Hello! I was encouraged by a brew shop to use a double dose of yeast. Is this a reasonable idea, or was he just upselling me?
Double Dose of Mead
- Thread starter TheDon
- Start date
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If the batch is over 5 gallons, then you may need two packets. OR if its a high gravity (Lots of sugar) then two packets in a starter would probably work best as well.
What is your recipe look like?
What is your recipe look like?
Hi TheDon and Welcome to GotMead!
The amount of yeast you need to pitch depends on lots of factors, most importantly the volume of the batch and the starting gravity. If you could provide us with a recipe, we'd be able to help you figure out how much yeast you need.
The amount of yeast you need to pitch depends on lots of factors, most importantly the volume of the batch and the starting gravity. If you could provide us with a recipe, we'd be able to help you figure out how much yeast you need.
it will work fine and i find quiet reliable.
for me i don't have any choice as my yeast comes in sealed packets with nutrient and its good for 20-25l. however i only do 10-15l batches.
for the few $$ its cost its not worth trying to cheap out.
the only batch i've had trouble with was using standard yeast rate in 5 gal. however that could be other causes to that.
for me i don't have any choice as my yeast comes in sealed packets with nutrient and its good for 20-25l. however i only do 10-15l batches.
for the few $$ its cost its not worth trying to cheap out.
the only batch i've had trouble with was using standard yeast rate in 5 gal. however that could be other causes to that.
As others indicated, we'll need to know the details on the brew to say for sure. But I personally think that double-pitching yeast, or rather doubling the recommended pitching rates for wine, is sound practice in mead-making and can help avoid off flavors from yeast stress.
recipe
I did a traditional batch (my first) using 12 lbs of Raspberry Honey, and 2.75 lbs of Orange Blossom Honey, a premix of nutrient and energizer, and two packets of Rudisheimer for 5 gallons.
Thanks!
Don
I did a traditional batch (my first) using 12 lbs of Raspberry Honey, and 2.75 lbs of Orange Blossom Honey, a premix of nutrient and energizer, and two packets of Rudisheimer for 5 gallons.
Thanks!
Don
You could of gotten off with just one packet, but 2 won't hurt a thing and probably will help some! Good Luck on the batch, sounds tasty! and BTW
Welcome to GotMead!
Welcome to GotMead!
2 packs sounds fine for that. Did you rehydrate the yeast or pitch them into the must dry? If you pitched dry, that extra pack is probably a necessity.
Doubling up the yeast is kind of like an insurance policy but that doesn't seem like a terrifically high gravity (1.107 according to the mead calculator), I used to pitch 1 packet per 5 gallons dry no matter what SG I was at, now I'll still pirch dry up to 1.110 but anything higer than that I now at least rehydrate, anything over 1.125 I make up an aclimated starter... rarely had any problems either way...
And welcome to the addiction!
And welcome to the addiction!
The Rudesheimer strain is a liquid yeast from Wyeast. I think it is a good idea to make starters or pitch two packs of the liquid yeasts for mead. Even 1.107 is higher than what these are usually intended for, and many mead makers seem to find the liquid yeast more finicky.
Don: Just so you know, in the world of beer brewing liquid yeasts seem to reign supreme and are commonly preferred to dry yeast, but in wine and mead-making the opposite tends to be true. The Rudesheimer is a great strain and I like it a lot for mead. Here on the forums you may find the vast majority of posts talking about using dry yeast. One nice thing about the dry yeast is that it is much, much cheaper, like $1 instead of $6 per pack.
Welcome to GotMead!
Don: Just so you know, in the world of beer brewing liquid yeasts seem to reign supreme and are commonly preferred to dry yeast, but in wine and mead-making the opposite tends to be true. The Rudesheimer is a great strain and I like it a lot for mead. Here on the forums you may find the vast majority of posts talking about using dry yeast. One nice thing about the dry yeast is that it is much, much cheaper, like $1 instead of $6 per pack.
Welcome to GotMead!
Thank You
Thanks! It was really nice to receive so many warm welcomes and having a number of people answer and discuss gives me a lot of confidence in what I am learning here.
Don
Thanks! It was really nice to receive so many warm welcomes and having a number of people answer and discuss gives me a lot of confidence in what I am learning here.
Don
