Wyeast nutrient vs DAP/Fermaid

[Nate]

Anything else using Wyeast wine and mead yeast nutrient instead of DAP/Fermaid? I'm pretty new to meads but I've been using this nutrient and was wondering if anyone else has been also.

The sheer recommended volume of these 2 nutrients seems to be very different... up to 8 times more DAP/Fermaid than the Wyeast (4 tsp vs 1/2 tsp for 5 gals).

Has anyone tried both to get a comparison of the two?

 

[JimRausch]

Here I am horning in on the Mead forum, which I know nothing about, other than I like it!
But I do use both Wyeast nutrient and Fermaid in my ciders which are similarly deficient in nutrients. So here's what I know. Hopefully others with specific knowledge will chime in.
DAP=Diammonium phosphate, a protein precursor. Yeast can take DAP and make amino acids. So it's a good thing. Wyeast nutrient probably has some DAP, definitely has zinc which is another limiting factor, and I believe has some dead yeast which add B vitamins and other growth factors. So they are both are good things to add for the general health of your yeast.
Why the different recommended volumes? Don't know. I know I don't add the full 4tsps. of Fermaid. I usually go 1 tsp of that and 1/2 tsp of the Wyeast. It's worked well with my ciders..........
Ok other folks----- Jump in.

 

[Undead8]

I sent an email to Wyeast asking them a question about this nutrient in mead. Here is the answer:

Hi XXXXX,
1/2Tsp is a baseline that was determined for wine fermentations. Mead is a different beast, and therefore the same 'rules' don't apply. There is very little Nitrogen available in mead, which leads to sluggish and stressed fermentations. Honestly what you have read online is not out of the ordinary. I know when I make a batch of mead, I usually hit it with 1-2 Tsp (depending on the starting gravity) when I pitch the yeast, then again with the same amount about 3 days into fermentation, when the airlock is very active.

Cheers!

XXXXXX
Microbiologist/Production Laboratory Technician Wyeast Laboratories, Inc.

EDIT: I started fermenting a mead 7 days ago with Wyeast Sweet Mead yeast and the Wyeast wine nutrient. I've put a total of 3,5 tsp of the nutrient at different times in the past week. It's fermenting ok, but much slower than beer. I should reach 1/3 of the fermentation today (8 days in).

 

[Nate]

I sent an email to Wyeast asking them a question about this nutrient in mead. Here is the answer:



EDIT: I started fermenting a mead 7 days ago with Wyeast Sweet Mead yeast and the Wyeast wine nutrient. I've put a total of 3,5 tsp of the nutrient at different times in the past week. It's fermenting ok, but much slower than beer. I should reach 1/3 of the fermentation today (8 days in).

You'd think they'd put something like that on the label... irritating.