REHYDRATE YOUR YEAST IN WARM WATER (100F) FIRST. lET SIT 15 MIN AND
AD TO CARBOY. YOUR REHYDRATION WATER SHOULD BE 5X THE WIEGHT OF THE
YEAST YOU ARE PITCHING.
The reason this is important is that active dried yeast will such up
anything that has moisture until it reaches equillibrium with its
enviornment. By adding directly to the must you will poison a good
proportion of your yeast culture as the osmotic pressure will keep
many cells continually desicated and weak. Also homogenezation is a
good thig and stirring is also good to a point as it allows oxygen to
keep up yeast viability and in whites allows greater skin contact and
in reds allows for better tannin extraction (punch downs)

"Zack S" > wrote in message
om...
> REHYDRATE YOUR YEAST IN WARM WATER (100F) FIRST. LET SIT 15 MIN AND
> ADD TO CARBOY. YOUR REHYDRATION WATER SHOULD BE 5X THE WEIGHT OF THE
> YEAST YOU ARE PITCHING.

I might also add that putting a little sugar into the starter is a good
idea. If you let the re-hydrated yeast sit for too long without anything to
eat it'll die.

> The reason this is important is that active dried yeast will suck up
> anything that has moisture until it reaches equillibrium with its
> environment. By adding directly to the must you will poison a good
> proportion of your yeast culture as the osmotic pressure will keep
> many cells continually dessicated and weak. Also homogenization is a
> good thing and stirring is also good to a point as it allows oxygen to
> keep up yeast viability and in whites allows greater skin contact and
> in reds allows for better tannin extraction (punch downs)

I have to correct a small point: whites do not generally benefit from skin
contact. Normally, whites are fermented from pressed, clarified juice. If
not, the wines can be rather coarse.

As far as yeast addition goes, I usually add a starter, prepared from
re-hydrated yeast+sugar, _and_ sprinkle dry yeast over the top of the juice
in the barrel. Sure, this requires more yeast than one might get away with,
but so what? Yeast is _cheap_, and one way or the other, it _goes_! I
consider this to be the belt and suspenders approach to inoculation. ;^D

BTW, don't forget to add yeast nutrient and vitamins (no, _not_ "One a
Day").

Tom S

"Zack S" > wrote in message
om...
> REHYDRATE YOUR YEAST IN WARM WATER (100F) FIRST. LET SIT 15 MIN AND
> ADD TO CARBOY. YOUR REHYDRATION WATER SHOULD BE 5X THE WEIGHT OF THE
> YEAST YOU ARE PITCHING.

I might also add that putting a little sugar into the starter is a good
idea. If you let the re-hydrated yeast sit for too long without anything to
eat it'll die.

> The reason this is important is that active dried yeast will suck up
> anything that has moisture until it reaches equillibrium with its
> environment. By adding directly to the must you will poison a good
> proportion of your yeast culture as the osmotic pressure will keep
> many cells continually dessicated and weak. Also homogenization is a
> good thing and stirring is also good to a point as it allows oxygen to
> keep up yeast viability and in whites allows greater skin contact and
> in reds allows for better tannin extraction (punch downs)

I have to correct a small point: whites do not generally benefit from skin
contact. Normally, whites are fermented from pressed, clarified juice. If
not, the wines can be rather coarse.

As far as yeast addition goes, I usually add a starter, prepared from
re-hydrated yeast+sugar, _and_ sprinkle dry yeast over the top of the juice
in the barrel. Sure, this requires more yeast than one might get away with,
but so what? Yeast is _cheap_, and one way or the other, it _goes_! I
consider this to be the belt and suspenders approach to inoculation. ;^D

BTW, don't forget to add yeast nutrient and vitamins (no, _not_ "One a
Day").

Tom S

"Zack S" > wrote in message
om...
> REHYDRATE YOUR YEAST IN WARM WATER (100F) FIRST. LET SIT 15 MIN AND
> ADD TO CARBOY. YOUR REHYDRATION WATER SHOULD BE 5X THE WEIGHT OF THE
> YEAST YOU ARE PITCHING.

I might also add that putting a little sugar into the starter is a good
idea. If you let the re-hydrated yeast sit for too long without anything to
eat it'll die.

> The reason this is important is that active dried yeast will suck up
> anything that has moisture until it reaches equillibrium with its
> environment. By adding directly to the must you will poison a good
> proportion of your yeast culture as the osmotic pressure will keep
> many cells continually dessicated and weak. Also homogenization is a
> good thing and stirring is also good to a point as it allows oxygen to
> keep up yeast viability and in whites allows greater skin contact and
> in reds allows for better tannin extraction (punch downs)

I have to correct a small point: whites do not generally benefit from skin
contact. Normally, whites are fermented from pressed, clarified juice. If
not, the wines can be rather coarse.

As far as yeast addition goes, I usually add a starter, prepared from
re-hydrated yeast+sugar, _and_ sprinkle dry yeast over the top of the juice
in the barrel. Sure, this requires more yeast than one might get away with,
but so what? Yeast is _cheap_, and one way or the other, it _goes_! I
consider this to be the belt and suspenders approach to inoculation. ;^D

BTW, don't forget to add yeast nutrient and vitamins (no, _not_ "One a
Day").

Tom S