And for brandy, we have to thank wine yeast, which triggers all the fermentation mechanisms and brings grape juice to the desired condition. An ordinary person does not need to understand the characteristics of all types of yeast. However, it doesn’t hurt to know that the quality of wine depends on the race of yeast. So let's start with theory.
Wine yeast was discovered by French chemist Louis Pasteur in the mid-19th century. He was the first of his contemporaries to describe in detail the entire fermentation process. Despite the fact that wine was made long before Pasteur and his chemical career, no one thought about what happens during the conversion of sugar into alcohol.
Thanks to a microscope, knowledge and perseverance, Louis Pasteur solved this mystery and showed the world wine yeast, to which we still thank for amazing wines.
Features of the fermentation process
As soon as the ambient temperature reaches 150C, the yeast begins to actively multiply, converting sugar and turning a highly sweet wine into a dry one. Once the nutritious sugar medium runs out, the yeast dies and settles at the bottom of the barrel.
Despite the fact that the process seems simple and natural, on the way to obtaining the ideal and high quality wine many problems. For example, yeast often dies before it can complete the sugar processing process. This can happen when the alcohol content increases to 15%, which is typical for noble-sweet drinks. A famous example is Le Montrachet 1992. This wine was not made and did not hit the shelves due to the fact that it failed to ferment and retained too much sugar.
Yeast races
In botany, wine yeast is called Saccharomyces ellipsoideus. At the same time, they are divided into several races. Each group has a unique set of characteristics and is capable of influencing the development of wine:
- alcohol-sensitive yeast does most of the work of processing sugars;
- heat-responsive fungi can create too much hydrogen sulfide, increasing the chance of unpleasant odor at wine;
- aromatic yeasts are used to impart additional nuances to young wines;
- In addition, there are special yeasts. They are created to order and are unique. For example, to make Sauvignon Blanc, a special type of yeast is used, thanks to which a rich or mild aroma is achieved (depending on the variety).
Where can I find yeast?
There are 2 ways to obtain yeast:
- creation in laboratory conditions;
- searching for them in wildlife.
Natural yeast lives in the same place where the grapes are grown, so they end up in the cellars with the berries themselves. The population of these fungi may decline during cold or rainy seasons. In this case, wine producers breed the yeast themselves in the laboratory. These types of yeast are also natural, the only difference is in the method of obtaining them.
Manufacturers most often give preference to laboratory yeast, since their behavior is easier to predict, which means there is a lower risk of losing the entire crop.
Wine yeast at home
If you are not an expert in the field of winemaking, then, of course, it is better not to experiment with creating homemade tinctures. However, if curiosity prevails, then it’s time to start preparing the yeast.
The simplest method is based on obtaining fungi from berries. Such yeast is called wild and with its help you can prepare wines with a strength of 14-16 degrees.
The sequence of actions is as follows:
- It is necessary to collect currants, strawberries and raspberries. Without washing them with water, so as not to wash away the natural yeast, mash the berries to a mushy state;
- transfer to a jar containing 200 ml of water and about 150 g. Sahara;
- mix it all and cover with gauze.
The composition should be kept for 3-4 days at a temperature of 20-220C. Once the juice has fermented, you can take a sieve and separate the liquid from the pulp. The liquid component is used as yeast.
Experiments are always good. However, if your goal is to obtain quality alcohol, then it’s better not to waste time and effort, but to immediately purchase a ready-to-drink drink. WineStreet assortment can offer not only elite expensive alcoholic drinks, but also budget options with excellent taste.
Alcoholic fermentation- the foundation and beginning of all drinks containing alcohol, be it wine, whiskey or beer. The basis of this very foundation is raw materials, water and yeast. In this article we will talk about various types wine yeast, used in home and industrial winemaking. Let's consider what types of yeasts there are - friendly, helping to develop the richness and variety of wines, and hostile to the winemaker, oppressing and spoiling not only the wine itself, but also infecting entire wineries along with equipment.
Alcoholic fermentation (also known as “fermentation”) is a biochemical process carried out by yeast, the ideal result of which is the conversion of saccharides (mainly sucrose, glucose and fructose) into ethanol(main product), carbon dioxide and many chemical microelements(necessary and unnecessary, harmful and useful by-products).
Yeast- microscopic unicellular fungi. Modern microbiology divides them into more than one and a half thousand species and thousands more subspecies, and they, in turn, can reproduce many variations - depending on the results of controlled and uncontrolled mutations and degenerations (you have probably encountered this yourself if you have used the same the same yeast several times, propagating them independently).
Since ancient times, man has adopted alcoholic fermentation, but food industry and science are still discovering more and more new possibilities and features of using yeast for the production of ethyl alcohol. A lot of efforts are concentrated in the development of the winemaking market and the microbiology associated with it; this is a whole industry - oenology. Oenology deals with the study and breeding of bacteria, the development of enzymes, the research and reproduction of yeasts that have the qualities necessary for winemakers, allowing the production of many wines and wine drinks, discovering new facets and tastes, as well as preserving old and rare ones that have become the historical heritage of mankind.
The main types of yeast (Saccharomyces - they are the friends of all alcoholic beverages - winemakers, brewers and moonshiners) used in production alcoholic drinks(including at home).
Table for clarity. Here are some races of yeast, variations of which (different strains of the same species) are popular in industrial (and some in home) winemaking. Please note that the choice of a specific race is also determined by fermentation conditions. Some races of wine yeast recommended for winemaking are shown in the table (some of their foreign analogues are available for purchase in our store).
"Saccharomyces cerevisiae"(Saccharomyces cerevisia) is the most common, diverse and “tamed” species of yeast in the world today. It is the different races of this type of Saccharomyces that are leaders in the field of bakery, wine, beer and alcohol yeast. They are so diverse, and their scope of application is wide, that they deserve a separate article. Unfortunately, they are not always found in wild winemaking, and given that among the Saccharomycetes Cerevisia there are hundreds of subspecies that negatively (to one degree or another) affect wine, the probability of “successful infection” becomes even lower, but not absent;
"Saccharomyces vini"(Saccharomyces vini) - they mainly live on ripe (and especially damaged) grapes and in juices (unprotected from external influences). They can often be found in the soil, in the digestive system of insects (especially fruit flies, wasps and bees), as well as inside wine production (including home wineries) - on walls, dishes and equipment. However, in home winemaking they are used very limitedly and can give many undesirable effects - for example, cloudiness of the wine and the formation of suspension;
"Saccharomyces oviformis"(Saccharomyces oviformis) - most often, the use of this race in winemaking can be beneficial. They are used to ferment musts with a high sugar content and are well suited for the production of dry wines. Modern representatives of this race of yeast are popular in the production of sparkling wines.
There are also domestic races: “Leningrad”, “Kiev”. Disadvantages of using these strains may include - resumption of fermentation in ready wine(most often semi-sweet, but not only), as well as cloudiness and the formation of late sediment. It is most productive to use these strains for the production of Sherry - fortified wine. Representatives sharpened for this purpose (a variety called “ Oviformis Cheresiensis”) - “Sherry 96-K” and “Sherry-20-S” - however, they very quickly generate film on strong wine(16-17% vol.).
"Saccharomyces bayanus (uvarum)"(Saccharomyces bayanus uvarum) - most often they can be found in fruit wines and juices. This is a very leisurely yeast - it develops slowly, the mutation is difficult to control due to microbiological processes in home winemaking that are difficult to distinguish for the modern level of control. They are not yeast with high degree attenuation (alcohol formation), however, they have a rare feature - increased stability and resistance to cold. As for the fermentation products, they are almost identical to what the above-mentioned yeast strain ferments S. Vini. Features - many (but not all) races of this variety are capable of forming a very dense (cannot be stirred up) yeast sediment, foam is almost completely absent, and produce a high glycerol content. Of the most popular races - “Novotsimlyanskaya 3”, while it is almost inaccessible for home winemaking, but has proven itself excellent for the production of semi-sweet wines.
But not all yeast is equally useful. Next, we will consider several dangerous and vile enemies of winemakers - yeast, which has completely unfriendly properties.
"Pichia"/"Hansenula"/"Candida" and other membranes are serious enemies, pests and culprits of failed wines (especially when using wild yeast). Their main feature is the formation of a film on the surface of the wine, especially under aerobic conditions ( water seal (water seal) to help). The cells of these harmful yeasts have an unstable shape - they are elliptical, oval, sausage- and club-shaped and disproportionately elongated. Some of them (Pichia and Hansenula) form spores, while others reproduce by budding. These races are capable of high speed ferment wine must, oxidizing it. Some of them cannot ferment enough alcohol for modern wine, for example, Hansenula - produces only up to 5% ethanol.
In properly prepared wort, they usually do not pose a danger, because... contained in small quantity. If you comply technological conditions preparation and storage of wine materials (tightness, sterility of the material and surrounding atmosphere), from which the wine will be made - there is nothing to fear. But with poor preparation (beginner/ignorant winemakers like to not wash the grapes (without knowing their microflora) and use unprepared water and containers) - the strain quickly begins to multiply on the surface. This leads to the creation already on the 2-3rd day (sometimes later) of a glossy and then folded (pimply) film, which can be in a wide color range - from white and cloudy-transparent to gray.
If the wine suddenly becomes infected, then film is not the worst thing. Film formation means new stage fermentation - fermentation with sugar oxidation. In the process, not only ethyl, but amyl and butyl alcohols, as well as acetic, oil, succinic acids and various ester compounds of these acids. As a result, the wort receives a very characteristic bad smell. The likelihood is especially high if you use pulp - then for races like Pichia/Hansenula the most favorable conditions(therefore, we recommend using stronger fruit-alcohol yeast, which can neutralize this process, for the production of chacha rather than wine yeast).
Some filmy yeasts (often found in wild fermentation - can, on the contrary, be very alcohol-resistant (and also sulfite-resistant), which some unlucky winemakers initially like. They can feel comfortable even with an alcohol content of 14% vol. and 400-500 mg/l SO2 For the same reason, in table wines (to which there is access to oxygen) they will feel very comfortable, gradually forming various impurities that lead to spoilage of the wine (especially homemade and unfinished wine without a preservative). sulfates and sulfites, generating a high content of hydrogen sulfide and various sulfur compounds, this causes an unpleasant rotten odor.
Zvel is one of the most common diseases of wine that gives an unpleasant appearance(precipitation, suspension, islands, turbidity) and unpleasant odor, often due to the presence of active yeast the above mentioned races and breeds. In addition, they are the worst enemies of the production of dry wines, champagne and sherry - be careful!
The development and proliferation of malignant yeast in wine can be prevented by limiting the access of oxygen to it (again, a water seal) and installing the right conditions for storing wine materials - low temperatures, and the containers themselves must be filled completely - without leaving a large amount of free space. Sometimes timely topping up may be required - do not neglect this.
"Zygosaccharomyces"- another representative of harmful (for the winemaker) microflora. This race of yeast is very osmophilic - they feel great in cold weather.sweet tea wort, develop even with a sugar content of 60 and even 80 grams per 100 ml. (vacuum fermentation of wort, various homemade preparations - honey, jams, preserves). They cause the fermentation process under such extreme conditions (imagine what an incredible hydromodule this is) and thereby radically spoil the product. Paradoxically, this strain is not very alcohol-resistant - they produce on average no more than 10-11% alcohol, and ferment for an extremely long time, but during this time they manage to completely ruin the once suitable material/product. However, modern science has also found a use for them, albeit limited - “Races Vierul, Maikopskaya, Krasnodarskaya 40” - can be used to reduce acidity in very sour wort, because they process the material mainly by fermentation, and not oxidation (like other harmful ones).
"Saccharomycodes"- another pest of ancient and modern winemaking. These are complex yeasts that have a large shape and an unstable type of reproduction - they can divide and bud. They have an alcohol resistance of up to 12% (and according to some reports, up to 14%), and the wort itself is enriched with ethyl acetate, which has a detrimental effect on the survival of pure yeast cultures and can cause various side effects (for example, a sudden resumption of fermentation).
"Saccharomycodes ludwigii"- can cause resumption of fermentation even in highly sulfated wort (not all preservatives are a panacea). They also withstand very high content SO2 in finished wine and must.
"Hanseniaspora"(apiculata) is an extremely common yeast that can be presented as both sporogens (Hanseniaspora apiculata) and asporogenous fungi (Klocker apiculata). If the fruit is damaged, it is very likely that they are already there, they do not disdain juices and large fruits (and small ones too, just a little less often). Interesting fact: when grapes ripen, they can reach up to 99% of all the yeast that is there (another reason in favor of cleanliness - wash the grapes and all wine materials!). Fermentation capacity is low - only about 4-7% vol. alcohol, but volatile compounds, ethyl acetate, butyric, propionic and other acids are very fermenting. This is often the reason why the must or wine (especially homemade) has not fermented. They have explosive growth and multiply very quickly in wort, several times faster than the growth of other yeasts - especially noble ones. They add bitterness to the wine, a lot of foreign and at the same time strong odors, as well as vinegary shades. Have you made homemade champagne or sherry and found “sticky” residue? This is also their doing. Sulfitation (sometimes increased) and long-term settling can help.
"Torulopsis"- a common race harmful to winemaking, especially when it comes to grapes. They actively stand out in already fermented grape juice, which started with wild yeast (so-called noble rot). They can be divided into two main types (T. bacillaris and T. Candida). In recent years, there has been information that they form spores, but at the moment it is generally accepted that they reproduce by budding. They do not often appear in wine, but they are a frequent guest in grape juice. Capable of fermenting wort up to 12.5% ethyl alcohol. In terms of biochemistry, they are not as harmful and destructive as other yeasts that manifest themselves during wild fermentation; they form much less harmful chemical elements, but they do form mucus. Agree, few people will be pleased to drink wine, in which in some places there are islands reminiscent of jelly or something even more slimy. They are also osmophiles (they feel good even if the sugar content is 60-80 grams per 100 ml) and love high temperature, and the increase in SO2 is not noticeable for them at all.
"Rhodotorula"- this is the so-called “pink yeast”, they are so called because of their characteristic color. They do not ferment sugars, but oxidize them, creating a dense pink film. They contribute to the oxidation of juices, the formation of turbidity and the precipitation of dessert and semi-sweet (well, sweet) wines. Interesting feature- can feed on alcohol vapor in the air, for this reason they are often “caught red-handed” on the walls of wineries and even cellars in the form of pink mucus.
Instead of output:
Under production conditions, spontaneous fermentation can cause undesirable consequences. To avoid this and get wine good quality, fermentation is carried out on pure cultures of specially selected yeast races, introducing them into the wort to guide the process. In modern winemaking, you can still quite often come across neutral yeasts suitable for winemaking; they may not be true (ideal, like pure yeast cultures), but they will not spoil the wine. For this reason, it cannot be unequivocally assumed that spontaneous fermentation will necessarily lead to spoilage of wine, but this possibility always exists and sometimes this probability can categorically increase. For example, if there are harmful killer yeasts on one bunch of grapes, during fermentation they are capable of destroying sensitive ones with enormous speed (1 killer cell can destroy on average 20 noble cells). In addition, there are malevolently neutral (not participating in intraspecific struggle) races that can saturate the wine with unnecessary chemical compounds, usually smelling bad.
The use of wild yeast is often fraught with poor fermentation - suddenly the wort stops “boiling” or “another fermentation” (membranous) begins. Therefore, if you absolutely use wild yeast- add sulfur dioxide , noble strains are generally resistant to sulfitation, and harmful yeast- usually no (but, unfortunately, not all)
Delicious wines to everyone!
Products mentioned in our .
Making wine both at home and in industrial scale impossible without yeast. They promote fermentation and allow you to turn grape must into noble drink. The quality of the resulting product is directly determined by the microorganisms that convert sugar into ethyl alcohol. For example, you can usedry wine yeast, which are easy to find in most supermarkets.
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What is wine yeast and how is it different from ordinary yeast?
This variety yeast cells live on the peels of berries and fruits, since fructose and sucrose are the basis of their nutrition. When they reproduce, they convert sugar into alcohol, which is one of the products of their life cycle. Fungal particles can be identified by white plaque on a surface grapes
Wine yeast differs from baking yeast, beer yeast and alcohol yeast in composition and specific application. Thus, bakeries are relevant for preparing bread and other baked goods, as well as low-quality alcoholic beverages. Beer beers are used in brewing, and alcohol beers are indispensable for obtaining distillate and rectified water.
Wine tremors is the best choice, if the task is to make something tasty and quality wine. Sometimes you can use them to get fruit and berry moonshine. The use of bakery products in winemaking is extremely undesirable, as they will spoil the taste of the alcoholic drink and make it look like kvass. They foam a lot and quickly die from the alcohol included in the wort.
How to use yeast Gervin: instructions
Gervin wine yeast from a British manufacturer Muntons are used to obtain fruit wines with a pronounced taste andhigh alcohol content. They are ideal for home preparations , since they form little foam and accelerate fermentation, effective even at low temperatures and Great settle at the end of the fermentation period.
Instructions for use:
Pour warm water at a temperature of 35-40 ° C into the container.
Pour yeast into it at a rate of 1:10, mix thoroughly until completely dissolved.
Leave the solution for 25 minutes.
Pour the resulting mixture into the wort. Make sure thattemperature differencebetween components did not exceed 10 °C.
Attention!Rehydration of yeast directly in the wort itself is extremely desirable .
How to use Belarusian wine yeast
This category is represented by the products of the Minsk Yeast Plant of the Republic of Belarus. Yeast is produced in packages of 100 or 250 g at a consumption of 3.5 g per 10 l fruit juice . It is recommended to store them in the refrigerator or in a dry, dark place at a temperature not exceeding 10 °C.
They are used to make wine, honey intoxicating drinks and liqueurs. During fermentation, Belarusian yeast produces little harmful substances, contribute good taste and odor, and also do not form foam. The scheme for their use is as follows:
Yeast must be activated before use. To do this, they are diluted in drinking water with added sugar (50 grams of sugar per 1 liter of water) in a ratio of 1 to 10. The recommended temperature is not higher than 35 ° C.
Stir thoroughly to form a homogeneous suspension and leave for 30 minutes.
Add the resulting solution to the container with the wort. The latter should be placed in a warm place with a temperature of 30-33 °C.
Important! When using yeast, it is advisable to avoid temperature changes. If they are stored in the refrigerator or other cool place, they must first be allowed to warm up until room temperature. This will take at least half an hour.
Yeast is especially popular among winemakers brand Lalvin. They come in different strains, some are universal, others are only suitable for white or red wine. For example, yeast mass Lalvin EC-1118 Ideal for preparing apple wine drinks, as well as those based on viburnum and cherries. This product does not form foam, it tolerates temperature changes well and has a wide fermentation range. One standard sachet contains 5 g of product, this will be enough for 10-25 liters of wine.
The instructions for using this yeast strain say:
- Place the contents of the bag in water at a temperature of 40°C in a non-metallic container.
- The volume of liquid should exceed the weight of the yeast by 10 times.
- Stir thoroughly so that there are no lumps.
- Let sit for 25 minutes, then stir again and add to the wort.
Another popular strain is called Lalvin KV-1118. It is a highly active yeast concentrate used to produce light white and red wines. The product also copes well with the function of restoring stalled fermentation. Lalvin KV-1118 quite unpretentious, as he is not afraid low temperature and fatty acid concentration.
Brand yeast deserves special attentionBeervingem. They come in bags weighing 5 g and this will be enough for 23 liters of wine drink. This type of yeast mass is more suitable for dry red and white wines with an alcohol content of 10-12%. Features of the application Beervingem is that they are added directly to the wort without prior rehydration. Its temperature should not exceed 25 °C, and the fermentation process itself will take from 8 days to two weeks.
The benefits and harms of wine yeast
The beneficial properties of the product are due to its composition, which is based on proteins. They participate in the formation of bone and muscle mass, and also support the internal environment of the human body. In addition, wine yeast is rich in vitamins A, B and E, which help in the treatment and prevention of the following diseases:
- digestive problems and gastrointestinal dysfunction;
- hypertension;
- rashes on the skin and mucous membranes;
- eczema;
- damage to blood vessels;
- anemia.
Wine yeast strengthens blood vessels and stimulates blood movement in the body, and is effectively used to prevent cardiovascular diseases. This product It has also found its use in cosmetology, as it has a tightening effect, fights age-related skin changes and smooths out wrinkles. Sometimes it is added to the bioactive substances of hydromassage baths, which are aimed at comprehensively improving a person’s well-being and relieving stress.
According to studies, wine yeast is practically harmless. If you follow the recommendations for their use and adhere to the correct dosage, they will not cause any harm. The exception is cases with individual intolerance to ingredients and allergies.
Wine yeast is a type of yeast used in winemaking; is a colony of bacteria Saccharomyces cerevisiae, capable of converting simple and complex sugars into alcohol.
Wine yeast can be found on the surface of almost all grape varieties. Today, wine yeast refers not only to the bacteria Saccharomyces cerevisiae, but also to a number of other bacteria used in winemaking; however, it is Saccharomyces cerevisiae that has the greatest resistance to its own waste (i.e. alcohol), and it is this species that lives in wine the longest, and is responsible for the souring of wine.
Today, the use of wine yeast is typical not only for home winemakers, but also for large industrialists, large wine producers, both New and Old Worlds. The use of wine yeast allows you to obtain predictable and constant results. Although some critics blame the widespread use of wine yeast as the reason for the uniform taste of many wines, today almost everyone uses yeast, and the use of natural yeasts has been reduced to a minimum.
Often a situation arises when wine fermentation suddenly stops. This happens because the colony of microorganisms in the wine has won, which can no longer exist at the current strength of the drink; however, the amount of sugar is still sufficient to continue life activity. It is in this case that wine yeast is often used to “ferment” the wort and increase its strength to an acceptable level.
How is wine yeast different from others?
There are 4 main types of yeast - baker's, wine, beer and spirits. Bakeries are used for baking and for producing alcohol and moonshine. Low quality. Brewer's yeast is used for beer, alcohol yeast is used to obtain pure alcohol distillate.
As you might guess, wine yeast is used for grape must and to obtain wine. In some cases, it can be used to produce fruit and berry moonshine, however, even in this case, it is preferable to use alcohol yeast. In general, to produce moonshine and other distillates, it is better to use alcoholic yeast, which we wrote about in more detail in the corresponding article.
Baker's yeast cannot be used for winemaking. Firstly, they greatly spoil the taste of wine, making it more like kvass; secondly, the wort foams very strongly; thirdly, such mash “plays” very poorly. Bread, or baker's yeast, die very quickly from an increase in the alcohol content in the must, so the wine stops playing almost immediately.
Microbiology of wine yeast
The common name of wine yeast, as mentioned above, is Saccharomyces ellipsoideus, or Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
There are several types of such yeast, already specific microorganisms, in particular, there are:
- Saccharomyces chevalieri is the most commonly found yeast, most often the main one in the fermentation of red wine;
- Saccharomyces oviformis is an alcohol-resistant bacteria that allows you to obtain alcohol strength of up to 17-18%;
- Torulopsis stellata are round or oval microorganisms that are capable of organizing a ring or film on the surface of the wort.
There are many other strains of wine yeast, you can read about them in detail in another article.
How to choose and buy wine yeast?
Most common on domestic market is the product of JSC Yeast Plant.
The company produces products in packages of various weights, from 100 grams to 5 kilograms. Yeast is produced in Belarus. A 250 gram package is enough (according to the manufacturer) for 87 liters of mash (about four 21 liter bottles). According to consumer reviews, the strength of the wort can reach up to 20 degrees! With subsequent dilution with water, you can get more wine than there was in the mash. There are also reviews regarding the use of this wine yeast in moonshine brewing: with a wort strength of 20 degrees, the yield is around 2.5-2 liters of distillate per 10 liters of wort.
One more renowned manufacturer is the LALVIN company.
As in the previous case, everything is packed in various capacities packages. The author of these terms has never personally used this brand, however, according to reviews, it turns out very quality product. In some cases, judging by the reviews, additional feeding is required, however, if the technology is followed, LALVIN wine yeast shows a fairly high efficiency of alcohol formation. The product can begin to ferment at very low temperatures.
How to use wine yeast to make wine?
The process of using wine yeast is simple. Yeast is added to the prepared must (a mixture of grape pulp and a small amount of sweetened water) in accordance with the proportions indicated on the label. Fermentation begins and continues either until the sugar runs out or until the critical strength of the wort is reached.
If fermentation has stopped, it is necessary to determine what caused this - low level sugar, or high alcohol levels. In the first case, it is enough to add sugar to continue distillation; in the second, it is worth adding water to reduce the strength of the drink and add yeast again. Of course, you should make sure that a temperature favorable for yeast development is maintained at 25-28 degrees. If the temperature is low, the yeast ferments slowly; if the temperature is high, about 29-30 degrees and above, then the yeast simply dies.
Use of wine yeast for other alcoholic beverages
Wine yeast can be used to produce not only wine, but also some other alcoholic beverages.
Moonshine with wine yeast
We have already said more than once that the most optimal choice of yeast for mash and moonshine is alcohol yeast. Wine yeast for moonshine is used quite rarely, since it ferments for quite a long time and does not give a very high yield of product. To prepare wine yeast, it is first diluted with sweetened warm water(to activate microorganisms), after which half an hour later they are poured into ready-made mash. The mash should sit for about two weeks (long enough, I warned you!), after which it can be distilled.
Whiskey with wine yeast
Homemade cooking is also best done with alcoholic yeast. We wrote in more detail about cooking at home here. In the recipe indicated in the link, it is enough to simply replace the yeast with wine yeast and be prepared for the fact that the wort will take much longer to reach a delicate strength for distillation.
Apple wine with wine yeast
First you need to take Apple juice from 15 kilograms of apples (about 7-8 liters of juice will come out) and mix with 150 grams of wine yeast. It is also worth adding 5-6 kilograms of sugar (depending on the sweetness of the apples themselves), as well as 8 liters of warm water. The finished volume of about 15-16 liters of wort will just fit into a 21-liter bottle for purified drinking water and for coolers. The wort must be left for 10 days in a warm place away from children and sunlight, putting a water seal on the neck of the bottle. After that apple wine with wine yeast, you can easily drain, filter and, if necessary, pasteurize. After this, the wine is bottled and sent for storage.
How to make wine yeast at home?
You can make wine yeast yourself. Of course, in quality they will be much inferior to industrial options, however, in the vast majority of cases, to obtain a small amount homemade wine it would be enough.
From berries
To prepare wine yeast, you will need to create a so-called wine starter. It is necessary to take grapes or raspberries, ripe but not rotten, and, without washing them under running water, mix with simple sugar and in warm water until thick porridge. It is enough to take about 100 grams of berries, half a liter of water and two tablespoons of sugar. After 2-3 days, when the starter starts to sour and ferment, it can be used instead of store-bought wine yeast. The use of such a starter can significantly reduce the fermentation period of wine. The starter itself must be added to the wort in a very small amount, literally half a glass. Using your own starter is very convenient when the volume of wine produced is quite large.
From raisins
As raw materials for creating a starter that will be used instead of wine yeast, you can use raspberries, strawberries, currants, cherries and cherries. However, the best substitute is raisins. It is better to collect berries for breeding yeast in dry and windless weather, preferably in the morning. There shouldn't be any rain before harvesting, so it's worth waiting out in wet weather. You should choose only those fruits that do not have visible mechanical damage, that are free from cobwebs, dirt, traces of mold and dust.
Old raisins, as well as raisins with traces of mold, cannot be used, as they will simply spoil the wort. IN sugar syrup It is enough to omit just one piece of raisins, after which the ready-to-use sourdough instead of wine yeast will be ready in 2-4 days. Don't overdo it with sugar or your starter will be too sweet.
If you decide to use raisins, then in this case it is recommended to buy literally 20-50 grams of raisins in ten places, rather than just 200 grams in one place. This will allow you to avoid the unpleasant situation of buying either old raisins or raisins with dead yeast. In addition, raisins are often coated with pesticides and pasteurized to help them last longer. It is logical that this has a negative effect on the efficiency of subsequent cultivation of wine yeast.
From the sediment
If you already had wine grown with a cultured batch of yeast, then simply saving the sediment is enough. The wine lees contain a large number of both dead and living microorganisms. It is enough to pour the sediment into a plate, dry it in a warm place (never in the sun!), and put it in plastic bag how you will always have wine yeast on hand. Yeast is in suspended animation and can always wake up as soon as the temperature and sugar level are favorable. Remember. That at temperatures above 30 degrees the yeast begins to die, so you should not dry the wine lees on a radiator or in the sun.
Making your own alcoholic beverages has always had its pitfalls, especially if the winemaker is a beginner.
Question: “How to enhance the fermentation of homemade wine?” worries many lovers who want to speed up the process of preparing it or resume it for some reason. There are several ways and methods by which you can influence the rate of fermentation of alcoholic beverages.
What affects the fermentation of homemade wine
The speed of fermentation is influenced by many factors. Not only proper care of the wort is very important so that fermentation does not stop at the wrong moment, but also the preparation of materials for it, as well as the environment.
Let us list in more detail what affects fermentation:
- ambient temperature;
- amount of oxygen;
- wine material filtration;
- containers for making alcoholic beverages;
- normal level of sugar content and alcohol content;
- unsatisfactory conditions (mold, wort souring).
How to speed up the fermentation process of wine
If you need to know how to speed up the fermentation of homemade wine, then you need to understand the fermentation process itself. Acceleration is possible by using natural and natural substances, or by using some chemical substances. Let's take a closer look.
How to enhance the fermentation process with yeast
Sometimes it happens that the fermentation of the wort occurs at a low rate. What to add to wine material for fermentation of wine? One of the reasons for this behavior of the wort may be a lack of yeast or its death for some reason.
You can add a handful of unwashed raisins or crushed raisins to the wine material. fresh berries grapes Most often, winemakers use special wine yeast, adding it according to the instructions.
Acceleration of fermentation by normalizing acidity
How to improve the fermentation of homemade wine using a pH meter? The optimal value should vary between 3.5-4 pH. Fermentation may decrease if the reading is below 3.5.
To increase it, you should acidify the wine with tartaric acid (purchase in a store or add the juice of one or two lemons to three to four liters of wine).
If the indicator is above 4, then the quality of the drink may be affected by foreign harmful microorganisms. To reduce acidity and level out fermentation, the wort should be diluted clean water(preferably spring water).
Temperature and rapid fermentation
There is an optimal temperature range for fermentation, below and above which the yeast stops working.
The most extreme values of fermentation are 4-40 degrees. Most optimal temperature you can call it 15-20 degrees.
If you increase this indicator, the fermentation will go faster, but already at 25-30 degrees the future alcoholic drink is at risk of “catch” various diseases, because this is the most favorable environment for the development of butyric, lactic and other acids.
It should be noted that by increasing the temperature to 27 degrees, fermentation can accelerate, but once this threshold is reached and after it is exceeded, it decreases significantly. Therefore, accelerating the process of yeast propagation using temperature fluctuations should be done very carefully.
Oxygen and increased fermentation
To enhance the fermentation of wine, dosed exposure to air on the wort is necessary. You should open the wine for about fifteen minutes once a day to ventilate it. This action significantly revitalizes the work of yeast, as well as its ability to reproduce.
If the wine is slow to ferment, or the fermentation process itself begins to slow down, then in the second half of the main fermentation, air can be blown into the wort using a bellows, or simply pour the entire volume of fermenting wine into a clean container and leave for four hours.
It should be noted that at the time the wort is enriched with oxygen, it should already contain 7-8% alcohol.
Accelerating fermentation using chemicals
You can speed up the process of yeast propagation by other means, for example, by combining the wort with chemicals rather than natural substances. Let's take a closer look.
Sulfuric acid
It is very popular to treat barrels or other fermentation containers with special sulfur wicks. Before the procedure, the containers are thoroughly washed and dried. Then the wicks are burned in them and then filled with juice for fermentation.
The amount of material required is 0.3-0.75 g per ten liters of wine.
One wick produces about 5-8 g of sulfuric acid, but half evaporates during filling of the bottles. It should be noted that the maximum quality of raw materials for the future alcoholic drink reduces the amount of chemical substance used.
Ammonia for wine fermentation
It is believed that yeast in wort will multiply normally not only in the presence of sugar. Many winemakers add nitrogen-containing substances to accelerate the fermentation of wine. If during fermentation there is a lack of these substances, then the wine may turn out weak, it has a high percentage of turbidity and it will not clarify well in the future.
To prevent this from happening, nitrogenous nutrition is added to the wort, i.e. ammonium chloride or aqueous ammonia solution. Simply put, ammonia.
Ammonia can be purchased in ampoules at the pharmacy (10%) one milliliter. 1 ml is used per liter of wort.
Other fermentation activators
Among the above methods of accelerating fermentation, you can use other substances that are allowed for use:
- vitamins (thiamine, biotin, pyridoxine, etc.);
- intermediate fermentation products (acetaldehyde, pyruvic acid);
- sterols;
- fatty acid;
- yeast extracts.
It should be noted that increasing the fermentation of homemade wine does not always have a positive effect on the drink. Sometimes it's better to endure required amount days of fermentation (this is naturally longer) than drinking tasteless wine or throwing it away altogether. This is especially important for inexperienced winemakers who have just started trying to make their own alcoholic beverages, even according to proven recipes.
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