On 2/25/2013 11:56 AM, Dave West wrote:
> > wrote in message
> ...
>> On 2/24/2013 12:04 PM, Dave West wrote:
>>> Thanks. However Grated ginger, yeast, table sugar, and lemon and
>>> it ferments like crazy.
>>
>> I can believe it ferments, but the results might be vastly better
>> if you add some yeast nutrients.
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Thanks. I read somewhere long time ago that the yeasty sediment
> from the previous brew acts as a *good* yeast nutrient, is that true
> please?

I'm not 100% sure how to answer this, but I'll try to answer pending a
better answer from someone else....

Could be good, but I'm not sure. Lots of things are good. I'd be more
concerned about whether or not it's complete in your case. Maybe you're
thinking of...

> If that is not the case, are there any natural nutrients that could
> be used instead of the the quite expensive tiny packets from the
> shops?

....yeast ghosts/hulls/extract. This supposedly works with mead, anyway.
It's a nutrient derived from yeast themselves, perhaps found in health
stores. Add an ounce or so per 5 gallons. My friend who made mead used
diammonium phosphate, not sure how much. He has also used some kind of
nutrition tablet.

Maybe you already mentioned not living near a homebrew store already,
but they have various yeast nutrients for sale usually containing a mix
of zinc, gypsum, vitamins, and other things.

Things might also depend on your water, and maybe ideally you would know
your water's chemistry.