I made a batch of Federweißer using Welch's White Grape Juice (Niagara grapes) and Lalvin yeast EC-1118. Going for the true southern German style, I let it ferment a few days, rapidly chilled to halt/slow yeast activity, and consumed within a week or so.
The Federweißer style calls for:
- No stabilizing. Even after chilling, the yeast continues to work so it should be consumed shortly after brewing.
- Light fizz due to residual dissolved CO2 from fermentation.
- Sweet taste from residual sugars.
- Cloudy due to suspended yeast (ergo, the name of the drink).
Brewing notes: I added some yeast nutrient and oxygen (using a diffuser stone) to the grape juice before adding the reconstituted yeast. To avoid cold-shocking the yeast (reconstituted at 40C), I heated the grape juice up slightly (warm to the touch) before oxygenating and adding the yeast. The fermentation took place in a large Erlenmeyer Pyrex flask with aluminum foil on top.
My first taste was bad. The yeasty tartness was extremely strong and unpleasant. I transferred to a 2-liter bottle with a CO2 gassing adapter, pressurized with a few pounds of CO2 to maintain the fizz for a few days.
After several days, the taste settled down considerably. It was much tastier, maintaining a slight cloudiness to some suspended yeast, and a bit fizzy from being stored in a pressurized container. It lacked the sweetness required by the style, so I added some cane sugar.
1. I suspect the Lalvin EC-1118 has a pronounced yeasty taste when still suspended. Since Federweißer is to have suspended yeast, is there another selection that has a softer taste?
2. The EC-1118 burned the sweetness from the must, even after only 3-4 days of fermentation. I had to add more sugar after chilling to get the sweetness demanded by the style. Since EC-1118 is 18% tolerant, I suspect it's too aggressive for the style and doesn't leave enough sugar behind.
I suppose the best route is to start with higher OG and use a yeast with a very sharp alcohol tolerance cutoff, so the yeast will leave predictable residual sugar behind. The EC-1118 tolerance of 18% is a bit high, so maybe something lower but still predictable (such as the 71B-1122 at 14%). Any ideas for something in the 10-12% range?
The Federweißer style calls for:
- No stabilizing. Even after chilling, the yeast continues to work so it should be consumed shortly after brewing.
- Light fizz due to residual dissolved CO2 from fermentation.
- Sweet taste from residual sugars.
- Cloudy due to suspended yeast (ergo, the name of the drink).
Brewing notes: I added some yeast nutrient and oxygen (using a diffuser stone) to the grape juice before adding the reconstituted yeast. To avoid cold-shocking the yeast (reconstituted at 40C), I heated the grape juice up slightly (warm to the touch) before oxygenating and adding the yeast. The fermentation took place in a large Erlenmeyer Pyrex flask with aluminum foil on top.
My first taste was bad. The yeasty tartness was extremely strong and unpleasant. I transferred to a 2-liter bottle with a CO2 gassing adapter, pressurized with a few pounds of CO2 to maintain the fizz for a few days.
After several days, the taste settled down considerably. It was much tastier, maintaining a slight cloudiness to some suspended yeast, and a bit fizzy from being stored in a pressurized container. It lacked the sweetness required by the style, so I added some cane sugar.
1. I suspect the Lalvin EC-1118 has a pronounced yeasty taste when still suspended. Since Federweißer is to have suspended yeast, is there another selection that has a softer taste?
2. The EC-1118 burned the sweetness from the must, even after only 3-4 days of fermentation. I had to add more sugar after chilling to get the sweetness demanded by the style. Since EC-1118 is 18% tolerant, I suspect it's too aggressive for the style and doesn't leave enough sugar behind.
I suppose the best route is to start with higher OG and use a yeast with a very sharp alcohol tolerance cutoff, so the yeast will leave predictable residual sugar behind. The EC-1118 tolerance of 18% is a bit high, so maybe something lower but still predictable (such as the 71B-1122 at 14%). Any ideas for something in the 10-12% range?
