you don't need to stir after pitching. Give it 12 -24hrs. before stirring.
I usually pitch mine in the evening and don't stir until the next morning.

 

[bkisel]

Ok, I'm going to follow kits instructions and dry pitch it and sprinkle it on top, Should I then gently stir after about 15mins when it has naturally rehydrated?
I want to avoid the clumps that I've got when pitching in to beer and not strirring.

I don't stir until 24-36 hours later when I'm certain that fermentation has started. Sprinkle as evenly as you can and if you get a little clumping it is nothing to worry about. If you keep the proper temperature you'll be bubbling away in two days.

 

[Harbrook]

I don't stir until 24-36 hours later when I'm certain that fermentation has started. Sprinkle as evenly as you can and if you get a little clumping it is nothing to worry about. If you keep the proper temperature you'll be bubbling away in two days.

Do you then stir once and thats it. leave until its time for racking, or do you stir al through the fermentation?

 

[Harbrook]

No, you don't need to stir after pitching. Give it 12 -24hrs. before stirring.
I usually pitch mine in the evening and don't stir until the next morning.

Do you then stir once and thats it. leave until its time for racking, or do you stir all through the fermentation?

 

[wineforfun]

Do you then stir once and thats it. leave until its time for racking, or do you stir all through the fermentation?

No, stir it twice daily, if possible, all through fermentation. I stir mine once in the morning and then again in the evening.

We were just referring to not needing to stir it once you sprinkle it yeast on top or first adding hydrated yeast.

 

[Floandgary]

I've done it both ways but for years now just sprinkle it after insuring a must temp in the 72-76F range. I'm thinking the only difference it makes is how soon your fermentation kicks off. I think the right must temperature is way more important than whether or not you re-hydrate your yeast before pitching.

Judging from all of the posts thus far one should conclude that, as Bill states, it's only a matter of how quickly fermentation gets going. And that is usually no more than 12hrs. difference. Rehydrating a yeast in some of the juice makes it easier to adapt when pitched, but all told the result will be the same. Agreeing with Bill,, Temperature of the must is control factor for good fermentation

 

[Mismost]

Do you then stir once and thats it. leave until its time for racking, or do you stir all through the fermentation?

Harbrook...coming from beer brewing all this stirring of the must might make you crazy. We are just so used to not touching our beers for fear of contamination or exposing it air or just generally causing the Earth to become unbalanced! Wine is tougher, it likes getting it's back scratched and a little fresh air!