Wine Making Yeast Instructions
- Choosing the right yeast for your wine is extremely important as the wrong yeast can cause the wine to have an unexpected flavor. Bread yeast, while used by some home brewers because it is cheap and readily available, is not recommended for wine making. There are specific types of yeast available for red wines, white wines and sparkling wines. Using the correct yeast will help give the desired results to the finished product. A link to a chart that will help you determine the correct yeast is listed in the Resources below.
- Before adding yeast to the juice for wine, the yeast should be "proofed" to insure that it is still alive and viable. To do this, combine 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1/4 to 1/3 of a cup of warm water in a tall glass or bowl. The water should be approximately 104 to 105 degree Farenheit, or just warm to the skin. Sprinkle the yeast on the mixture and stir slightly. When the yeast mixture rises to double the level in the glass or bowl and the top of the mixture is full of small bubbles, the yeast is ready to add to the wine juice. If the yeast fails to "proof," start over with a new packet of yeast.
- Store wine yeast in the refrigerator if you plan to use the packets within six months. For longer storage, place the packets in a zipper type freezer bag and place them in the freezer. Bring the packets to room temperature before using. Using water that is either too hot or too cold will significantly alter the yeast's ability to "proof" properly. Hot water can kill the active yeast and cold water will cause the yeast to remain dormant. The addition of a tablespoon of sugar to the proof mixture insures that the active yeast have food, causing them to quickly multiply. A single packet of wine yeast will generally be enough to make up to five gallons of wine in a single batch.
