First Batch of Apple Wine - Which Yeast?

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kevinstan

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Just started a 1 gallon batch of apple wine. Wondering which yeast I should use. I have Montrachet, Cotes de Blancs, and a pack of champagne yeast. Which would everyone recommend and why ? I plan on pitching today.
 
Just started a 1 gallon batch of apple wine. Wondering which yeast I should use. I have Montrachet, Cotes de Blancs, and a pack of champagne yeast. Which would everyone recommend and why ? I plan on pitching today.

I've used all of those yeast strains, and I'd go with the cotes de blancs. It doesn't risk H2S as much, and it still keeps a fruity aroma.

My preference for apple wines is Lalvin's 71B-1122 because it ferments more malic acid than the others. But if you don't have that, the cotes de blancs will work just fine!
 
I just wanted to add that Yooper is spot on. I have grown to love 71B as a great fermenting yeast that yields smooth and rounded drinks that need little aging befor they are well drinkable. Especially when dealing with high Malic Acid type ferments.

From the yeasts you have I also would say Cote de Blancs would fit the bill for a good apple wine yeast.
 
2 days in now and it's got the terrible sulfur h2s smell. Why does this keep happening to all my wine ? I am using the cotes de Blancs yeast. I added yeast nutrient yesterday. Brewing room stays at about 69 degrees f.
 
2 days in now and it's got the terrible sulfur h2s smell. Why does this keep happening to all my wine ? I am using the cotes de Blancs yeast. I added yeast nutrient yesterday. Brewing room stays at about 69 degrees f.

Add some more nutrient, and stir well a couple of times a day to see if it helps.
 
kevinstan said:
2 days in now and it's got the terrible sulfur h2s smell. Why does this keep happening to all my wine ? I am using the cotes de Blancs yeast. I added yeast nutrient yesterday. Brewing room stays at about 69 degrees f.

How much sulfite did you use prior to pitching your yeast?
 
Sulfite ? I didn't add sulfite. Only yeast nutrient, Pectic enzyme, concentrate and sugar with water up to my one gallon and the yeast.
 
When you say yeast nutrient, what kind and how much is being used?

I ask because a lot of H2S problems come from low nutrient issues. I use two forms of nutrients in my Wines/Mead. DAP the Clearish/white crystal type nutrient and nutriferm advanced the fine tan powder type. DAP is used up front when I mix the must up first befor yeast pitch. Usually 1tsp per gallon. I also add 1/2 tsp of the nutriferm advanced up front and again 1/2 tsp at a time once every 24 hours for 3 days in my 5 gallon batches.
 
I use Fermax yeast nutrient. Directions call for one teaspoon per gallon. Every thing I make is one gallon batches so I have just been using the one teaspoon. Should I be using more ? I have added a half teaspoon more and stirred some to try and solve the h2s problem. It seems to have helped a little bit but the sulfer smell is still there. Should I add more each day and keep stirring ?
 
Fermax is good stuff so you should be fine there. If not using strait DAP and yeast energizer in conjunction then starting with 1tsp per gallon of your stuff is good but I would have probably step feed 1/4 tsp at a time for the first 3 days.

You should be fine on your nutrients now so just slowly degas and whip up your must every day untill you have hit 1/3 of your available sugar consumed. "The 1/3 sugar break." If you do not have a hydrometer then just degas an whip up for the first week. The Sulfer smell should fade with time and a little work.
 
Thanks for the help. I added a half a teaspoon and degassed by lightly stirring and letting it foam up a few times. It seems like each time the sulfer smell goes down more. Should I add another half teaspoon next time I stir also ? This would make 2 tsp of yeast nutrient total. Is that too much or is that ok ?
 
kevinstan said:
Thanks for the help. I added a half a teaspoon and degassed by lightly stirring and letting it foam up a few times. It seems like each time the sulfer smell goes down more. Should I add another half teaspoon next time I stir also ? This would make 2 tsp of yeast nutrient total. Is that too much or is that ok ?

If you haven't already, "rack and splash" it exposes more of your wine to air and helps the sulfur to escape.
 
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