How to Get Wine Making Yeast To Work
There are many things that should be taken into consideration when making wine. This is especially so if you’re a novice. The process itself isn’t all that difficult but it’s one of those things that can take time to master. That’s because there are little intricacies and nuances that are critical or your wine will undoubtedly be spoiled. One of the main things that you need to understand is fermentation.
When you’re talking about wine making, fermentation refers to that process by which grape juice is turned into an alcoholic beverage. The chemistry of it is that the wine making yeast reacts with the naturally occurring sugars in the grape juice and this creates ethanol and carbon dioxide. Things can affect fermentation include the temperature and oxygen levels at the start of the process. Proper fermentation can be delicate and there is the risk of a number or wine faults happening at this stage.
One thing that you’re definitely going to need is nitrogen. This helps the wine making yeast to reproduce at high enough rates to ensure the acceleration of the process. Of course they have to reproduce…you didn’t think that the little bit you put in was going to cut it, did you? If you don’t have any nitrogen, the yeast won’t be able to multiply. The wine making yeast helps in the fermentation process and also helps the wine to age faster. It is therefore necessary that you do whatever it takes for it to perform its functions properly.
The way to do this is to ensure that you have a good supply of nitrogen. Don’t get scared. You won’t have to go out and buy one of those big tanks you see in laboratories. All you need to do is purchase what are known as yeast nutrients. What this does is provide a base of valuable nutrients for the wine making yeast, including nitrogen. This is not pure but rather is in the form of phosphates which are later broken down. Yeast nutrients also have an added advantage in that they are capable of absorbing fatty acids. Such compounds occurring in wine has the potential to slow down the fermentation process.
Another way of getting nitrogen to the wine making yeast is through the use of a yeast energizer. The methodology of this is a little bit different in that other nutrients are supplied first, followed by pure phosphates. This is different from the first method where everything is introduced together. Another difference is the form of phosphates used. Wine making yeast energizers use phosphates known as di-ammonium phosphates (the same group which includes Thiamine and Riboflavin). While this can be used when making wine from grapes, it is more common in other wines which are produced from other fruits and vegetables.
Another instance when wine making yeast energizers may be used is when the end product is required to have a high alcohol content. This varies for different types of alcoholic beverages but for wine a high alcohol content is usually anything above 14 %. To get to this level you’ll need to complete the second phase of fermentation and this is encouraged by the yeast energizers. This is very important since the second phase can stop on its own, for no apparent reason. The energizer can jump start the process within about 12 hours after mixing with the fermenting wine.
Another nutrient that your wine making yeast will need are lipids. As the yeast cells divide it uses up the lipids and when the levels get very low this can slow the process of reproduction. This means slower yeast production, slower fermentation and a risk of spoiled wine. Adding a lipid supplement will allow your wine making yeast to grow faster and therefore be more productive.
Tags: fatty acids, fermentation, grape juice, high alcohol content, lipids, making wine, nitrogen, phosphates, Riboflavin, slower fermentation, Thiamine, wine making, wine making yeast, yeast, yeast for wine making
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