Making wine for the first time today using Cellar Craft California Pinot Noir kit. It comes with a dry yeast which I'm sure is fine but am wondering if it's worth using a White Labs or Wyeast yeast instead, any recommendations/advice?
First time yeast advice
- Thread starter Miclip
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cmybeer
Well-Known Member
I posed this question a while back and found that a lot of wine makers use the packaged dry wine yeast (or in my case champagne yeast) for some reason. I don't know if it was the way I phrased the question or if wine makers are less adventurous than beer brewers or if there is some intrinsic difference between wine and beer yeast I don't know about but most people just said to stick with what came in the kit when I feel like if I posted something about a beer kit and asked if I could change the yeast most people would say yes and ask to post the results.
For my first kit I decided to stick it out, mostly because I was too lazy to drive to the store but I say go for it. Wyeast has a wine section on their website if you want to do some research.
For my first kit I decided to stick it out, mostly because I was too lazy to drive to the store but I say go for it. Wyeast has a wine section on their website if you want to do some research.
Heavywalker
Well-Known Member
I am guessing that your kit came with Lavlin ec-1118 yeast, this is the standard yeast that they put in wine kits. They use it because it is very hardy and has fewer problems with stuck fermentation. It is not however always the best choice for the variety that comes in the kit. The yeast that will give you the best flavor profile in a wine depends on several different variables, potentially trial and error, and is also somewhat subjective.
Some yeast may be better suited and some worse, but you will never know until you try... With all that said I have never been disappointed with a kit wine because of the yeast provided.
Some yeast may be better suited and some worse, but you will never know until you try... With all that said I have never been disappointed with a kit wine because of the yeast provided.
Yes Lavlin EC-1118, I just combined all the ingredients and pitched that yeast so I'll see how it goes. Thanks for the advice, maybe next time I'll try something different.
Do you ever need a blow off tube with these wine kits? I ferment in the spare room and would like to avoid getting Must every where.
Do you ever need a blow off tube with these wine kits? I ferment in the spare room and would like to avoid getting Must every where.
No, if you have enough headspace you'll be fine. You'll get activity but nothing explosive (unless it gets really hot and you don't have any headspace).
Lalvin dry yeast strains are very good quality, and I use them almost exclusively for my wines, meads, and ciders.
DoctorCAD
Well-Known Member
Its a good yeast...the company that makes the kit chose it for a reason. They have the same choices as you do, but they picked that one.
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