Alcoholic fermentation- the foundation and the beginning of all drinks containing alcohol, whether it be wine, whiskey or beer. The basis of this very foundation is raw materials, water and yeast. In this article, we will cover the different types of wine yeast used in home and industrial winemaking. Let's consider what kind of yeast are - friendly, helping to develop the richness and diversity of wines, and hostile to the winemaker, oppressing and spoiling not only the wine itself, but also infecting entire wineries along with the equipment.
Alcoholic fermentation (aka “fermentation”) is a biochemical process carried out by yeast, the ideal result of which is the conversion of saccharides (mainly sucrose, glucose and fructose) into ethyl alcohol (the main product), carbon dioxide and many chemical trace elements (necessary and not useful, harmful, and beneficial by-products).
Yeast- microscopic unicellular fungi. Modern microbiology divides them into more than one and a half thousand species and another thousand subspecies, and they, in turn, can reproduce many variations - depending on the results of controlled and uncontrolled mutations and rebirths (you must have come across this yourself if you used one and the same yeast several times, propagating them independently).
Since ancient times, man has adopted alcoholic fermentation, but the food industry and science are still discovering more and more new possibilities and features of using yeast to produce ethyl alcohol. A lot of efforts are concentrated precisely in the development of the winemaking market and the microbiology associated with it, this is a whole industry - oenology. Oenology is engaged in the study and breeding of bacteria, the development of enzymes, the research and reproduction of yeasts that have the qualities necessary for winemakers, allowing the production of many wines and wine drinks, discovering new facets and tastes, as well as preserving old and rare ones that have become the historical heritage of mankind.
The main types of yeast (saccharomyces - they are the friends of all alcovars - winemakers, brewers and moonshiners) used in the production of alcoholic beverages (including at home).
Table for clarity. Here are some races of yeast, variations of which (different strains of the same species) are popular in industrial (and some in home) winemaking. Please note that the choice of a particular race is determined, among other things, by the conditions of fermentation. Some races of wine yeast recommended for winemaking are shown in the table (some of their foreign analogues are available for purchase in our store).
"Saccharomyces cerevisiae"(Saccharomyces cerevisia) is the most common, diverse and "tamed" type of yeast currently in the world. It is the various races of this type of Saccharomyces that are leaders in the field of bakery, wine, beer and alcohol yeast. They are so diverse, and their scope is wide, that they deserve a separate article. Unfortunately, they are not always found in wild winemaking, and given that among Saccharomycetes cerevisia there are hundreds of subspecies negatively (to one degree or another) affecting wine, the probability of "successful infection" becomes even lower, but not absent;
"Saccharomyces vini"(Saccharomyces blame) - they mainly live on ripe (and especially on damaged) grapes and in juices (uncovered from external influences). Often they can be found in the soil, in the digestive system of insects (especially fruit flies, wasps and bees), as well as inside the wine industry (including home wineries) - on walls, utensils and equipment. However, in home winemaking they are used very limitedly, they can have many undesirable effects - for example, clouding of the wine and the formation of suspension;
"Saccharomyces oviformis"(Saccharomyces oviformis) - most often the use of this race in winemaking can be beneficial. They are used to ferment musts with a high sugar content and are well suited for the production of dry wines. Modern representatives of this yeast race are popular in the production of champagnes.
There are also domestic races: “Leningrad”, “Kyiv”. The disadvantages of using these strains may include re-fermentation in the finished wine (most often semi-sweet, but not exclusively), as well as turbidity and the formation of late sediment. The most productive use of these strains for the production of Sherry - fortified wine. Representatives sharpened for this (a variety called “ Oviformis Cheresiensis”) - “Sherry 96-K” and “Sherry-20-C” - however, they very quickly generate a film on strong wine (16-17% vol.).
"Saccharomyces bayanus (uvarum)"(Saccharomyces bayanus uvarum) - most often they can be found in fruit wines and juices. This is a very leisurely yeast - it develops slowly, the mutation is difficult to control due to the microbiological processes that are difficult to distinguish for the current level of control in home winemaking. They are not yeasts with a high degree of attenuation (alcohol formation), but they have a rare feature - increased stability and resistance to cold. As for the products of fermentation, they are almost identical to what the aforementioned yeast strain produces. S. Vini. Features - many (but not all) races of this variety are able to form the densest (not amenable to resuspension) yeast sediment, the foam is almost completely absent, they give an increased content of glycerin. Of the most popular races - "Novotsimlyanskaya 3", while it is almost inaccessible for home winemaking, but has proven itself well for the production of semi-sweet wines.
But not all yeasts are the same. Next, consider a few dangerous and vile enemies of winemakers - yeast, which has completely unfriendly properties.
"Pichia"/"Hansenula"/"Candida" and other filmy are serious enemies, pests and culprits of failed wines (especially when using wild yeasts). Their main feature is the formation of a film on the surface of the wine, especially under aerobic conditions ( water seal (water seal) to help). The cells of these harmful yeasts have an unstable shape - there are elliptical, oval, sausage-shaped and club-shaped forms and disproportionately elongated. Some of them (Pichia and Hansenula) form spores, while others reproduce by budding. These races are capable of fermenting wine must at high speed, oxidizing it. Some of them cannot produce enough alcohol for modern wine, for example, Hansenula - gives only up to 5% ethanol.
In a properly prepared wort, they are usually not dangerous, because. are contained in small quantities. If you comply with the technological conditions for the preparation and storage of wine materials (tightness, sterility of the material and the surrounding atmosphere), from which the wine will be made, there is nothing to fear. But with poor preparation (beginner/ignorant winemakers like not to wash the grapes (not knowing its microflora), use unprepared water and containers) - the strain quickly begins to multiply on the surface. This leads to the creation already for 2-3 days (sometimes later) of a glossy, and then a folded (pimply) film, which can be in a wide color range - from white and dull-transparent to gray.
If the wine is suddenly infected, then the film is not the worst. Film formation signifies a new stage of fermentation - fermentation with sugar oxidation. In the process, not only ethyl, but amyl and butyl alcohols, as well as acetic, butyric, succinic acids and various ester compounds of these acids are necessarily formed. As a result, the wort gets a characteristic very unpleasant odor. The probability is especially high if you use pulp - then the most favorable conditions come for races like Pichia / Hansenula (therefore, we recommend using stronger fruit and alcohol yeasts for the production of chacha, which can level this process).
Some filmy yeasts (often found in wild fermentation - can be conversely very alcohol-resistant (and also sulfite-resistant), which some unlucky winemakers like at first. They can feel comfortable even at an alcohol content of 14% vol. and 400-500 mg / l SO2. For the same reason, in table wines (to which there is access to oxygen) they will feel very comfortable, gradually forming various impurities that lead to wine spoilage (especially homemade and unfinished wine without preservative). They restore very quickly sulfates and sulfites, while generating a high content of hydrogen sulfide and various sulfur compounds, this is the cause of an unpleasant rotten smell.
Blossom is one of the most common wine diseases that gives an unpleasant appearance (precipitation, suspension, islets, haze) and an unpleasant smell, often due to the presence of active yeast of the above-mentioned races and breeds in the must. In addition, they are the worst enemies of the production of dry wines, champagne and sherry - be careful!
The development and reproduction of malignant yeast in wine can be prevented by limiting the access of oxygen to it (again, a water seal) and by setting the right conditions for storing wine material - low temperatures, and the containers themselves must be completely filled - without leaving a large amount of free space. Sometimes timely topping up may be required - do not neglect this.
"Zygosaccharomyces"- another representative of the harmful (for the winemaker) microflora. This race of yeast is very osmophilic - they feel great in extremetea-sweet wort, develop even with a sugar content of 60 and even 80 grams per 100 ml. (vacuum fermentation of the wort, various homemade preparations - honey, jams, preserves). They cause the fermentation process in such extreme conditions (imagine what an incredible hydromodule it is) and thereby drastically spoil the product. Paradoxically, this strain is not very alcohol-resistant - they form on average no more than 10-11% alcohol, while they ferment for an extremely long time, but during this time they manage to completely spoil the once suitable material / product. However, modern science has also found their use, though limited - "Race Vierul, Maikopskaya, Krasnodarskaya 40" - can be used to reduce acidity in a very acidic wort, because. process the material mainly by fermentation, not oxidation (like other harmful ones).
"Saccharomy codes"- regular pests of ancient and modern winemaking. These are complex yeasts that have a large form and an unstable type of reproduction - they can both divide and bud. They have an alcohol resistance of up to 12% (and according to some reports up to 14%), and the wort itself is enriched with ethyl acetate, which has a detrimental effect on the survival of pure yeast cultures and can cause various side effects (for example, a sudden resumption of fermentation).
Saccharomycodes ludwigii- can cause the resumption of fermentation even highly sulphated wort (not all preservatives are a panacea). They also withstand very high SO2 content in finished wines and musts.
"Hanseniaspora"(apiculatus) - an extremely common yeast that can be represented as both sporogens (Hanseniaspora apiculata) and asporogenic fungi (Klocker apiculata). If the fruit is damaged, it is very likely that they are already there, do not disdain juices and large fruits (and small ones too, just a little less often). Fun fact: when grapes ripen, they can reach up to 99% of all the yeast that is there (another reason to be clean - wash the grapes and all wine material!). The fermenting ability is low - only about 4-7% vol. alcohol, however, volatile compounds, ethyl acetate, butyric, propionic and other acids accumulate a lot. Often they are the reason that the must or wine (especially homemade) is not fermented. They have explosive growth and multiply very quickly in the must, several times faster than the growth of other yeasts - especially noble ones. They give the wine bitterness, a lot of extraneous and at the same time strong odors, as well as acetic shades. Did you make homemade champagne or sherry and got “sticky” leftovers? This is also their work. Sulfitation (sometimes increased) and long-term settling can help.
"Torulopsis"- a common race harmful to winemaking, especially when it comes to grapes. They actively stand out in the already fermented grape juice, which began with wild yeast (the so-called noble rot). They can be divided into two main species (T. bacillaris and T. candida). In recent years, there has been information that they form spores, but at the moment it is generally accepted that they reproduce by budding. They do not often appear in wine, but a frequent guest in grape juice. Capable of fermenting wort up to 12.5% ethanol turnover. In terms of biochemistry, they are not as harmful and destructive as other yeasts that manifest themselves during wild fermentation, they form much less harmful chemical elements, but they form - mucus. Agree, few people will be pleased to drink wine, in which in some places there are islands resembling jelly or something even more slippery. They are also osmophiles (they feel good even if the sugar content is 60-80 grams per 100 ml) and love high temperatures, and the increase in SO2 is not at all noticeable for them.
Rhodotorula- this is the so-called "pink yeast", they are so called because of the characteristic color. They do not ferment sugars, but oxidize them, thus creating a dense pink film. They contribute to the oxidation of juices, the formation of turbidity and the precipitation of dessert and semi-sweet (well, sweet) wines. An interesting feature is that they can feed on alcohol vapors in the air, for this reason they often find themselves “red-handed” on the walls of wineries and even cellars in the form of pink slime.
Instead of output:
Under industrial conditions, spontaneous fermentation can cause undesirable consequences. To avoid this and obtain good quality wine, fermentation is carried out on pure cultures of specially selected yeast races, introducing them into the must for a directed process. In modern winemaking, it is still quite common to stumble upon neutral and suitable yeast for winemaking, they may not be true (ideal, like pure yeast cultures), but they will not spoil the wine. For this reason, it cannot be unequivocally assumed that spontaneous fermentation will necessarily lead to spoilage of wine, but this possibility always exists and sometimes this probability can categorically increase. For example, if harmful killer yeast is found on one bunch of grapes, during fermentation they are able to destroy sensitive ones at a tremendous speed (1 killer cell can kill an average of 20 noble cells). In addition, there are evilly neutral (not participating in intraspecific struggle) races that can saturate the wine with unnecessary chemical compounds, usually smelling bad.
The use of wild yeast is often fraught with unkindness - suddenly the wort stops "boiling" or a "different fermentation" (filmy) begins. Therefore, if you categorically use wild yeast - add sulfur dioxide , noble strains are usually resistant to sulfitation, and harmful yeasts are usually not (but, unfortunately, not all)
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Yeast for wine is used when the action of a natural fungus alone is not enough to activate and maintain fermentation. As a rule, they are rarely used in the manufacture of grape wines. The concentration of wild yeast cultures covering the grapes is optimal and ensures the full reaction.
At the same time, not all fruits contain them in sufficient quantities. It is when working with them that special wine yeast for homemade wine is added to the must, without which fermentation simply cannot begin.
The fermentation process and features of wine yeast
Making wine using traditional technology does not imply the addition of additional yeast, since there is already plenty of this fungus on the surface of the berries. Under its influence, grape must begins to ferment intensively. Limiting the flow of air into the container leads to the complete processing of sugar and the production of alcohol. In case of violation of the tightness of the container and the ingress of oxygen to the wort, the sugar is completely oxidized and carbon dioxide is produced.
At the initial stages of fermentation, the reaction proceeds most intensively, due to the presence of a large amount of fungus in the upper layers of the must. Gradually, it sinks to the bottom of the tank, where it begins the processing of sugar into alcohol. This process is the norm and ensures the production of quality grape wine.
Homemade wine from most fruits is made using additional yeast. This feature is due to the absence of wild yeast cultures on their surface. This raises the question of which yeast is better to add. The answer to it is unequivocal and categorical.
Important! To obtain wine, only special wine yeasts are used. No other types of fungal cultures, like Saf Levure or other bakery analogues, can be used to make wine. They can only be used for making mash. The ingress of baker's yeast into wine will inevitably lead to spoilage of the drink.
Brands of wine yeast and their characteristics
To date, there are a huge number of manufacturers and types of wine yeast. Each of them has its own characteristics and guarantees a good wine. At the same time, the most popular and affordable among them are:
- Lalvin KV-1118;
Let's take a closer look at both brands.
Lalvin KV-1118
Wine yeast brand Lalvin KV-1118 is a pure highly active yeast concentrate. It is used to make light red and white wines, as well as champagnes. In addition, it can be used to easily restore the fermentation process. Due to its composition, Lalvin KV-1118 perfectly suppress pathogenic microflora, ensuring the normalization of the reaction. However, the question arises of how much yeast to add to the wort, the answer to which lies in the instructions for using them.
1. A KV-labeled yeast that enhances the aroma of rosé, white and red grape wines.
2. Based on the type and purity of raw materials, as well as the conditions and duration of its fermentation, the dosage of yeast cultures is calculated. You need to put them in strict accordance with the instructions.
3. There are no foreign impurities in the composition of the yeast, but only pure grape fungus. At the same time, its humidity is only 5-6%.
4. Dry yeast cultures are bred in water heated to 35-39 degrees Celsius. You should not deviate from such values, since this will inevitably affect the activity of the fungus.
5. The mixture is well mixed and aged for 15–20 minutes to completely dissolve the yeast. After this time, the solution is mixed again and poured into the wort in a thin stream. Such a scheme of introduction allows wine yeast to acclimatize and not lose its activity when added to a cool must.
6. Lalvin KV-1118 closed package is stored in a dark dry place for up to 2-3 years. Once opened, it should be used within 6-7 months.
Lalvin EC brand wine yeast provides red and white wines with a detailed taste, as well as purity and transparency. They ferment quite well at low temperatures, forming a minimal amount of sediment. Thanks to their use, you can quickly and easily start re-fermentation.
Yeast cultures of this brand are recommended for making apple, cherry, viburnum and other wines. The EC mark in the product label indicates that the product is characterized by low foaming, excellent clarification of the finished drink and compactly collects sediment from it. Instructions for using such a yeast culture are as follows.
1. Take 100 grams of dry yeast, which are diluted in 1.5–2 liters of water heated to 35–39 degrees Celsius. The solution is thoroughly mixed until a homogeneous mass is obtained.
2. After the mixture reaches the 34-35-degree mark, another 100 grams of dry yeast is poured onto its surface. In this position, the solution is settled for 20-25 minutes and re-mixed.
3. The resulting liquid is poured into the wort in a thin stream, and then thoroughly mixed.
4. Store closed yeast in a dry place for no more than 2-3 years, and in the open state, the shelf life is only 6 months.
Remember, in most cases, adding additional yeast to the wort is not required. However, in a situation where it is impossible to do without it, it is necessary to use exclusively specialized wine crops.
Wine yeast is a type of yeast used in winemaking; is a colony of Saccharomyces cerevisiae bacteria capable of processing simple and complex sugars into alcohol.
Wine yeast can be found on the surface of almost all grape varieties. Today, wine yeast is understood not only as the bacteria Saccharomyces cerevisiae, but also a number of other bacteria used in winemaking; however, it is Saccharomyces cerevisiae that has the greatest resistance to its own waste products (i.e. alcohol), and it is this species that lives the longest in wine, it is he who is responsible for the souring of wine.
Today, the use of wine yeast is typical not only for home winemakers, but also for large industrialists, large wine producers, both New and Old Worlds. The use of wine yeast allows you to get a predictable and constant result. While some critics blame the ubiquitous use of wine yeast for the uniformity of taste in many wines, today almost everyone uses yeast, and the use of natural, natural yeast is kept to a minimum.
Often a situation arises when the fermentation of wine stops abruptly. This happens because that colony of microorganisms has won in wine, which can no longer exist at the current strength of the drink; however, the amount of sugar is still sufficient to continue life. It is in this case that wine tremors are often used to “ferment” the must and increase its strength to an acceptable level.
How is wine yeast different from others?
There are 4 main types of yeast - bakery, wine, beer and alcohol. Bakeries are used for baking and for low quality alcohol and moonshine. Brewer's yeast is used for beer, alcohol - to obtain a pure alcohol distillate.
As you might guess, wine yeast is used for grape must and for making wine. In some cases, it can be used to produce fruit and berry moonshine, however, even in this case, it is preferable to use alcohol yeast. In general, to obtain moonshine and other distillate, it is better to use alcohol yeast, which we wrote about in more detail in the corresponding article.
Baker's yeast cannot be used for winemaking. Firstly, they greatly spoil the taste of wine, making it look more like kvass; secondly, the wort foams very strongly; thirdly, such a braga “plays” very badly. Bread yeast, or baker's yeast, dies very quickly from the increase in the alcohol content of the must, so the wine stops playing almost immediately.
Microbiology of wine yeast
The common name for wine yeast, as mentioned above, is Saccharomyces ellipsoideus, or Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
There are several types of such yeast, already specific microorganisms, in particular, they distinguish:
- Saccharomyces chevalieri is the most commonly encountered yeast, most often the main fermentation of red wine;
- Saccharomyces oviformis - alcohol-resistant bacteria, allowing you to get an alcohol strength of up to 17-18%;
- Torulopsis stellata are round or oval microorganisms that are able to organize a ring or film on the surface of the wort.
There are many other strains of wine yeast, you can read about them in detail in another article.
How to choose and buy wine yeast?
The most frequently encountered products on the domestic market are the products of OAO Yeast Plant.
The company produces products in packages of various weights, from 100 grams to 5 kilograms. Yeast is produced in Belarus. A 250 gram package is enough (according to the manufacturer) for 87 liters of mash (about four bottles of 21 liters each). According to consumer reviews, the must strength can reach up to 20 degrees! With subsequent dilution with water, you can get more wine than there was mash. There are also reviews regarding the use of these wine yeasts in home brewing: with a wort strength of 20 degrees, the yield is around 2.5-2 liters of distillate per 10 liters of wort.
Another well-known manufacturer is LALVIN.
As in the previous case, everything is packed in packages of various capacities. The author of these terms has never personally used this brand, however, according to reviews, a very high-quality product is obtained. In some cases, judging by the reviews, additional feeding is required, however, if the technology is observed, LALVIN wine yeasts show a fairly high efficiency of alcohol formation. The product is able to start fermenting even at very low temperatures.
How to use wine yeast to make wine?
The process of using wine yeast is simple. Yeast is added to the prepared must (a mixture of grape pulp and a small amount of sweetened water) in accordance with the proportions indicated on the label. Fermentation begins, which continues either until the sugar runs out, or until the critical strength of the wort is reached.
If fermentation has stopped, it is necessary to determine what caused this - low sugar levels, or high alcohol levels. In the first case, it is enough to add sugar to continue the distillation, in the second, it is worth adding water to reduce the strength of the drink and add yeast again. Of course, you should make sure that a temperature of 25-28 degrees, favorable for the development of yeast, is maintained. If the temperature is low, then the yeast ferments slowly; if the temperature is high, about 29-30 degrees and above, then the yeast simply dies.
Use of wine yeast for other alcoholic beverages
Wine yeast can be used to produce not only wine, but also some other alcoholic beverages.
Moonshine on wine yeast
We have repeatedly said that the most optimal choice of yeast for mash and for moonshine is alcohol yeast. Wine yeast for moonshine is rarely used, as it ferments for a long time and does not give a very high yield of the product. To prepare wine yeast, they are first diluted with sweetened warm water (to activate microorganisms), after which, after half an hour, they are poured into the finished mash. Braga should stand for about two weeks (long enough, I warned you!), After which it can be distilled.
Whiskey with wine yeast
Home cooking is also best done with alcohol yeast. Read more about cooking at home here. In the recipe indicated by the link, it is enough to simply replace the yeast with wine yeast and be prepared for the fact that the wort will approach the fortress, which is gentle for distillation, much longer.
Apple wine with wine yeast
First you need to take apple juice from 15 kilograms of apples (about 7-8 liters of juice will come out) and mix with 150 grams of wine yeast. It is also worth adding 5-6 kilograms of sugar here (depending on the sweetness of the apples themselves), as well as 8 liters of warm water. The finished volume, somewhere in the 15-16 liters of wort, just fits in a 21-liter bottle for purified drinking water and for coolers. The must must be left for 10 days in a warm place away from children and sunlight, putting on a water seal on the neck of the bottle. After that, apple wine with wine yeast can be safely drained, filtered and, if necessary, pasteurized. After that, the wine is bottled and sent for storage.
How to make wine yeast at home?
You can also make wine yeast yourself. Of course, they will be much inferior in quality to industrial options, however, in the vast majority of cases, this will be enough to get a small amount of homemade wine.
From berries
To prepare wine yeast, you will need to create a so-called wine sourdough. It is necessary to take grapes or raspberries, ripe, but not rotten, and, without washing them under running water, mix with simple sugar and warm water until a thick porridge. It is enough to take about 100 grams of berries, half a liter of water and two tablespoons of sugar. After 2-3 days, when the starter begins to sour and ferment, it can be used instead of purchased wine yeast. The use of such a starter can significantly reduce the period of wine fermentation. The starter itself must be added to the wort in a very small amount, literally half a glass. Using your own sourdough is very convenient when the volume of wine produced is large enough.
from raisins
Raspberries, strawberries, currants, cherries and cherries can be used as raw materials for creating a sourdough that will be used instead of wine yeast. However, the best substitute is raisins. Berries for yeast breeding are best collected in dry and calm weather, preferably in the morning. There should be no rain before harvesting, so in wet weather it is worth waiting. It is worth choosing only those fruits that do not have visible mechanical damage, on which there are no cobwebs, dirt, traces of mold and dust.
Old raisins, as well as raisins with traces of mold, should not be used, as they will simply spoil the must. It is enough to dip just one bunch of raisins into sugar syrup, after which the ready-to-use sourdough instead of wine yeast will be ready in 2-4 days. Don't overdo the sugar, or your starter will be too sweet.
If you decide to use raisins, then in this case it is recommended to buy literally 20-50 grams of raisins in ten places than just 200 grams in one place. This will allow you to avoid the unpleasant situation when you buy either old raisins or raisins with dead yeast. In addition, raisins are often coated with pesticides and pasteurized to keep them longer. It is logical that this has a negative effect on the efficiency of the subsequent cultivation of wine yeast.
From the sediment
If you already had a wine grown on a cultured batch of yeast, then simply saving the sediment is enough. The wine sediment contains a large number of both dead and living microorganisms. It is enough to pour the sediment into a plate, dry it in a warm place (by no means in the sun!), And put it in a plastic bag, as you will always have wine yeast on hand. Yeast is in suspended animation and can always wake up as soon as there is a favorable temperature and sugar level. Remember. That at temperatures above 30 degrees, the yeast begins to die, so you should not dry the wine sediment on a battery or in the sun.
Wine can be attributed to the most popular and common alcoholic beverages. It is prepared on almost all continents. Every winemaker knows that taste and depends largely on the quality of the yeast used.
Description
Wine yeast for wine is a mass of berries mixed with sugar and fermented for several days. In this case, alcohol is released, which will be responsible for the strength of the final product. To obtain high quality wine, it is necessary to use wine yeast from strong, elite cultures. In the manufacture of an alcoholic beverage with an alcohol content of up to 18 degrees, these materials are used.
Obtaining the so-called wild yeast is an easy process, but as a result, the amount of alcohol in the resulting product will not exceed 14 degrees. In this case, not only grapes, but also gooseberries, currants, raspberries, strawberries and others can serve as the starting material.
If the berry season has already passed, and you need to make a drink, you can use the leftover materials from the winemaking process in the early period of the same year as yeast. Beginning winemakers often make the mistake of using brewer's or any other yeast to make wine, this is a mistake and as a result the quality of the finished product will be low.
Main types and characteristics
You can buy wine yeast in special shops, where you can also buy equipment and containers for making wine. There are several types of material for preparing different types of drinks.
Yeasts also differ in types, and there are certain types of ingredients for making elite wines of different brands. Each type of wine needs its own fermentation process, duration and temperature. There are more than 30 types of yeast that can be found in the wort, the surface film of the sour product, in the liquid itself, and so on.
Depending on the film that is formed during the preparation of wine, professionals determine the quality and duration of the aging of the product. This is due to the fact that during fermentation, cells are formed, the rate of reproduction of which depends on the temperature and quality of the feedstock.
raisin preparation
For lovers of wine and the preparation of alcoholic beverages on their own, it is necessary to constantly have home-made wine yeast. Where to buy such an ingredient so that it is of the quality that is required? In order not to constantly ask such a question, you can learn how to cook such yeast at home.
Ingredients
Usually the material for fermentation is prepared from fresh grapes. You can also make wine yeast from raisins, you need to take 2 good handfuls of it. You will also need half a glass of sugar and about 2 glasses of water.
Not all raisins are suitable, you need to choose a quality one to make good wine yeast. Where to buy and how to determine a quality ingredient? Raisins should be well-dried, hard, bluish-violet, matte, and tails are also welcome.
Cooking method
Heat half of the required water and dissolve the sugar in it until it disappears completely. Cold liquid is poured into the finished solution to such an extent that the syrup becomes warm. The dishes must be taken glass, it is well washed and poured over with boiling water. Large mouthed bottles work well.
Raisins cannot be washed and peeled, as all the bacteria necessary for the process will be removed. Pour it into a glass container and pour a warm water-sugar solution there. The bottle is covered with a cloth or cotton plug, the container should be 2/3 full. Place it in a warm place, you can put it in the sun to enhance the fermentation process. The solution is shaken periodically.
After a couple of days, an active process will begin, wine yeast from raisins will be ready in 6-7 days. Store them in the refrigerator for 10 days. At the end of this period, you can begin to prepare new raw materials, as the old one has become unusable.
Fig cooking
According to the same recipe, wine yeast can be prepared, where to buy it, it is difficult to find it in the winter season, using figs. To do this, high-quality dried figs are purchased, since fruits treated with special means for long-term storage will not ferment.
The use of such yeast in the manufacture of an alcoholic beverage will give it an unusual and pleasant aftertaste that will differ from ordinary wine. Many professionals experiment with making yeast from different berries, resulting in unusual flavors of the finished product.
Making yeast from grapes
Wine yeast from grapes is prepared 10 days before it is planned to start preparing an alcoholic beverage. A ripe bunch with large poured berries is selected on the bush. They are collected, removed from the brush, but not washed. As in other cases, there are microorganisms on the surface of the berries that are responsible for the process of creating the necessary material.
For 2 servings of ripe and mashed berries, you need half a serving of sugar and a serving of water. Mix everything well in a glass container and cover it with a cork made of cotton wool or cloth so that air passes through. After 4 days, wine yeast from grapes will be ready, all that remains is to strain them.
Preparation from berries
Wine yeast can be made using any bush berries that are available at this time of the year. It can be red, white or black currant, raspberries, gooseberries or strawberries are good. The main condition after picking berries is not to wash them. Since the microorganisms responsible for obtaining the necessary yeast are just on the surface.
The main ingredients for preparation include 2 cups of ripe berries, 1 cup of water and half a cup of sugar. First you need to prepare a container for the fermentation process, any glassware of large volumes will do. You can take a jar into which water is poured and sugar is stirred in it until completely dissolved.
The berries must be mashed and mixed in a jar with the resulting sweet solution. The container is closed with a cotton plug. If the neck has a large diameter, this procedure is also carried out with a bandage. The jar is placed in a warm room for 4 days. When the berries are completely fermented, the liquid must be drained, this will be ready-made homemade wine yeast. It is clear how to use this material, the main thing is that they are only good for 10 days.
Usage
Wine yeast, prepared at home according to all the rules, is able to accumulate 18 degrees in wine. Also, this ingredient contributes to the creation of a pleasant aroma, which is so appreciated among winemakers. To make sweet wine, only 150 grams of wine yeast is added to 5 liters of raw materials. For dry - 100 grams.
Making alcoholic beverages at home is an interesting and exciting business. Wine yeast, the use of which facilitates the process of making good wine, must be harvested 10 days before the start of the process. In order for the drink to have a rich taste and aroma, the fermentation process is extended up to 2 weeks. The room should have a stable warm temperature and regular ventilation.
When sugar is added during the active must fermentation process, the strength of the wine will increase, but its quality taste will decrease. Therefore, in order to obtain a pleasant and good drink, it is necessary to spend 1.5-2 months in order to subsequently enjoy a pleasant drink.
Independent production of alcoholic beverages has always had its pitfalls, especially if the winemaker is a beginner.
Question: “How to increase the fermentation of homemade wine?” worries many lovers who want to speed up the process of its preparation or resume it for some reason. There are several ways and methods by which you can influence the rate of fermentation of alcoholic beverages.
What affects the fermentation of homemade wine
Many factors affect the rate of fermentation. It is very important not only to properly care for the must, so that fermentation does not stop at the wrong moment, but also the preparation of materials for it, as well as the environment.
Let's list in more detail what affects fermentation:
- ambient temperature;
- the amount of oxygen;
- filtration of wine material;
- containers for the manufacture of alcoholic beverages;
- normal level of sugar content and alcohol content;
- unsatisfactory conditions (the appearance of mold, souring of the wort).
How to speed up the wine fermentation process
If you need to know how to speed up the fermentation of homemade wine, then you should understand the fermentation process itself. Acceleration is possible by using natural and natural substances, or by using some chemicals. Let's consider in more detail.
How to boost the fermentation process with yeast
Sometimes it happens that the fermentation of the wort occurs at a low pace. What to add for the fermentation of wine in the wine material? One of the reasons for this behavior of the wort may be a lack of yeast or their death for some reason.
A handful of unwashed raisins or crushed fresh grapes can be added to the wine material. Most often, winemakers use special wine yeast, adding it according to the instructions.
Acceleration of fermentation due to the normalization of acidity
How to improve the fermentation of homemade wine using a pH meter? The optimal indicator should vary between 3.5-4 pH. Fermentation may decrease if the value is below 3.5.
To increase it, you should acidify the wine with tartaric acid (purchase in a store or add the juice of one or two lemons to three to four liters of wine).
If the indicator is higher than 4, then foreign harmful microorganisms can affect the quality of the drink. To reduce acidity and even out fermentation, dilute the wort with clean water (preferably spring water).
Temperature and fast fermentation
There is an optimal temperature range for fermentation, below and above which the yeast stops working.
The most extreme fermentation values are 4-40 degrees. The most optimal temperature can be called 15-20 degrees.
If you increase this figure, then fermentation will go faster, but already at 25-30 degrees, the future alcoholic drink is at risk of “picking up” various diseases, because this is the most favorable environment for the development of butyric, lactic and other acids.
It should be noted that by increasing the temperature to 27 degrees, fermentation can accelerate, but already upon reaching this milestone and after it is exceeded, it decreases significantly. Therefore, it is necessary to accelerate the process of yeast reproduction with temperature jumps very carefully.
Oxygen and increased fermentation
To enhance the fermentation of wine, you need a dosed effect of air on the must. You should open the wine for fifteen minutes once a day to air it. This action significantly revitalizes the work of yeast, as well as their ability to reproduce.
If the wine is slow-fermenting, or the fermentation process itself begins to slow down, then in the second half of the main fermentation, air can be blown into the must with the help of fur, or simply pour the entire volume of fermenting wine into a clean container and leave for four hours.
It should be noted that at the time of enrichment of the wort with oxygen, it should already contain 7-8% alcohol.
Speeding up fermentation with chemicals
You can also speed up the process of yeast reproduction by other means, for example, by combining the wort with chemical, rather than natural substances. Let's consider in more detail.
Sulphuric acid
The processing of barrels or other containers for fermentation with special sulfur wicks is very popular. Before the procedure, the containers are thoroughly washed and dried. Then the wicks are burned in them and then filled with juice for fermentation.
The amount of material that is required is 0.3-0.75 g per ten liters of wine.
About 5-8 g of sulfuric acid is obtained from one wick, but half of it evaporates during the filling of the bottles. It should be noted that the maximum quality of raw materials for the future alcoholic beverage reduces the amount of chemical used.
Ammonia for wine fermentation
It is believed that the yeast in the wort will normally multiply not only in the presence of sugar. Many winemakers add nitrogen-containing substances to it to speed up the fermentation of wine. If during fermentation there is a lack of these substances, then the wine may turn out to be weak, it contains a large percentage of turbidity and it will be poorly clarified in the future.
To prevent this from happening, nitrogenous nutrition is added to the wort, i.e. ammonium chloride or aqueous ammonia solution. In other words, ammonia.
Ammonia can be purchased in ampoules at a pharmacy (10%), one milliliter each. 1 ml is used for one liter of wort.
Other fermentation activators
Among the above methods for accelerating fermentation, you can use other substances that are allowed to use:
- vitamins (thiamine, biotin, pyridoxine, etc.);
- intermediate fermentation products (acetaldehyde, pyruvic acid);
- sterols;
- fatty acid;
- yeast extracts.
It should be noted that increased fermentation of homemade wine does not always have a positive effect on the drink. Sometimes it is better to endure the required number of days of fermentation (this is, of course, longer) than to drink an unpalatable wine or pour it out altogether. This is especially important for inexperienced winemakers who have just started trying to make their own alcoholic beverages, even according to proven recipes.
