"Red Star" yeast

[geek]

Quick question guys, in my "arsenal" I found 4 packets of yeast my local supplier gave me back in early October.

All 4 packets are Red Star brand yeast, 3 packets are color red and 1 is color green.
The red packets say "Pasteur Red" and the green packet says "Cotes des Blancs", looks like they're made in Belgium.

So......questions:

1-what's the difference in the 2 colors
2-how good is this yeast. I am planing to make a dragon blood skeeter pee and want to make sure any one of these packets can be used for a 6gal pail.

 

[Rocky]

Here is a link to a chart that profiles the yeasts: http://www.eckraus.com/RedStarProfiles.htm

 

[dangerdave]

The red one! Choose the red one!

 

[REDBOATNY]

They are fine. Green for whites, red for reds. I am making skeeter pee now and used Red Star champagne, it is working out very fast.

 

[geek]

thanks guys, wanted to make sure as I see many people talking about EC-1118 yeast all the times, and since I have this Red Star at hand I wanted to use 1 packet for my experiment.

..

 

[Thig]

I have used Red Star exclusively up to this point, Premier Cuvee and Montrachet. I have only had one problem and that was easily solved. I had a recent "rotten egg" smell with the Montrachet but that was solved with some splash racking.

I will probably try some Lalvin yeast on my next order, I hear nothing but good things about it.

 

[JohnT]

Must say that I am not a big fan of red star. I have had major sulphur issues in the past when using this brand. IMHO, I prefer lalvin.

Make sure you check the expiration date on the packets. If kept cool and dry, you should be OK.

 

[Arne]

Even if it has expired, try making a starter withit. If it takes off, it will work fine. Arne.

 

[geek]

Expiration date on red packets is 2012, so they're good.

 

[g8keeper]

Must say that I am not a big fan of red star. I have had major sulphur issues in the past when using this brand. IMHO, I prefer lalvin.

Make sure you check the expiration date on the packets. If kept cool and dry, you should be OK.

i agree with you john about preferring lavlin, but i think my mindset might be from before i got into wine making....i have always associated red star with baking yeast, and i just cannot get that factoid out of my head no matter how hard i try.....lol...i know, i'm crazy for it, but i just can't shake that mindset....so unless red star comes with a kit i happen to be making, i always buy and use lavlin when i am making any of my other wines....

 

[JohnT]

i agree with you john about preferring lavlin, but i think my mindset might be from before i got into wine making....i have always associated red star with baking yeast, and i just cannot get that factoid out of my head no matter how hard i try.....lol...i know, i'm crazy for it, but i just can't shake that mindset....so unless red star comes with a kit i happen to be making, i always buy and use lavlin when i am making any of my other wines....

Yup, bread yeast is what they are more famous for. I know that others have had good results with red star, I just feel that I get better results with Lalvin. (just my opinion).

 

[g8keeper]

Yup, bread yeast is what they are more famous for. I know that others have had good results with red star, I just feel that I get better results with Lalvin. (just my opinion).

well john, when it comes to this subject, you and i seem to be of like mindedness....lol...i remember the 1st kit i did....it was a WE vintner's reseve liebfraumilch....opened the box, saw the packet of red star yeast, and kinda scatched my head at first, wondering when a bread yeast maker started making wine yeasts....lol...what did i know at the time???....lol...and to this day i just can't shake that stigma...

 

[Tom_S]

I've never used Cote des Blancs, but Pasteur Red is good for making full-bodied dry red wines. The thing about it is that it is a high foamer, so be ready to see a lot of foam in your primary even to the point of blowing over.

I used Pasteur Red on my Premier Burgundy and it really produced a nice wine, one of the best batches I've ever made.

 

[mmadmikes1]

I have used Red Star exclusively up to this point, Premier Cuvee and Montrachet. I have only had one problem and that was easily solved. I had a recent "rotten egg" smell with the Montrachet but that was solved with some splash racking.

I will probably try some Lalvin yeast on my next order, I hear nothing but good things about it.

Cuvee is the same strain as 1118 just different manufactures

 

[K-9]

I have used both the lalvine ec-1118 and the red star premier cuvee. I had an issue 1 time with a lalvin that would not start fermentation. The company was very slow about getting back to me and eventually - sent me a couple of replacement packages of yeast about a month later - big deal. I needed the yeast asap. since then i always have an extra pack or two around as needed. cheaper to toss out or add to an new yeast batch than to not have it. However i tend to stick with red star for my needs at present. I just thought that lalvin was very slow to respond and really arrogant to deal with too.

 

[JohnT]

hmmmm,

K-9, I have never had to deal with Lalvin (the company) directly. Did you try the distributor from whom you made the purchase?

 

[Brian]

See now I have bascially always used Red Star and have never had an issue. I have made kits that have had Lalvin and have had no issue either but if I am getting it for a wine I am making from scratch I use Red Star. Just MHO.

 

[Pumpkinman]

I always use Lalvin, never had an issue.