Pectin enzyme abd nutrients question

[Walshy87]

Two quick questions/clarifications...

I'm using pectin enzyme for the first time. The directions say 3/4 tsp per gallon in crushed fruit or fruit juice, so if I have one gallon of fruit in a five gallon batch should I only add 3/4 tsp or times that by 5?

Also using nutrients for the first time. Im hoping the one I bought can be used in mead, it's Wyeast beer nutrient blend. The HBS dude said I could just throw it in the must, but directions say to add at 15 min left in boil. I shouldn't have any problems with this right?

Thanks in advance!

 

[fatbloke]

If you were using the pectic enzyme in a single gallon, then a single dose would be fine, but if your fruit/juice content is mixed into a 5 gallon batch, the I'd use the x5 myself, otherwise the single measure would be too dilute and might find it difficult to do its thing on a single dose. It seems that it doesn't affect the flavour, just sorts the pectin and seems to assist with flavour and colour extraction.

As for the nutrient, it would possibly be better to get a nutrient designed for wine, but I got a tube of that once and it seemed to do the job just fine. I just added it after the lag had finished and there was visible signs of fermentation...

 

[Walshy87]

Thanks. So I shouldn't add the nutrients prior to pitching?

 

[fatbloke]

You can if you want to, just that there's some research kicking around about not adding nutrient with DAP as it's injurous to the developing yeast cells.

It's part of why Lallemand have gone down the route of producing GoFerm as a rehydration nutrient, it contains little to no nitrogen compounds, to allow the yeast to rehydrate without being in a condition where adding it to a batch with nitrogen producing compounds (like DAP) are already present.

Hence adding the nutrient/energiser once there are signs of active ferment, so that you know that the yeast has rehyrated and then developed further to the fermentation stage (past the lag phase etc). Then there's also some research kicking around that suggests the best performance for the yeast is done by front loading the must with up to 85% of the maximum amount of nutrient required for a batch, with the remaining part to be added in whatever quantity you want, and in as many parts/stages as you want, as long as it's in by the 1/3rd sugar break (some like to use the 1/2 sugar break, but as far as I can recall, the info said the 1/3rd break).

It's sort of why, if you only have access to the 1 type of nutrient, the one to use would be the "combined" type, like FermaidK, Fermax, Tronozymol or similar (looks like a tan coloured powder generally and from memory, that includes the Wyeast Beer nutrient). Because that already contains some DAP, as well as the other micro-nutrients etc, that the yeast need for a good ferment. The pure DAP additions are to get the batch a nitrogen boost - which is why there's some info kicking around (sorry, I'm sh1te bookmarking these articles) that says about the staggered mix being 70% Fermaid/Fermax/Tronozymol etc, and 30% pure DAP type.

 

[Walshy87]

Thanks for the info. I added it prior to pitching. So far there's zero activity... My last three meads started bubbling with in an hour. I'll just wait a few days and if it kicks off I might just use some trusty old raisins.

Thanks again