yeast starter

[billybuntus]

I'm wanting to make up a starter so I can use one sachet of yeast over a 3 week period.

I understand that I need to let the yeastys take hold pour around 1/5 pint of it into a 1 gallon must then top up and put it in the fridge until needed again.

I'm not wanting to use the must from my fermenter so what do I use, apple juice? then add a teaspoon of citric, yeast nutrient and 3 teaspoons of sugar?

thanks

[fatbloke]

I'm wanting to make up a starter so I can use one sachet of yeast over a 3 week period.

I understand that I need to let the yeastys take hold pour around 1/5 pint of it into a 1 gallon must then top up and put it in the fridge until needed again.

I'm not wanting to use the must from my fermenter so what do I use, apple juice? then add a teaspoon of citric, yeast nutrient and 3 teaspoons of sugar?

thanks

Not sure, but there is a thread hereabouts that deals with yeast starters..... you'd have to run a search.......

If you're gonna use apple juice or orange juice there should be no need to add any acid to it.....

Plus trying to go for the purest of economies like trying to split 1 sachet into 5 seperate gallons is probably pushing it a bit.

Personally, I'd make one starter and then maybe split it among however many gallons that you're making at once, then another one when you make the rest. If it's made about 24 hours prior to pitching then you can be sure it's fine........ if you're gonna try and keep it for a couple of weeks then it may turn out that you'd need to have experimented at to how long it will last at a given temperature.....

Don't forget that when we go in and out of our fridges, there's a temperature swing (dependant on how long the doors' kept open for). That could easily affect a starter, given that yeasties can be very temperamental.....

Personally I don't begrudge a gallon of wine it's own sachet of yeast...... but I try to make a starter each time so I know that the yeast is still Ok (some of my packets have gone out of date - but in most cases, best before dates are *** covering by the maker and also a mandatory requirement...)

regards

jtfb

[billybuntus]

Not sure, but there is a thread hereabouts that deals with yeast starters..... you'd have to run a search.......

If you're gonna use apple juice or orange juice there should be no need to add any acid to it.....

Plus trying to go for the purest of economies like trying to split 1 sachet into 5 seperate gallons is probably pushing it a bit.

Personally, I'd make one starter and then maybe split it among however many gallons that you're making at once, then another one when you make the rest. If it's made about 24 hours prior to pitching then you can be sure it's fine........ if you're gonna try and keep it for a couple of weeks then it may turn out that you'd need to have experimented at to how long it will last at a given temperature.....

Don't forget that when we go in and out of our fridges, there's a temperature swing (dependant on how long the doors' kept open for). That could easily affect a starter, given that yeasties can be very temperamental.....

Personally I don't begrudge a gallon of wine it's own sachet of yeast...... but I try to make a starter each time so I know that the yeast is still Ok (some of my packets have gone out of date - but in most cases, best before dates are *** covering by the maker and also a mandatory requirement...)

regards

jtfb

roger,

I'm planning on splitting 1 sachet over three gallons over a 1 week ish period (I'm staggering as I only have one jelly bag to strain).

Any ideas other than apple juice? didn't particularly want to impart an apple flavour to the wine if possible.

thanks

[Her Lushness]

Why not use red or white grape juice instead?

[billybuntus]

Why not use red or white grape juice instead?

Sometimes, the easiest way is not the most obvious. How very stupid of me

The recipe doesn't include grape juice but half a pint certainly won't hurt much.

[fatbloke]

Why not use red or white grape juice instead?

roger,

I'm planning on splitting 1 sachet over three gallons over a 1 week ish period (I'm staggering as I only have one jelly bag to strain).

Any ideas other than apple juice? didn't particularly want to impart an apple flavour to the wine if possible.

thanks

you will get a small amount of flavour contamination whatever you use, but as HL points out, there's the usual grape juices, as well as apple and orange juice. If you use the cheapest/nastiest supermarket cheapo apple juice then the small amount used for 1 sachet and then split 3 ways is probably the most economical as well as reducing the chance of much in the way of flavour contamination....

regards

jtfb