Is Turbo yeast nothing more than distillers yeast + yeast nutrient?

[NeverDie]

There are various "turbo" yeasts for sale that claim to generate amazing alcohol percentages in 24 or 48 hours, and is that all that they are? Or in addition to that are they some kind of amazing strain of yeast that is somehow wildly productive?

 

[AkTom]

From what I’ve read... they work fast and taste like crap. Try and let me know.
Cheers

 

[NeverDie]

From what I’ve read... they work fast and taste like crap. Try and let me know.
Cheers

Yeah, I've read that too, and I've read the exact opposite as well. I guess with this hobby I just have to try everything for myself....

 

[isomerization]

I think you spelled Kveik wrong

 

[NeverDie]

I think you spelled Kveik wrong

Where?

 

[schmurf]

Kveik is a very fast yeast, allegedly...I've never used it. I guess he/she meant kveik is The turbo yeast in fashion.

 

[NeverDie]

Kveik is a very fast yeast, allegedly...I've never used it. I guess he/she meant kveik is The turbo yeast in fashion.

Thanks for the translation. Yes, kveik sounds very promising. It was suggested to me on another thread too today, and I ordered some a few minutes ago. I'm guessing it will taste better than the turbo yeast, but we'll see. Apple juice is so inexpensive that I can easily run a half gallon experiment in parallel to others and just see how it works out.

 

[isomerization]

Yes it was a joke, apparently a bad one...

Regardless, kveik yeasts have high alcohol and temp tolerances, allowing you to ferment our in under 48 hours.

I can’t comment on the Turbo yeast mentioned in the OP.

 

[NeverDie]

Yes it was a joke, apparently a bad one...

Regardless, kveik yeasts have high alcohol and temp tolerances, allowing you to ferment our in under 48 hours.

I can’t comment on the Turbo yeast mentioned in the OP.

Wow, the more I hear about kveik, the more I like the sound of it. What temperature do you recommend fermenting it at such that it won't produce headaches?

 

[isomerization]

Wow, the more I hear about kveik, the more I like the sound of it. What temperature do you recommend fermenting it at such that it won't produce headaches?

I have only used Omega Hornindal, but I believe my observations can be generalized across their kveik offerings.

I have fermented up to ~95F with no issues. I’ve seen pics/posts with people exceeding 100F as well.

 

[NeverDie]

Dang! I flipped a coin and ordered the Voss Kveik (061) earlier today instead of the Horindal Knveik (091). Well, hopefully it works much the same.

 

[isomerization]

Dang! I flipped a coin and ordered the Voss Kveik (061) earlier today instead of the Horindal Knveik (091). Well, hopefully it works much the same.

I was going to recommend Hothead if you want neutral. I like Hornindal a lot for hoppy beers, but not dark beers (I get a caramel kind of note I don’t like).

 

[NeverDie]

I was going to recommend Hothead if you want neutral. I like Hornindal a lot for hoppy beers, but not dark beers (I get a caramel kind of note I don’t like).

Thanks! I just now ordered the Hothead kveik from a different vendor, so I'll give that a try as well. I think it might (?) even be a liquid culture, because the seller offered to pack it in ice and send it in an insulated envelope.

 

[isomerization]

Thanks! I just now ordered the Hothead kveik from a different vendor, so I'll give that a try as well. I think it might (?) even be a liquid culture, because the seller offered to pack it in ice and send it in an insulated envelope.

Yes, the Omega yeasts are liquid. I haven’t played around with drying my kveik cultures. I will also add that I have been using them are “normal” Ale pitching rates.

 

[NeverDie]

Update: the turbo yeast arrived today, so I started an small experimental batch of it just now. Obviously, too early to report much, but I did notice that it started to bubble the airlock only 16 minutes after putting the yeast in, all at room temperature (because it recommends pitching at less than 80F). I'm not claiming that's good or bad, but it does seem faster than the other two yeasts (baker's yeast and Premier Cuvee) that I've tried so far. Hopefully I'll have the two kveik's later this week, or soon thereafter.

 

[tellyho]

I used Imperials Loki (allegedly Voss) Kveik and fermented at 104. Grain to glass in 9 days (bottled, probably could have done 7 if I had more free time). It's definitely a different yeast and will not give a clean profile, but no off flavors.

 

[NeverDie]

I used Imperials Loki (allegedly Voss) Kveik and fermented at 104. Grain to glass in 9 days (bottled, probably could have done 7 if I had more free time). It's definitely a different yeast and will not give a clean profile, but no off flavors.

What about headache's? You experienced no hangover effect, even when fermented at 104F?

Also, what does not giving a "clean profile" mean?

 

[NeverDie]

Hmmm.... The directions that came with the turbo yeast seem wrong. It says to make a 20% ABV (in 5 days), you are to add 17 pounds of sugar to 4 gallons of water. Then, after that dissolves to top it off to 6.6 gallons. By my calculation, that would yield a brix of 30.86, which in turn has an alcohol potential of only about 16.5. To get a 20% alcohol, wouldn't it require a starting brix of 35?

 

[bracconiere]

Turbo yeast have such a bad flavor, even distilling the wash tastes like crap....the yeast are hardy and if you sacrifice one batch, and re-pitch the yeast with something like wheat germ for nutes...they're good...

haven't tried it yet, but now they offer a urine/urea free type....lol

 

[NeverDie]

Turbo yeast have such a bad flavor, even distilling the wash tastes like crap....the yeast are hardy and if you sacrifice one batch, and re-pitch the yeast with something like wheat germ for nutes...they're good...

haven't tried it yet, but now they offer a urine/urea free type....lol

What yeast do you recommend instead?

 

[bracconiere]

What yeast do you recommend instead?

in my experience the yeast in turbo 'yeast' are good up to 16%, but the nutes they use to get it to ferment in 2 days taste like crap....

i've had the best luck doing high alcohol ferments, with repitching turbo yeast into a sugar wash with different nutes...like wheat germ tea....

i'm sorry if i missed it, but what are you trying to make? usually turbo yeast are for distilling...

 

[NeverDie]

in my experience the yeast in turbo 'yeast' are good up to 16%, but the nutes they use to get it to ferment in 2 days taste like crap....

i've had the best luck doing high alcohol ferments, with repitching turbo yeast into a sugar wash with different nutes...like wheat germ tea....

i'm sorry if i missed it, but what are you trying to make? usually turbo yeast are for distilling...

I guess for the turbo I was thinking of maybe a sugar wash that I could add to ultimately add to something else..... If it turns out to taste horrible, though, then that obviously won't work.

I guess by repitching, what you mean is to take some of the now active turbo-yeast solution (just to get the yeast itself) and then add it to a fresh sugar wash with non-terrible tasting nutrients? So, it's not the yeast itself or its byproducts that tastes bad, apparently, but just the horrible nutrients they use with it? Is it any faster than, say, EC-1118 or perhaps kveik if yeast from the turbo package doesn't have the awful tasting nutrients?

 

[isomerization]

Maybe take a step back here and ask yourself what your goal is?

Is it speed? High alcohol? Cheap product? What you feed the yeast is just as (is not more so) important.

 

[MaaZeus]

Turbo yeast is meant for distilling so yes, it is the distillers yeast. It is a quick and has high alcohol tolerance but if you want to use it for brewing, don't bother. It tastes like crap, only hobos making cheap hooch can drink it. But when distilling a lot of those bad tasting byproducts are left behind so it works well for getting a moonshine project started in a hurry, if that is your aim (hopefully it is legal where you live).

 

[bracconiere]

I guess for the turbo I was thinking of maybe a sugar wash that I could add to ultimately add to something else..... If it turns out to taste horrible, though, then that obviously won't work.

I guess by repitching, what you mean is to take some of the now active turbo-yeast solution (just to get the yeast itself) and then add it to a fresh sugar wash with non-terrible tasting nutrients? So, it's not the yeast itself or its byproducts that tastes bad, apparently, but just the horrible nutrients they use with it? Is it any faster than, say, EC-1118 or perhaps kveik if yeast from the turbo package doesn't have the awful tasting nutrients?

that's exactly what i mean by repitching the yeast...and if your looking for a sugar wash drink...try this thread...

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/sparkling-hard-water-recipe.632001/page-3#post-8416455

...

 

[NeverDie]

that's exactly what i mean by repitching the yeast...
...

OK, thanks, I think I may try that. Judging from only from the smell of the fermentation vapors being given off by the turbo yeast + turbo nutrients at this early stage, I concede that it doesn't smell very drinkable, and maybe it never will.

That said, this guy did a video where he brews up 20% distillers yeast, and he overcomes the taste issue, he says, by making mixed drinks at the end of the clip. I have no idea whether that really works, or maybe he's one of the hobos that Maazeus is talking about:

 

[NeverDie]

that's exactly what i mean by repitching the yeast...and if your looking for a sugar wash drink...try this thread...

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/sparkling-hard-water-recipe.632001/page-3#post-8416455

...

At least on paper, mead seems like it practically *is* a sugar wash--just using honey instead of table sugar. So, I might try making some of that.

 

[NeverDie]

As a matter of fact, I'm not sure it's even safe (?) to drink whatever this stuff is that a so called turbo yeast produces. It smells like turpentine!

 

[NeverDie]

OK, I just now re-pitched the turbo yeast into a cider with a normal yeast nutrient, so I should know in a few days whether the Turbo yeast strain's flavor/smell is a result of whatever weird yeast nutrient it gets packed with or whether, in fact, its off flavor/smell is due to the turbo yeast strain itself. It shall be interesting to see whether it is still vigorous without the turbo yeast nutrient driving it.

 

[NeverDie]

Well, the re-pitch worked, but a couple things:
1. Using just a regular yeast nutrient, the turbo yeast seems to have gone non-turbo. I mean, it is moving along, but not at the rate it was before.
2. It still produces a kind of paint-thinner like odor.

I did try tasting some of what had already previously fermented, and it doesn't taste as bad as it smells, but belching paint thinner vapors kinda takes the fun out of it. I think I'm going to mark this experiment as a FAIL and assume other distiller yeasts are similar.

I do look forward to trying the kveik yeasts though.