Yeast Nutrients

[Archer]

I am wondering when these should be used, if at all. Are they only necessary when your yeast isn't quite getting its thing done. How do you aniticpate that, or do you need to? I have made 5 batches with store bought AJ and had no problems with champaigne, white wine, and English cider yeasts fully fermenting out. I am going to be getting some fresh pressed juice for a couple more batches this weekend, and i was wondering if I should be considering adding yeast hutrients. Any information would be helpful. Thanks.

 

[jsDC]

Yeast nutrient can improve the overall "virility" of the yeast so that they can do their asexual business with greater vigor. AJ has a lot of sugar but very little in the way of other things yeast need (vitamins, nitrogen, et al). The nutrient provides these things.

You use it before you pitch but it can also be used to help out a sluggish or stalled fermentation (I have not used it for the later).


J.S.

 

[tooldudetool]

It also helps immensely with the dreaded "rhino farts"! I have come home to a horrible sulphur fart smell filling the house a day or two after pitching yeast into a cider, so I boiled some water with yeast nutrient, cooled it, added it to the fermenter, and I swear an hour and a half later the smell was gone! No more stinky from the airlock