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Pitching Yeast

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Marion

NewBee
Registered Member
Jun 1, 2004
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When you pitch your yeast to must, do you:

1. Put the yeast on the bottom, then add the must.
2. Pour in some must, pitch the yeast. Then finnish with must.
3. Pitch your yeast on top of the must.
 

JoeM

NewBee
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Jan 9, 2004
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When using a liquid culture or a starter it shouldn't matter much. When using a dry culture it is generally better to let it rehydrate before mixing in. In other words add your must, pour the packet of yeast on top, allow it 15 minutes to rehydrate, and then stir. Keep in mind though that when using a dry culture it is always better to pitch a starter that was prepared a day or two in advace.
 

ThistyViking

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Nov 15, 2003
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I always pitch the yeast on top,
sometimes dry,
sometimes reconstitued according to directions,
sometimes from a starter.
 

JoeM

NewBee
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i usually rock the carboy in circles after pitching to produce a sort of tornado effect in order to aerate the must and distribute the yeast and other ingredients evenly.
 

ThistyViking

NewBee
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Nov 15, 2003
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shrug, not usually.

I stir vigourously enough to get honney that is only slightly higher than room temperature to disolve in the cool must... I splash a little excessively in the process do things like get the tornado in one direction, then reverse directions causing great agitation and surface splashing.

If you reconstitute the yeast or form a started, it mixes radidly on it is... when in a hurry and it is dry i just sprinke on the surface and have had that work.
 

Jmattioli

Senior Member
Lifetime GotMead Patron
I follow directions on the packet. Usually it says to rehydrate in a few ounces of tepid (slightly warm) 90-105 degrees water for 15 min. While it is rehydrating, I aerate the must well usually by shaking and swirling if it is a 1- 3 gallon jug. After that is done, I then pour the yeast in the center and you can swirl or leave it alone. It will work either way if the must is at room temperature. The yeasts know how to take care of themselves from that point as long as you keep the temperature within limits and the enviornment dark. I have found when using low starting Specific gravities, you can even bypass the rehydration and just pour the yeast on top of the must and forget it and I have never had a failure. Starters seem only to be necessary with the higher starting SG musts.
 

Marion

NewBee
Registered Member
Jun 1, 2004
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Jmatt, please expound on the "dark enviroment". How imperative is this with mead and why?
 
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