Yeast for petit Syrah

[derekjames100]

Advice on yeast. Locals here say always use RC212 w any red. I have had good experience with that before. I also have d254. Trying to decide.

I want to avoid H2S at all costs.

Also--I crushed yesterday but can't get goferm or lallezyme ex until tomorrow. I was going to hold on fermentation until tommorrow or Thursday morning(2.5 days after crush) --is that ok? Everything is covered and sulfited at 50 ppm.

I can't start today w RC212 and no go ferm if you think it is better to get going. Local sort gas peptic enzyme and super ferment but no go ferm and lallezyme. I plan to use fermaid k once brix drops 1/3 and was worried about mixing brands.

What do you guys think?

 

[Boatboy24]

I've done Petite Syrah 3 times now and have used D254 for all of them. Never an issue. I feed Fermaid O half once the cap forms, and half at 1/3 sugar depletion.

 

[Luse_Cellar]

I don't have any experience with either of those yeasts, but they are both supposed to be low producers of H2S. I've just made some Syrah and am about finished making some Grenache using RP15 and I really like the results. I don't have anything to compare it to as I didn't split it up and use different strains but I, too, was worried about H2S (especially with the Syrah). Scottlabs does say the following for the RC212, which is interesting: "Timely nutrient additions are recommended to avoid potential H2S production, particularly in low nutrient musts." I would think that either choice would be just fine.

If you're going to leave it uninoculated and you don't want wild yeast to kick off, keeping it cool is one of the most important things you can do. If you can get your hands on some dry ice that's the best thing to put in there. I have used store bought (non food grade) dry ice without issue to undergo cold soaking. Alternatively, anything frozen that won't melt into the wine (such as an ice pack) in a large enough quantity can be effective. Many people fill milk jugs with water and freeze them.

I wouldn't worry about mixing brands with nutrients, they don't compete with one another but just work together. The main thing to avoid H2S is the YAN level, which can easily be adjusted up with DAP. I don't have a way to measure YAN so I just add 100ppm on the day I inoculate, and then use a normal dose of Fermaid-K about 1/3 of the way into fermentation. I prefer to leave it alone after this unless I start picking up on H2S, but I try to avoid adding any nutrient once the must is below 10 Brix. Pantothenate is another key nutrient in avoiding H2S and Fermaid-K includes this in their formulation. You can also get it as a supplement at the drug store, but Fermaid-K use is probably best considering it contains many other nutrients which are important to a healthy fermentation.

 

[ceeaton]

I'll add my two cents in saying that I prefer Fermaid O over K because the yeast can use O later in the fermentation cycle than DAP (which Fermaid K contains). In either case any leftover nutrients aren't really good because nasties can use them to their advantage. So be sure to use them as you state, at fermentation onset and at 1/3 sugar depletion. If you get a stuck fermentation, use O and not K (or DAP) if the SG is below your 1/3 sugar depletion mark.

 

[Luse_Cellar]

I'll add my two cents in saying that I prefer Fermaid O over K because the yeast can use O later in the fermentation cycle than DAP (which Fermaid K contains). In either case any leftover nutrients aren't really good because nasties can use them to their advantage. So be sure to use them as you state, at fermentation onset and at 1/3 sugar depletion. If you get a stuck fermentation, use O and not K (or DAP) if the SG is below your 1/3 sugar depletion mark.

This is interesting for me because I didn't actually know much about Fermaid-O, I had assumed that it's listing as being organic was more aimed at the organically grown wine crowd. I've been researching a bit about organic vs. inorganic nitrogen sources as a result and I think I'm going to have to try out the Fermaid-O next year to see if I notice any differences. Interesting for sure.