Best Yeast?

[jnoonan22]

What is the best yeast choice for creating a medium to full-bodied blackberry wine?

 

[Noe]

I've used 71B-1122 and EC-1118 for my batches before. Both turned out great but the EC-1118 will push alcohol higher if it has the sugar to do so.

 

[jnoonan22]

Thanks. Did you prepare the yeast by adding a little sugar and nutrient and letting it sit 24 hrs before pitching? Or is it better to just add the nutrient to the must prior to pitching?

 

[Arpolis]

Lalvin RC 212 is a real good yeast for berries. The lalvin site recommends this for young or aged red wines. The only drawback to it is that you may want to up the nutrients you add. This yeast likes to be pampered and does not do well if goes hungry for certain nutrients. Step feeding should also be a must. I like 71B-1122 as well but prefer that one for when dealling with wines with Malic acid like Apple or grape wines. But if you are wanting a wine sooner rather than later, 71B is famed for having wines that mature more quickly.

 

[Arpolis]

Thanks. Did you prepare the yeast by adding a little sugar and nutrient and letting it sit 24 hrs before pitching? Or is it better to just add the nutrient to the must prior to pitching?

I highly recommend starters. I have tried with them and without and just always get better results with them. Here is how I like to do my starters:

1 cup water
1/4 cup honey
5 chopped raisins
1 100mg B6 tablet crushed

Mix it all and and sprinkle 1 sachet of dry yeast on top and wait 6 - 12 hours. You can substitute the raisins and B6 with 1/4tsp of Dap or even better get some go-ferm but I think the B6 and raisins do a better job for the starter vs the Dap; however, I have yet to try go-ferm.

 

[jnoonan22]

I'm sorry, is that 100mg of Vitamin B6 tablet?

 

[Yooper]

I never make starters for wines- I just add the nutrient to the must and follow the package directions for rehydrating the yeast. It works very well, and I've never had a stuck fermentation or any other problems.

I like cotes de blanc (Red Star) wine yeast for blackberry wine- it really gives a nice aroma of fruit.

I also like Ec-1118 (Lalvin), a champagne yeast strain that works great for berries.

 

[Arpolis]

I'm sorry, is that 100mg of Vitamin B6 tablet?

Yes, B6 helps in the making of proteins. In the initial phases of the yeasts re-hydrated cycle they reproduce a lot which requires a lot of protein building. The B6 helps this along.