WineXpert Fourtitude Advise

[David219]

I started my WE LE Fourtitude kit this morning. Not knowing what yeast would be included, I had purchased some BM 4x4 for this kit when it arrived. When I saw it came with two packets of yeast (RC 212 and EC 1118), I paused momentarily, but pitched the BM 4x4.

The starting SG was 1.092 prior to full "expression" of the contents of the skins pack. When I checked it 11 hours later this evening, it was a whopping 1.110...0.005 higher than the top of the suggested range for this kit.

This will yield a wine at over 15.5% ABV. My concern is that the "advertised" yeast tolerance of the BM 4x4 listed on the packet is 15%.

Has anyone else started this kit? What was your starting SG? My plan, unless someone has a better suggestion, is to just see what happens. Hope for the best that the yeast can chew up all that sugar. But should I add the EC 1118? Does it play well with BM 4x4? Looking for any suggestions or advise.

Thanks!

 

[Natrix]

Can't give you any feedback because I didn't start my kit already(still on the counter),but I will follow this thread.
Don't think it will hurt to add the other pack of yeast if your worried about it.

 

[jgmann67]

Mine's batting clean up after the Eclipse OVZ. So, I'm of no practical help. But I will say you your choice is either ferment to zero or end up with an off-dry wine.

I'd throw both packets of yeast and make sure it goes to dry.

 

[Boatboy24]

Let it go. I've had BM4X4 ferment some pretty high brix wines. If it gets stuck, then pitch the EC1118.

 

[Johnd]

I started my WE LE Fourtitude kit this morning. Not knowing what yeast would be included, I had purchased some BM 4x4 for this kit when it arrived. When I saw it came with two packets of yeast (RC 212 and EC 1118), I paused momentarily, but pitched the BM 4x4.

The starting SG was 1.092 prior to full "expression" of the contents of the skins pack. When I checked it 11 hours later this evening, it was a whopping 1.110...0.005 higher than the top of the suggested range for this kit.

This will yield a wine at over 15.5% ABV. My concern is that the "advertised" yeast tolerance of the BM 4x4 listed on the packet is 15%.

Has anyone else started this kit? What was your starting SG? My plan, unless someone has a better suggestion, is to just see what happens. Hope for the best that the yeast can chew up all that sugar. But should I add the EC 1118? Does it play well with BM 4x4? Looking for any suggestions or advise.

Thanks!

Let it ride with the BM 4x4, I've got a Zinfandel from grapes right now at.994 that started with a similar SG, I believe it'll get the job done just fine. Try to keep your fermentation area in the mid 70's.

 

[salcoco]

add some Feermaid-k after one third of sugar gone, this will guarantee yeast will finish wine dry.

 

[AZMDTed]

I'm 10 days into secondary on this kit. I can't give you my final initial SG as I pitched the yeast about 6 hours after mixing it up. It was about 1.093 then, I'm sure that it would have kept going if I had read it after 12 hours. It's rated as a 14.5% wine.

One thing I noticed was that after a week in primary it was at 1.004, this is my slowest ferment yet. It stayed quite active in secondary for another week.

I'm very hopeful for this kit.

 

[David219]

When I pitched the yeast, the temperature of the must was 68 degrees. It cooled to 66 degrees prior to any significant fermentation activity, so I placed my brew belt on it last night. I just stirred the bag a bit today, and the temperature is up to 72 and things are bubbling nicely.

All other times I have substituted a yeast in a kit, I have rehydrated the yeast with GoFerm Protect and added at least half a dose of Fermaid K at some point between the initiation of active fermentation and 1/3 sugar depletion. Mostly as insurance, I guess, not knowing the exact nutrient requirement of the yeast relative to the nutrient available supplied in the kit. This time, I just sprinkled the BM 4x4 in dry, and I was planning to hold off adding any nutrient and just see how it went. With the amount of sugar present, I'm now thinking of taking salcoco's advise and adding some Fermaid K.

Thank you all for your responses and suggestions. I really appreciate your help. I love this forum!

 

[Johnd]

@David219,

BM 4x4 seems to start a little slower for me than EC 1118, but it's never failed, and I rarely, if ever, make a starter.

As far as nutrients, I always feed my yeast Fermaid K, 50% of recommended dose after the first third of the sugar is gone, the other 50% of the dose when the second third is gone. Some folks here don't use it, I like the insurance.

 

[David219]

Thanks, Johnd. This is my first time using BM4x4. I just checked the Scottlab's 2015 Fermentation Handbook, and it lists BM 4x4 as having high relative nitrogen needs, while the supplied EC1118 needs are listed as low and RC212 as medium. That's usually how I gauge whether to add nutrient or not.

I'm definitely going to add some Fermaid K...

 

[AZMDTed]

FYI, after two weeks in secondary, 21 days since pitching, I racked, degassed and added kmeta, chitosan, and oak cubes. My final SG was .989. I've never had a wine go that dry before, .992 is usually where my eclipse kits bottom out. Since I didn't take an SG reading 12 hours after I put the grape pack in I don't believe that I have an accurate start. My recorded start after 6 hours on the skins was 1.093, for an ABV of 14.1%. Assuming it would have hit 1.10 the ABV is 15%. If it would have hit 1.11 as David's did, and our hydrometers are similar, that makes it 16%. Winexpert says it's supposed to be 14.5%.

I will be anxious to see what numbers others are seeing for theirs.

 

[David219]

I just snapped down the lid on the bucket after doing a final stir/agitation of the bag. I've adjusted use of my brew belt to try and maintain a temp of 75. The SG was at 1.008. I added 6g of Fermaid K at 1/3 sugar depletion (SG1.072). Hopefully, it will continue its seemingly average fermentation progression to dry.

 

[David219]

The specific gravity is 0.994 today, under air lock in a carboy. If it is the same tomorrow, I'll degas and add the KMeta.

So the BM4x4 did great under these specific circumstances...between 15.5 and 16% ABV...wow. I've not had a non-port style kit have this high an ABV before.

We'll have to see how it tastes down the road.