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Author Topic: Wine Fruit Yeast Starter?  (Read 614 times)

Offline TheGC

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Wine Fruit Yeast Starter?
« on: October 02, 2022, 03:45:34 pm »
I have some problems because of where I live. Deliveries take more than 15 days and are expensive. Usually more than the price of what I'm buying.

Based on this, I really think that a way to save some effort is to make a yeast starter.
I think I've got the concept for it when it comes for mead and beer, but I'm really in the need of one that could be used in wine fruits.
A starter that I could propagate my yeasts and then split in a lot of different fruits fermentations.

I saw some videos today in wich the guys, to make their fruit wines, just diluted sugar in hot water, then added fruits and the yeast, plus some nutrients.
So.. the starter was way simple.
But I don't know how I could make it double, and then double again if possible, when it comes to wine.
Saw a guy using malt extract to make a starter for his beers, as it gives a whole enviroment for the cells.
At around second day, he added more extract and then he made around 10x more (I really hope he proportion is right, but the concept is for sure). so...

1 - I don't know if I could do this starter with just water and sugar. Dilute, add yeast and nutrients, let propagate. Then repeat until I have a good amount.

2 - I don't know if I could add malt extract or something else instead of sugar because of flavours. I have different fruits.. so it needs to not bring the flavor from one to the other.

3 - I don't know if I could use boiled bread yeast as nutrient for a replication that could end in like.. 5 times the starter (wich would be enough for me to try a lot of fruits). As I said.. delivery for here is expensive and takes A LOT of time. Is there any other way to get some nutrients?

Also saw a guy getting some of the beer must that was around 24 hours fermenting already. There were yeast all around, so he used a portion of that.
4 - the problem is that it would probably transfer the taste from one fruit to the other.

5- Waiting to get the decanted stuff and reuse the yeast in there is not practical, as it will take a long time and will transfer flavours.

Any other info will be appreciated.
I'm really new.
Didn't even make my first batch yet.
And I have location and money issues right now.
Besides delivery, my region usualy get's above 30ÂșC, so I had to buy a fridge just for fermenting before I start anything.
Everything is basically on a budget.

Offline pete b

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Re: Wine Fruit Yeast Starter?
« Reply #1 on: October 03, 2022, 06:56:37 am »
I have only made starters for beer so I can't help with your specific question but I can suggest that when you do need to place an order buy a lot of packets of dry wine yeast. It is very cheap and lasts a very long time, even much longer than expiration dates indicate. That should mitigate high shipping prices.
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Offline joe_meadmaker

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Re: Wine Fruit Yeast Starter?
« Reply #2 on: October 04, 2022, 12:39:22 pm »
+1 to the dry yeast option.  You won't need to worry about long shipping times (like you would with a liquid yeast).  Packets of yeast are cheap too.  Usually only a dollar or two.  And one packet will do a 5 gallon batch.  You also won't need to worry about making starters.  Just sprinkle a packet on top of batch, the same way as with a beer.