Slow acting champagne yeast

[Brew2Be]

Hi there. I bought some BIOFERM champagne yeast and I am brewing some apple wine with it. It's been going for 3+ weeks now and it is about 14.7%. I am wondering why the last 4% have been fermenting so slow when it went alot faster with the first 10%? It says that the yeast has an alcohol tolerance of 18%. I gave it sugar enough to go up to around 18% (or so my hydrometer said..).

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Golddiggie]

You pretty much answered your own question. The yeast will go fast when the alcohol content/level is either low or not yet present. As the alcohol level increases, the yeast activity decreases (they can tolerate up to 18%, doesn't mean they'll go full speed until 18% and then stop like hitting a brick wall). This is why high OG/ABV % items take significantly longer than low OG/ABV % items.

Did you use any yeast nutrient in the apple wine? That can significantly help the yeast to get to their limit faster/easier. Also, what did you do to oxygenate the must? Did you just pitch the yeast in dry or did you at least rehydrate it?

From my mead making experience, that final 3-5% can take a lot longer than you would otherwise think. Especially if you started off with a higher OG with 18% in mind.

BTW, I've had solid results with Lalvin yeast strains for my meads (and other non-beer fermentations). I would highly recommend picking one of those for the next non-beer you decide to make/ferment.

 

[Brew2Be]

Thanks for your quick reply .

I added nutrient to the apple wine and I shook it vigorously on brew day to oxygenate it. I also rehydrated the yeast before pitching it.

I will look up Lalvin yeast since I am brewing mead as well. One thing that bothers me about my mead though.. It takes so long to clear.. It seems to be hazy even after cold crashing it and using bentonite. Do you have the same issues?

 

[Golddiggie]

I don't see it as an issue... Sure, it took a few months for my batches to clear up since I didn't use any additives, or cold crash it. But I'm ok with that. Having a good stockpile of patience is a very good thing when it comes to all kinds of brewing/fermenting.

For reference, I bottled some of my mead after about six months. It had cleared up nicely and looks great. I have three gallons that's been sitting on 1.5oz of medium toast Hungarian oak for just over a month now. I plan on bottling that up before Thanksgiving time. That will put it almost a full year from start to bottling on that part.

My own hard cider/apple wine batch (used 3.5 gallons of natural apple juice, .5 gallons of raw cider) has been going for about two weeks now. It's slowed down a lot and is beginning to clear. I'll probably let it go another couple/few weeks before priming and bottling it up (should be in the area of 8.8-9.1%)... I used some Lalvin 71B-1122 yeast for the batch, giving it enough food to go the distance, as well as giving it a good amount of oxygenation at the start.

Personally, I pick my yeasts by what they can also add to a fermentation. Not just what their tolerance level is (although I try to get that to match too).

For your batch, you could try getting it a bit warmer, depending on what it's temperature is right now, and what the yeast has for it's "happy range"... Although you might need to let it age a bit longer if you do that.

 

[Brew2Be]

Thanks! Your replies answered all of my questions. I am looking at the Lalvin yeast just now and I'm ordering some for my next batch of apple wine .

 

[Blanchy]

I've had a lot of success with Lalvin EC-1118- very fast fermentation, and a high alcohol tolerance. My current batch of apple wine (bumped up with a lb honey per gallon) only took about a week to ferment out. Another you might want to look at for apple wine is Lalvin D-47- strong fermentation, and it brings out a lot of fruitiness in the final product.