lalvin 71B-1122

[billybuntus]

Hello,

Has anyone used this yeast? Did you find it to be a very slow fermenter.

I added a teaspoon to my blackberry must 24 hours ago and there appears to be next to no activity.

I have also started a starter bottle up at around 8am this morning and that also is look very slooooooowwww only a few tiny bubbles but quite I lot of yeast gathered at the bottom of the bottle.

Thanks

[Jeff D]

I've used it, if I recall correctly there isn't a lot of visible activity when it's fermenting. How big of a batch are you doing?

Jeff

[billybuntus]

I've used it, if I recall correctly there isn't a lot of visible activity when it's fermenting. How big of a batch are you doing?

Jeff

Stealth yeast?

1 gallon

[NorthernWiner]

Hello,

Has anyone used this yeast? Did you find it to be a very slow fermenter.

I use it quite a lot. How it behaves depends entirely on what you are fermenting. Since it partially metabolizes malic acid, it will go like gangbusters in a malic rich juice (blackberry, apple, cherry, for example).

I once had a 3-gallon batch of cherry wine finish completely in two days using 71B. And it foamed like a rabid dog.

[billybuntus]

I use it quite a lot. How it behaves depends entirely on what you are fermenting. Since it partially metabolizes malic acid, it will go like gangbusters in a malic rich juice (blackberry, apple, cherry, for example).

I once had a 3-gallon batch of cherry wine finish completely in two days using 71B. And it foamed like a rabid dog.

I'm using it on a blackberry must. It doesn't appear to be doing anything as yet.

The starter I made up this morning (sugar,water,nutrient and a pinch of citric) is cloudy with yeast sitting on the bottom with no visible bubbling.

I normally just use the youngs generic yeast which always takes off within 24 hours and I'm a bit worried in case the lalvin yeast is duff and my must gets ruined

[NorthernWiner]

I would guess there's something wrong with it if it's been that long. I made up a 71B starter last weekend. It was bubbling within about 30 minutes.

You might have gotten hold of a bad one.

[billybuntus]

I would guess there's something wrong with it if it's been that long. I made up a 71B starter last weekend. It was bubbling within about 30 minutes.

You might have gotten hold of a bad one.

Just my luck!

Well, I shook the starter I made up in a wine bottle and its 'fizzing' so I tipped 1/2 into the must to see what happens.

If nothing appears to be happening by tommorow should I chuck a teaspoon on my generic yeast in?

Its just typical, I was meticulous planning this and made sure everything was right then the yeasties appear to be snoozing!

[Rich]

1 tsp to the gallon of Blackberry? and the rest in the starter?

Did you sulphite the blackberrys 24hrs before adding the yeast? And if so how much sulphite/campden?

Since you've added only half the starter to the must already, I'd increase the water and suga in the starter bottle and keep it at 20c ish over night to increase the numbers, then add some of the must to the starter tomorrow morning to double the size of it, then after some hours add some more must and so on until it's all going well.

Alternatively, give it a good stir and leave it all till morning, when it should be going well.

[Rich]

And, what temperature is it at?

[billybuntus]

1 tsp to the gallon of Blackberry? and the rest in the starter?

Did you sulphite the blackberrys 24hrs before adding the yeast? And if so how much sulphite/campden?

Since you've added only half the starter to the must already, I'd increase the water and suga in the starter bottle and keep it at 20c ish over night to increase the numbers, then add some of the must to the starter tomorrow morning to double the size of it, then after some hours add some more must and so on until it's all going well.

Alternatively, give it a good stir and leave it all till morning, when it should be going well.

I tried 1 teaspoon from the sachet into the starter (should I have used the whole sachet?)

1 campden in the must

I'll try adding must to the starter but even the starter isn't exactly furious (a few vey tiny bubbles running up the outside of the bottle, you can hardly notice anything to be honest).

Also bearing in mind that this was sulphited on saturday, whats the betting that it will be going off if no active fermentation is under way?

[billybuntus]

And, what temperature is it at?

the temperature of the room is a constant 25c and I never have any issues fermenting with anything else as a rule.

[Rich]

After adding the 1 campden tablet, how long did you wait until adding the yeast, you should have waited at least 24hrs. I usually use this time to get a decent sized healthy starter going.

I would have put the whole sachet of yeast into the starter. I used 1 packet of yeast into each starter for my grapes, overnight I had a lovely bubbling bottle!

25c should be in range, maybe too warm for some but should be fine.

How did it look this morning? Have you checked the current SG and compared it to the starting SG? this is your most reliable way of checking if fermentation is underway.

[billybuntus]

After adding the 1 campden tablet, how long did you wait until adding the yeast, you should have waited at least 24hrs. I usually use this time to get a decent sized healthy starter going.

I would have put the whole sachet of yeast into the starter. I used 1 packet of yeast into each starter for my grapes, overnight I had a lovely bubbling bottle!

25c should be in range, maybe too warm for some but should be fine.

How did it look this morning? Have you checked the current SG and compared it to the starting SG? this is your most reliable way of checking if fermentation is underway.

After adding the campden just over 30 ish hours then added yeast.


I checked the gravity and its sitting at 1.075 this morning (s.g. was 1.085) but the difference could well be down to adding the starter into the must.

I've added about 200ml of the must into the starter and it looks to have quite a healthy foam on top so I'll add some more must to the starter in a few hours then maybe pitch into the must tonight or tommorow morning? plan?

or should I keep adding must into the starter then treat it like a stuck ferment? then when I'm over halfway through the must mix the two together?

[Rich]

I'd go with the treating it like a stuck ferment I reckon.

[billybuntus]

I'd go with the treating it like a stuck ferment I reckon.

roger that,

I've just about filled my wine bottle starter so will transfer into a bucket tonight and add some more juice.

With th Gravity dropping to 1.075 I'll make up some sugar syrup to take it back up to 1.085 ish