Yeast Nutrients

[pete1325]

Is there ever a reason to add additional yeast nutrients during primary? I added some when I pitched....just wondering if anyone ever adds more, if so why?

 

[Smok1]

Is there ever a reason to add additional yeast nutrients during primary? I added some when I pitched....just wondering if anyone ever adds more, if so why?

I always use yeast nutrient, fermaid k and fermaid o in grape wine. And i swap out the ec1118 that the kits come with for rc212 (for reds) which is a bit of a nutrient hog, so i always add a bit of fermaid k at the begining and some fermaid o near the end.

In kits when ive ised the ec1118 you dont need any nutrients, that yeast will power through anything

 

[pete1325]

I've been using 71B-1122 on reds lately. It started out strong, now has slowed down. Hence the question about adding more nutrients.....thought maybe it needed a little food.

 

[Smok1]

I've been using 71B-1122 on reds lately. It started out strong, now has slowed down. Hence the question about adding more nutrients.....thought maybe it needed a little food.

Yeah i just used some 71b-1122 in some high acid must, it finished well with some nutrients. Are you doing a kit or grapes? 71b will metabolize 30% of the malic acid, kits are balanced before you open it. Not sure id recommend 71b for a kit, youll be changing the balanced must, i only use 71b if the must has high acid content.

 

[pete1325]

No kit(s).......been using it in grapes must and in juice. This batch happens to be in juice.

 

[Smok1]

No kit(s).......been using it in grapes must and in juice. This batch happens to be in juice.

Nice, id definitly be adding nutrients to juice.

 

[sour_grapes]

It is often stated around here to divide your nutrient dose and spread it out during fermentation. Here, I will quote member Turock, who says it better than I could:

Micronutrients are nice to have in a ferment but what is really needed is nitrogen, which is the component you really need in nutrient. Fresh juice musts from fruit are not low YAN (yeast assimiliable nitrogen) musts. So for most ferments from fresh juice, you can assume that the beginning YAN is 150mg/liter. The bare minimum of fermentable nitrogen needed for fermentation is 140mg/L. Normal range is between 225 and 275 mg/L. So as you can see, you need to add enough nitrogen(nutrient) to bring up the YAN to a level where the yeast have the nitrogen that they require.

...

So you need to not only give your ferments enough nitrogen, but you need to add it when the yeast is looking for it. As new populations of yeast cells are generated, these new yeast look for nitrogen as part of their nutrient needs. The best way to do this is to step-feed nutrient. Take the entire doseage and divide it in half. With energizer, you'd add the first half 24 hours after pitching the yeast. And the second half at 50% sugar depletion. If you do this, you won't have H2S problems. H2S is almost exclusively a problem of lack of nitrogen--barring any residual sulpher spraying on the fruit in the orchard or vineyard.

Normal doseage of nutrient is 1 tsp. per gallon.

 

[pete1325]

Thanks Sour-Grapes (Paul)........I didn't "step feed" this batch of Sangio (juice). However the instructions on the Wyeast Wine Nutrient Blend I have calls for 1/2 tsp per gallon. That said and based on the above "Normal dosage of nutrient" recommendation of 1 tsp per gallon what's your thought on adding another 1/2 tsp per gallon now? The SG is around 1.030.....thanks.

 

[JohnT]

I have been using the same nutrient method for many years and have found that H2S issues and stalled fermentations are all but nonexistent..

I apply a mix of DAP and FERMAX and I feed in three stages.

To put it simply, the role of DAP is to provide a source of nitrogen that is very easily obtained by yeast cells while Fermax provides a source of nitrogen that is harder for yeast cells to get to.

Fermax does contain some DAP, but not enough IMHO.

So, my approach is to give yeast an early shot of easily obtained nitrogen at the beginning, and harder to obtain nitrogen toward the end. The feedings play out like this. I have scaled it down to a 19/5 gal carboy...

In total, I want to add 19 grams of DAP and 5 grams of fermax. This is to be spread out over 3 feedings.

Feeding #1 applied at time of pitching yeast (start of lag phase), I add 1/2 of my total DAP (9.5 grams) and 1/3 of my total Fermax (1.7 grams-rounded).

Feeding #2 applied at around 18 or 19 brix remaining (toward the start of growth phase). I add the rest of my DAP (9.5 grams) and another third of my fermax (1.7 grams-rounded).

Feeding #3 is applied at around 2 brix remaining (or the tail end of fermentation). I add the remaining third of my fermax (1.7 grams-rounded).

Like I said before, this is the method I have been using for years and am very happy with the results. I welcome any/all critiques on this method that might make it even better!

 

[trolo]

I agree with spreading out yeast nutrients through out the fermentation process. I was taught when i started making wine not to rush it. the longer it takes the better the flavor.