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3/18/2012 -- a friend of mine is using a bread yeast to make his mead is this gona produce a good wine or should he use some thing else
Response From Homebrew Heaven: That is really a bad idea in my opinion. Particularly when there are quality mead yeasts available. Those are liquid cultures known to produce quality meads.
Some dry wine yeasts are also favored by mead makers. See below for links to the favorites.
10/14/2010 -- How fast is Lalvin D47?
I've been making mead with Champagne yeast that leaves a strong yeast taste and can take 6 months to finish.
The Premier Cuvee Wine Yeast sounds like another option for a cleaner taste. How does it compare in speed. Or is there a beer yeast that would be quick and still clean tasting?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: The relative "speed" of yeast strains depends on many factors other than the strain used.
Typically, the champagne yeast would be fast acting and neutral in flavor profile. Perhaps there is something else going on..?
D47 yeast would usually be slower than champagne yeast, but a good choice nonetheless.
Premier Cuvee is about the same speed as champagne yeast, but a reliable fermenter. Similar flavor to champagne.
Why not try a MEAD yeast? Wyeast Dry Mead Yeast #4632 would be my choice for a dry tasting mead, while Wyeast #4184 is my clear favorite for a mead with some residual sweetness.
I would not recommend beer yeast for champagne, especially if you are after higher alcohol levels.
5/17/2010 -- what is your phone number?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: We can be reached at (425) 355-8865
Our toll free order is (800) 850-2739
8/3/2009 -- Most of the yeasts I see advertised have some kind of a number after it. This one doesn't, it lists "Montrachet" and "Cote de Blancs". Are there those numbers (which I assume are related to the strain of the yeast?) associated with these two types? Ultimately I'm looking for a user friendly for all alcohol purpose (not making bread) generic yeast that I can purchase in "bulk" (this 500g amount seems good, I'm not talking about needing a 50pound sack). Thanks!
Response From Homebrew Heaven: Some manufacturers use numbers to identify the particular strain of yeast (like Lalvin) and some don't (like Red Star). A few, like Wyeast, uses both. For example Wyeast #4946 Zinfandel Yeast.
Red Star Montrachet is a very good all-purpose yeast in the size you are after.
1/26/2008 -- I live about an hour (if traffic is good) from the address on your website. Do you have an actual store or is everything here based solely online?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: Yes, we have an actual brick-and-mortar store in Everett, WA. People actually walk in and buy stuff!
Our address is:
Homebrew Heaven
9109 Evergreen Way
Everett, WA 98204
Here is a video of our shop:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1a5fKvv8XI
Heck, you can actually call us on the phone, too! It's 425-355-8865. A person will actually answer as long as it's business hours!
1/24/2008 -- what kind of yeast would you recommend for hydromel(also refered to as mead?)
Response From Homebrew Heaven: Why not a mead yeast? We have two available in the Mead Making category. Here is a link to those products:
http://store.homebrewheaven.com/Category40
12/15/2005 -- What is the difference with all the yeasts? Can Fleischmanns active dry yeast work?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: To make bread? Yes. It makes crappy wine, however.
Each yeast strain has different flavor and aroma characteristics, as well as different alcohol tolerances. Good wine is made with quality wine yeast. NOT bread yeast.
12/7/2005 -- I am ready to make my first batch of piesporter wine and I am leaning towards using 71B yeast but am a little concerned about excess residual sugar. What would you recommend?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: That depends. If it is one of our varietal wine KITS, I would use the yeast that is in the kit. If it is from grapes, I would probably use the 71B, depending on the sugar level of the juice.
9/8/2004 -- I recently crushed 8 cases of zinfandel grapes and added & mixed-in campden tablets to the "must". I then pitched my yeast. Should I have waited a day to pitch the yeast? Will the campden tablets kill off the pitched yeast?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: Yes. It is very likely that you have at least "stunned" your yeast, and possibly killed it. You need to wait at least 24 hours after adding sulfites to your must before adding yeast. Additionally, the fermenter must be kept open to the air during this time. I would obtain some more yeast, stir well and re-pitch.
11/24/2003 -- Just prior to adding the yeast when making an 8 gallon batch of applecider wine, I noticed the package read "good up to 5 gallons". I wasn't able to add a 2nd package until now (48 hours after original package was added). Do you think I'll be ok? Any recommendations at this point?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: Probably not a problem. The yeast will multiply as needed to gobble up the sugars.
By the way, OUR Wyeast packages are good for 10 gallons (XL Packs). Not sure where you got yours, but we sell only the 10 gallon sizes. Better to have too much yeast than not enough.
11/8/2003 -- What kind of wine yeast should I use for....(berries, apples, white wines, reds, etc etc etc)
Response From Homebrew Heaven: This is a common question. There are many more wine yeasts available now than in the past. We have a helpful Wine Yeast Selection Chart available here:
http://www.homebrewheaven.com/yeast_selection_chart.htm
Hope this helps!
11/7/2003 -- What is the best yeast for making apple wine? I plan to use apple juice.
Response From Homebrew Heaven: That really a matter of preference, but for a true wine, I would use Cote de Blanc. For a cider, I would use Wyeast Cider yeast #3766. Both of these emphasize "fruitiness", and leave a little residual sweetness.
For a wine yeast selection guide go to:
http://www.homebrewheaven.com/yeast_selection_chart.htm
9/12/2003 -- WHAT IS THE BEST YEAST TO MAKE A SWEET WINE LIKE A GERMAN ASSLEASE AND CAN A WINE BATCH SOUR?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: For yeasts, I would choose Cote de Blanc (dry) or Rudisheimer (liquid). Premiere Cuvee will work, but I think these two are better choices.
For convenience, you can find a wine yeast selection chart at:
http://www.homebrewheaven.com/yeast_selection_chart.htm
Yes, a batch of wine can sour (turn to vinegar) with poor sanitation and oxidation. This is often due to acetobacter, a bacteria, and exposure to air. Fruit flies are notorius for spreading it.
Both are easy to avoid, but there is no cure once your wine is infected.
9/7/2003 -- How long will it take for me to receive a shipment of yeast. Them there grapes won't wait!
Response From Homebrew Heaven: That depends. Where ARE them there grapes?
Sorry. I don't mean to be a pain, but that kind of info helps a lot.
Many people admire those grapes growing all year long, and plan to make wine with them. It's funny to me that it's only when they PICK the grapes that they think of ordering yeast. We can get most packages out within a day or two, and it takes anywhere from 1-7 business days to get your package after that (provided you are in the U.S.). We are located in Everett, WA.
9/1/2003 -- This is the first year I'm trying to make wine from Cabernet Franc, any suggestions which strain of yeast to use for this varietal. A wine maker suggested Prise de Mousse, but I'm also reading about Pasteur Red.
Response From Homebrew Heaven: I think the Pasteur Red would be a better choice. A very nice yeast for any red wine.
Perhaps a better choice would be the Wyeast (liquid strain) Bordeaux #3267. It has a very complex, berry and graham cracker type flavor that I like, anyway.
Either yeast will do nicely!
8/17/2003 -- If each packet of yeast is sufficient for 5 gallons of wine, would i use one fifth of the packet to make one gallon of wine?
What would happen if i use the entire packet to make one gallon?
How can i get my wine to have a higher alcohol content?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: Using more yeast (like the whole package) only starts the fermentation faster, it has little effect on the total alcohol content. There is no harm in using the entire package.
To increase the alcohol content, you need to increase the sugar content of the juice. The yeast converts the sugar into alcohol and CO2. The CO2 is released during the fermentation.
These are generalities of course, and there are limits to how much sugar can be used, and how much alcohol a particular yeast is capable of producing.
7/22/2003 -- I make white wine from bottled white grape juice. Pls. advise which wine yeast I should use.
Response From Homebrew Heaven: Th Lalvin D47 should work very nicely. Another one is Red Star Cote de Blanc.
7/8/2003 -- I want to make prickly pear wine (yeah cactus fruit!). What is the yeast recommeded for this wine?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: This is entirely a matter of preference, but I would use the Red Star Premier Cuvee. It is a very reliable, all-purpose wine yeast.
6/29/2003 -- Can this yeast be used to make peach and watermelon wines, also fruits that can be bought fresh from the supermarkets.
Response From Homebrew Heaven: Yes, absolutely. It is a very good yeast for fruit wines.
6/17/2003 -- How many gallons of wine I can make with a single pack of this yeast?
Actually I'm gonna making some wine out of berries and rhubarb. Do you suggest to use this yeast even for the all berries wine or do you suggest to use another kind of yeast?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: Each packet is sufficient for 5 gallons of wine.
The Montrachet strain of yeast is excellent for these wines, but if you want to try a different one, the Cote de Blancs does a nice job as well. It seems to leave a little more residual sweetness and fruitiness. Enjoy!
6/3/2003 -- Is the Lalvin 1118 a good choice for the secondary fermentation of champagne in the bottle? If not, what do you suggest?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: Lalvin 1118 is a good choice for this purpose.
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