That's wild how you changed the yeast and exploded it.
I have never had to change the yeast that comes in the kit.
Winexpert usually sends the correct yeast to make the kit work perfectly.
I always buy extra of the LE wines.
I still have a few of this years LE Brunello kits at my store for anyone in the area wants to drop in. I'd consider shipping, I'm just not convinced it won't be a PITA.
Cheers
Brian
It surely is a great kit. The fermenting must smelled better than any kit I have done before.
What does "PITA" stand for?
Brian,
The yeasts provided with all kits, whether WE, RJS, ..etc. are not necessarily the best yeast for the particular grape. This subject was covered in the kit issue of the winemaker's magazine recently.
The kit maker guarantees that if the kit is made exactly per instructions, it will produce a good, drinkable wine. With such a guarantee, and considering that stuck fermentations and other fermentation (yeast) issues are the reason behind many failed wine making endeavors, it behooves the kit makers to include a yeast that is solid enough to not be the reason behind a failed kit.
Most kits, which I have made, come with EC-1118 yeast. This is a good yeast that, although it will likely never fail you, it doesn't necessarily bring out the best qualities of every grape. I think of it as the "Mack Truck" or "Pony Express" of yeasts.
Unfortunately, some of the better, grape-specific yeasts are not as hardy as EC-1118 and EC-1116. These yeasts have to be started with a starter like GO-Ferm and have to be periodically fed nutrients, like Fermaid K, to name just two specific brands of yeast starter/nutrient. These special yeasts are more likely to have problems than the old standbys, like EC-1118, and they are even more likely to have problems with kits, versus fresh grapes.
Here is a link to a manual that better explains this and also gives a list of which yeasts go along with which grapes, based on the characteristics the wine maker might be seeking:
http://morebeer.com/public/pdf/wyeastpair.pdf
There is nothing whatsoever wrong with using the yeast supplied with the kit, but some of us just like to experiment.
I chose BM45 because it is a yeast that has proven to bring out the best of the characteristics of Sangiovese/Brunello wine, IMO.
"BM45: One of the best all-around choices for Sangiovese. With big mouthfeel, plum, fruit jam, rose, and cherry, liquor, along with earthy and spicy notes. Good colour stability and helps to minimize vegetative characters."
The truth be known, should you and I set down and have a blind tasting of your Brunello made with EC-1118 and mine made with BM45, all things considered, we might not be able to tell the difference. But wouldn't it be fun to at least swap a bottle and find out, just for the fun of it. I'm also in this for the fun!
I'm just an experimenter at heart and can't help myself.
I would like to point out that experimenting with yeasts is not something an inexperienced wine maker should try; if the kit fails, your warranty is void and null.
