Yeast Nutrient

Are you brewers a fan or not?

It seems to me to just let nature do its thing but you all might know otherwise..

I have never used them for brewing beer, but for mead they are essential since honey does not have the appropriate nutrients to get the yeast really jazzed.

Sometimes nutrients are added to starters and to all-extract brews, or to brews with a high level of adjuncts like corn, rice, or sugar. In general, yeast nutrient is not needed for most AG and PM beers.

I am an extract brewer, is yeast nutrient important then or can I do with out. Say for an IPA recipe?

We use only bottle spring water for our beers and we were getting kind of bad yeast attenuation. Finally it occurred to me that the purified spring water doesn't really have all the minerals of tap water.

I picked up some yeast nutrient and I have added it in the last several beers. Suddenly my attenuation is up 10% or more than it was previously. I don't have any scientific proof that it is the nutrient but it's the only thing I've changed from the previous 50 or so batches. I do know that my beers have gotten better and I'm hitting the FG easier and more often.

I add some to my starters, about a quarter teaspoon. A must if you are doing cider or mead.

for extract, i'd use it. it can't hurt.

I have always used a little bit of tap water (minimum) and always some hops in my extract brerws and never needed yeast nutrient.

The only meads in which I use nutrient are the classic ones madew with honey only. Adding a whiff of hops or just a little carrot or whatever will give the yeast what they need.

Certainly you if you are having big water trouble and need to brew with distilled water a smidge of yeast nutrient might be a good idea.

I use it in all my starters

+1 for using it in starters

Brewsmith said:

I add some to my starters, about a quarter teaspoon. A must if you are doing cider or mead.

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Am I the only one that saw that awful pun? :fro:












You know, because cider and mead starts out with must instead of wort?

EvilTOJ said:

Am I the only one that saw that awful pun? :fro:

You know, because cider and mead starts out with must instead of wort?

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shirley you are are mistaken...

I started using Wyeast nutrient because it is a small price to pay for a little insurance--it only takes 1/4 teaspoon for a 5-gallon batch. I liken it to taking a multivitamin supplement every once in a while even though you know you eat a balanced diet.