Comments on: Making A Yeast Starter http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/08/14/making-a-yeast-starter/ Growing grapes and making wine in Bellevue Fri, 30 Jul 2010 01:09:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Erroll http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/08/14/making-a-yeast-starter/comment-page-1/#comment-39784 Erroll Sun, 18 Jul 2010 23:23:18 +0000 http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/08/14/making-a-yeast-starter/#comment-39784 Thanks John, We're still in transition, but I've started two new wines. It's been a while and it feels good! Erroll Thanks John,

We’re still in transition, but I’ve started two new wines. It’s been a while and it feels good!

Erroll

]]> By: John Hance http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/08/14/making-a-yeast-starter/comment-page-1/#comment-39782 John Hance Sun, 18 Jul 2010 19:54:50 +0000 http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/08/14/making-a-yeast-starter/#comment-39782 I make starters only when I find it necessary, like when making watermelon (or any melon) wine because I need the fermentation to ensue as quickly as possible to prevent spoilage of the must. There's absolutely nothing wrong with chaptalization in wine making. While my primary focus thus far as a winemaker has been country wines (i.e., non-grape wines), and chaptalization is fairly necessary in that field, other professional and commercial wine makers do it with unexpected frequency when a particular vintage falls short on natural sugars. I took this to be common knowledge, but given that my experience base is quite narrow, perhaps it really isn't as common as I thought. Interesting. Erroll, good to see you getting back on your blog. Been kind of a slow spell of late. You were missed. Hope you and Marsha have settled into your new home well. I make starters only when I find it necessary, like when making watermelon (or any melon) wine because I need the fermentation to ensue as quickly as possible to prevent spoilage of the must.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with chaptalization in wine making. While my primary focus thus far as a winemaker has been country wines (i.e., non-grape wines), and chaptalization is fairly necessary in that field, other professional and commercial wine makers do it with unexpected frequency when a particular vintage falls short on natural sugars. I took this to be common knowledge, but given that my experience base is quite narrow, perhaps it really isn’t as common as I thought. Interesting.

Erroll, good to see you getting back on your blog. Been kind of a slow spell of late. You were missed. Hope you and Marsha have settled into your new home well.

]]> By: Erroll http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/08/14/making-a-yeast-starter/comment-page-1/#comment-39775 Erroll Sun, 18 Jul 2010 15:57:16 +0000 http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/08/14/making-a-yeast-starter/#comment-39775 Hi Mike, Must would be a great starter, but it isn't always an option. If you've got a lot of fruit to process and you want to add a vigorous starter as soon as the must is ready then you need to make the starter with something else. Store bought juice (w/out preservatives) works great, but so does table sugar. Most people have it in the house already and it won't cause off flavors. Table sugar is routinely used to <a href="http://winemakermag.com/stories/techniques/article/indices/35-techniques/371-how-sweet-it-is-chaptalization" rel="nofollow">chaptalize</a> grape musts. In traditional country wines, which are made with 3-6 lb of fruit per gallon, table sugar can make up over half the fermentables. Good luck with the wine! Erroll Hi Mike,

Must would be a great starter, but it isn’t always an option. If you’ve got a lot of fruit to process and you want to add a vigorous starter as soon as the must is ready then you need to make the starter with something else.

Store bought juice (w/out preservatives) works great, but so does table sugar. Most people have it in the house already and it won’t cause off flavors. Table sugar is routinely used to chaptalize grape musts. In traditional country wines, which are made with 3-6 lb of fruit per gallon, table sugar can make up over half the fermentables.

Good luck with the wine!

Erroll

]]> By: Mike http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/08/14/making-a-yeast-starter/comment-page-1/#comment-39774 Mike Sun, 18 Jul 2010 14:05:11 +0000 http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/08/14/making-a-yeast-starter/#comment-39774 When I brew beer, I use the beer wort to start the yeast. Why don't you use the must or juice instead of table sugar. You might be getting some off flavors with the table sugar. I am getting ready to make a wine and found your article on the net. The wife is not a beer person so I thought I would make her a wine. Prost ! Mike When I brew beer, I use the beer wort to start the yeast. Why don’t you use the must or juice instead of table sugar. You might be getting some off flavors with the table sugar.
I am getting ready to make a wine and found your article on the net. The wife is not a beer person so I thought I would make her a wine.

Prost !
Mike

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