Specific Nutrients for a Yeast Starter

[berny88]

I've been using dry yeast for all of my meads up to this point. For my next batch I would like to try a liquid yeast, particularly Wyeast's 4184 Sweet Mead. While I've read on the forums that this yeast can be unreliable, I would like to make a lower alcohol mead (around 11%) with some residual sugar. I really do not want to backsweeten. To help this yeast's health, I will make a starter, but I am getting mixed messages on what to add to a starter.

I've read the NewBee guide on yeast starters and it says to at .5 tsp of nutrient, but without DAP in it. The nutrient blend I have has DAP in it. Could someone lead me to a nutrient blend without DAP, as all of the ones I am familiar with have it. Or could someone tell me what specific chemicals are needed for the starter. For reference here is the recipe for my next mead.

-15 lbs Wild Raspberry Blossom Honey (or honey to S.G. of 1.110)
-Water to 5 G.
-Wyeast 4184
-Hightest SNA with DAP and Fermaid-K
-Calcium Carbonate (if needed)

 

[fatbloke]

I've read of some people having much success with that yeast. Personally, it's a finicky as hell waste of money. I now wouldn't touch it with a barge pole.

If you want to make a sweet mead use something like 71B ferment it dry and back sweeten it gently as it does seem to have some perception of sweetness - it does carry a caveat though, inasfaras its not good for the mead being left on the lees once its finished the ferment and should be racked before 2 months after ferment has completed.

But I do like it, it makes for a reasonably quick drinker and doesnt seem to need a lot of ageing.

Its your mead and money so your choice......

 

[Medsen Fey]

Like Fatbloke, I'd choose another yeast- a good ale yeast can keep it to 10-12%.

If you must use the sweet mead yeast, you are OK using nutrient that contains DAP in your starter. The prohibition against DAP applies to active dry yeast in the rehydration phase.

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[berny88]

Medsen, do you have a specific yeast recommendation considering my recipe above? I'm totally new to the ale yeasts.

 

[Medsen Fey]

Wyeast 1056 American ale yeast is a nice clean yeast that shows the honey. Nottingham ale yeast is good but can go above 12% at times. Those are a couple I've used with success.

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