Mead

[BelfastBrewer]

Hey, I'm brewing a 15l batch of mead and the recipe says to use 40g of champagne or mead yeast, does this seem like a lot? It also says to use yeast extract as a nutrient and zinc fortified yeast as nutrient (which i cant find). Any suggestions on what to use?

 

[oldbloke]

Does seem slightly high on the amount of yeast, but mead can be awkward so may like a bit more than normal
As far as I know most people just use normal yeast nutrient

 

[BelfastBrewer]

Okay thanks, I think im just going to use servomyces nutrient and use the 40g of champagne yeast and hope for the best

 

[oldbloke]

I don't think you need 40g. Is a standard pack 5g or 7g? If it's 7, I reckon you don't need more than 14, 20 at most. Unless there's something in the recipe that's going to annoy the yeast somehow.

 

[Tim_Crowhurst]

Unless there's something in the recipe that's going to annoy the yeast somehow.

You mean like the peroxide from the honey?

/snark



FWIW, I think you're right - 14g should be enough for a 15L batch. I used a 5g sachet for a 5L batch earlier this year, and it fermented just fine. I did add extra nutrient to give the yeast colony more of a boost though.

 

[oldbloke]

I've only done a few meads and I think I used a full sachet in a gallon for them, and it was fine. I thought the sachets were 5g but never weighed one.

If in doubt, make a starter?

 

[BelfastBrewer]

yea the sachets are 5g so maybe i will just get 3 sachets and rehydrate them, 40g seems ridiculous using 5g sachets

 

[cuba]

I think it depends on your yeast. I am using a yeast that says 40g per 100 litres, so this comes to 5g for 12.5 litres.

 

[cuba]

Lalvin Ec-1118 Champagne yeast says to use 25-40g per 100 litres. so a 5g sachet should be fine