Cold Fermenting

I was wondering if anyone here has done a cold ferment around 50 degrees or lower and what kind of yeast would you recommend.

That is probably the most common fermentation temperature for a lager yeast.

Exbeerienced said:

That is probably the most common fermentation temperature for a lager yeast.

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I would think so too but I was drinking a desert wine the other day and looked up some info on it and the winery said that they cold ferment their wine for a few months. I would like to try to make a wine for my wife like that since she is into the desert wines.

Lalvin EC-1118 (Prise de Mousse) : This is the original, steady, low foamer, excellent for barrel fermentation or for working on heavy suspended pulps. It is one of the most popular wine yeasts in the world. It ferments well at low temperatures, flocculates well, and produces very compact lees. It is good for Champagne bases, secondary (bottle) fermentations, restarting stuck fermentations, and for late harvest grapes. It is also the yeast of choice for apple, crabapple, cranberry, hawthorn, and cherry wines. It has excellent organoleptic properties and should be in every vinter's refrigerator. Alcohol toxicity is 18% and it ferments relatively fast. It tolerates temperatures from 39-95°f. It is not, however, tolerant of concurrent malolactic fermentation.

johnnync said:

Lalvin EC-1118 (Prise de Mousse) : This is the original, steady, low foamer, excellent for barrel fermentation or for working on heavy suspended pulps. It is one of the most popular wine yeasts in the world. It ferments well at low temperatures, flocculates well, and produces very compact lees. It is good for Champagne bases, secondary (bottle) fermentations, restarting stuck fermentations, and for late harvest grapes. It is also the yeast of choice for apple, crabapple, cranberry, hawthorn, and cherry wines. It has excellent organoleptic properties and should be in every vinter's refrigerator. Alcohol toxicity is 18% and it ferments relatively fast. It tolerates temperatures from 39-95°f. It is not, however, tolerant of concurrent malolactic fermentation.

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I was thinking about making a Muscat desert wine. I found a site that sells the concentrate for 5 gallon batches. This should do the trick!!!

I am sorry. I didn't realize this thread was in the wine section.

goosen1 said:

I would think so too but I was drinking a desert wine the other day and looked up some info on it and the winery said that they cold ferment their wine for a few months. I would like to try to make a wine for my wife like that since she is into the desert wines.

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I'm guessing you want to ferment a white wine with high residual sugar.
You might try one of these:

Côte des Blancs : Formerly known as Epernay 2, this is another slow fermenting, very low foaming and low flocculating yeast tolerant of low temperatures. It tends to bring out floral and fruity qualities in wines and can be useful in both grape--especially fruity German style whites-- and non-grape wines--such as peach or raspberry--where a bouquet is especially desired. This yeast will not push alcohol production over 13% in a cool fermentation but has a range of 12-14%.

Epernay : Epernay is a Champagne yeast, meaning it was isolated in Champagne, France and is used in Champagne production. Epernay is used in bottle fermenting because it ferments slowly and is tolerant to cold temperatures with moderate foaming. It is also used for primary fermentations of still white wines.

Pasteur Champagne : Champagne yeast is the second most common yeast strain used. It was isolated in Champagne, France and is technically a mixed-population culture. It is common in sparkling wine production because of its ability to induce fermentation quickly and because of its effectiveness in low temperatures and its tolerance of medium-high alcohol conditions. These conditions are common in sparkling wine production. Temperature range is 59-86°, low to medium flocculation, and alcohol is 13-15%.

Pasteur White : Pasteur white is also called French white. As the name suggests, it is used primarily for white wine fermentation because of its ability to ferment slowly and tolerate cold temperatures. It also gives off a noticeable yeasty aroma. Pasteur white foams considerably so it works better in stainless steel rather than wooden barrels.

Premier Curvee : Also known as Prise de Mousse, this is a Champagne yeast that is strong acting, low foaming and therefore qualified for barrel fermentations. It imparts a strong yeasty aroma and is useful for secondary fermentation in both still and sparkling wine production. Good for reds and whites alike and for restarting stuck or sluggish fermentations. Temperature range is 45-95° (equal to Lalvin EC-1118), flocculation is low, and alcohol is reliably 18%.

Steinberg : A strain developed in Germany. Like Pasteur white, Steinberg is used for white wine fermentation because it yields a lengthy fermentation process. It even tolerates the cold better than Pasteur white. Johannesburg Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Chenin Blanc and Muscat all use this strain. It gives off a tropical fruit aroma and is best used in stainless steel fermenting.

Thank you... Yes, That's what I want to achieve. A nice white wine that is sweet and crisp.

Think I'd go with either the Steinberg or the Cote des Blancs.
Regards, GF.

I'm fermenting a batch of white grape/raspberry right now with the Cote des Blancs. It didn't seem to take off so I made a starter out of a second pack. The fermenting action is not really like any I have seen before, very tiny pin-point like bubbles. Zero foam. After a few days of observing it, I may have been mistaken about the first batch not starting.

I have it fermenting at room temp.

DoctorCAD said:

I'm fermenting a batch of white grape/raspberry right now with the Cote des Blancs. It didn't seem to take off so I made a starter out of a second pack. The fermenting action is not really like any I have seen before, very tiny pin-point like bubbles. Zero foam. After a few days of observing it, I may have been mistaken about the first batch not starting.

I have it fermenting at room temp.

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Ya, it's hard to tell if Cote des Blanc is working just by looking at it. It's a slow & very low foaming ferment.
Regards, GF.

How long did it take for your white wine to clarify before the first racking? I personally found steinberg to be a little slow. My batch was fermenting at 28.
Please let me know how things turned out.

DoctorCAD said:

I'm fermenting a batch of white grape/raspberry right now with the Cote des Blancs. It didn't seem to take off so I made a starter out of a second pack. The fermenting action is not really like any I have seen before, very tiny pin-point like bubbles. Zero foam. After a few days of observing it, I may have been mistaken about the first batch not starting.

I have it fermenting at room temp.

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I noticed the same in spades with Cote de Blanc. Had a bit of trouble getting going too. Took a starter. And the signs of fermentation are subtle. I'm making a riesling @ 58F but I started it @ 68F.