Combining different Yeast Strains

[D the Catastrophist]

Miraculix had mentioned in another thread that they were going to be trying an experiment using 50% of two different yeast strains to take advantage of the differing flavors that each yeast imparts. Well that thread was regarding beer yeasts, and all the articles I can find are regarding brewing beer, I was curious if any one had tried this with a wine?

The obvious thing that would need to be taken into account would be compatible fermentation temperature ranges.

But given wine yeasts have a wider range in abv tolerances, would pairing something like a Lalvin k1 with an 18% abv tolerance with a RedStar Montrachet (13%) work? If you do a higher abv wine, would one tapping out first just end up having the flavors it imparts overridden by the other, or would you still be able to taste the flavors it imparts?

The next question would be: How would you avoid one yeast overriding the other?

Then, the last question would be: Why not just make two batches of the same wine using the different yeasts and then combine? Is there any advantage or difference by fermenting together versus separately?

 

[mashpaddled]

You'll get flavor from both because both will ferment at the start. You won't have one ferment and then the other starts when the first stops.

Yeast don't override each other. Both will ferment all the sugar they can. If anything, you might get an improved fermentation from the yeast working in tandem together. I'm not sure if that is common with wine yeast but it is with beer yeast.

Whether the flavors are compatible is really the question. If you pick two yeast that throw a lot of flavor (instead of one more flavor oriented and one neutral for higher ABV) they may not produce flavors you like together. Really only one way to find out.

 

[Yooper]

You'll get flavor from both because both will ferment at the start. You won't have one ferment and then the other starts when the first stops.

Yeast don't override each other. Both will ferment all the sugar they can. If anything, you might get an improved fermentation from the yeast working in tandem together. I'm not sure if that is common with wine yeast but it is with beer yeast.

Whether the flavors are compatible is really the question. If you pick two yeast that throw a lot of flavor (instead of one more flavor oriented and one neutral for higher ABV) they may not produce flavors you like together. Really only one way to find out.

What about the effects of using a “killer” wine yeast strain? What are ‘killer’ yeast strains and are they important?
http://www.milkthefunk.com/wiki/Saccharomyces
Honestly, blended wine yeast doesn’t work well in conjunction with each other, giving it’s own characteristics gently while allowing the other strain to shine too. Like most other living things, they will try to outcompete any threat to their growth and survival.

 

[Raptor99]

But given wine yeasts have a wider range in abv tolerances, would pairing something like a Lalvin k1 with an 18% abv tolerance with a RedStar Montrachet (13%) work?

If one yeast is more aggressive than the other it would tend to dominate.

If you are going for an 18% ABV wine, they you could add the RedStar Montrachet first, then add the K1 when that stops fermenting.

Why not just make two batches of the same wine using the different yeasts and then combine?

This might be the better approach. That way, at blending time, you could test different proportions and fine tune the blend to a flavor you like.