New Methods for Staggered Nutrient Addition?

In a very recent podcast (08/2012), Michael Fairbrother mentions not using DAP anymore, but only a combination of GoFerm and Fermaid-K. In an earlier podcast he had mentioned using the very standard Fermaid-K and DAP mixture.

I am just wondering if anyone has information about the reasons behind this change.

Thanks.

Can you link the podcast? I'd perhaps like to give it a listen myself... Going out on a limb though, perhaps it's because Fermaid-K is pretty much just DAP anyway, with some additional micronutrients/minerals added. I've never heard of GoFerm being added to must, but rather as a rehydration supplement.

I generally use a mix of Fermaid-K and generic yeast energizer (the tan powder) for my SNA's.

Yeah, I've been using GoFerm for the yeast and Fermaid-K and DAP for SNA.

I wonder if it's related to urea content which may be present in DAP?

johnfrankl said:

In a very recent podcast (08/2012), Michael Fairbrother mentions not using DAP anymore, but only a combination of GoFerm and Fermaid-K. In an earlier podcast he had mentioned using the very standard Fermaid-K and DAP mixture.

I am just wondering if anyone has information about the reasons behind this change.

Thanks.

Click to expand...

Micheal Fairbrother of Moonlight Meadery was interviewed on Basic Brewing Radio and then on the BrewSmith Podcasts. He stated that he uses a stepped nutrient additions based on a paper produced by Kurt Stock (sp?). In his interviews some information conflicted between the interviews. So I emailed him and he graciously clarified (I was impressed). From his email.

"I mostly use Go Ferm and Fermaid K, once in a great while I use DAP, but it's not my goto nutrient. Sorry I botched some of the addition information: here's the process I follow:

Add ¾ teaspoon yeast energizer/nutrient mix immediately after pitching yeast.
Add ¾ teaspoon yeast energizer/nutrient mix 24 hours after fermentation begins.
Add ¾ teaspoon yeast energizer/nutrient mix 48 hours after fermentation begins.
Add ¾ teaspoon yeast energizer/nutrient mix after 30% of the sugar has been depleted."

The above refers to a 5 gal batch size.

Paper below I found explains it some more info.

http://home.comcast.net/~mzapx1/FAQ/SNAddition.pdf

I have tried some of his meads, they are delicious.

Very interesting stuff...just listened to the Basic Brewing interview...highly recommended!

I also think it's pretty cool how the brewing industry/hobby in general shares and collaborates...gives me some faith in human nature....

biochemedic said:

Can you link the podcast? I'd perhaps like to give it a listen myself... Going out on a limb though, perhaps it's because Fermaid-K is pretty much just DAP anyway, with some additional micronutrients/minerals added. I've never heard of GoFerm being added to must, but rather as a rehydration supplement.

I generally use a mix of Fermaid-K and generic yeast energizer (the tan powder) for my SNA's.

Click to expand...

FermaidK and generic type "energiser" that looks like tan powder are probably one and the same thing i.e. some DAP, yeast hulls and other micro-nutrient type stuff like vitamin B complex etc.

Go-Ferm is similar, but has little or no DAP as that's now considered harmful to yeast development in the earliest stage.

Hence it's my understanding that you could easily use some Go-Ferm and DAP to approximate FermaidK or other type like fermax, tronozymol, etc...

I also mainly rely on the combined type nutrients, but do have some pure DAP, but it depends on what I'm making as to what I use.

There's a few new-ish suggestions doing the rounds. For instance, with staggered nutrient addition, it's been recommended to "front load" the nutrients to about 85% of the total required and the rest is then used to give the yeast a little "further shove", at which ever point is chosen by the maker....

biochemedic said:

Can you link the podcast? I'd perhaps like to give it a listen myself...

Click to expand...

Basic Brewing Radio streaming MP3 of August 9, 2012 - Moonlight Meadery Interview
http://traffic.libsyn.com/basicbrewing/bbr08-09-12moonlightmead.mp3

Brewsmith July 6th videopodcast Moonlight Meadery Interview
http://beersmith.com/blog/2012/07/2...ith-michael-fairbrother-beersmith-podcast-43/

Pick just one of these, you will get the idea of what hes saying. IMHO go with Basic Brewing, he does a better interview. Brad Smith always seems to interrupt his guest.

Keep in mind that in one interview Mr Fairbrother says GoFerm + DAP and the other GoFerm with FermK. He clarifies his methodology via email, "I mostly use Go Ferm and Fermaid K, once in a great while I use DAP, but it's not my goto nutrient."

Hope that helps. JJ