Question about yeast

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Hi. I would like to know something about the small yeast envelopes that are good from 1 to 5 gallons of wine. If I am making 5 gallons but in separate 1 gallon jugs, should I divide the envelope content in 5 parts, or does it mean that I should use an entire envelope the same for 1 gallon than for a 5 gallons pail or carboy? Thanks in advance!
 
I suppose you could split it up.
I don't think I'd go more than 1/2 . But yeast is $1. So I've always used full package.
If it where tougher to get or I had to wait for more I would make a fair sized starter.
I like to hydrate and make a starter either way so a 1/2 gallon starter instead of a qt. And it would be easier to divide
 
Keith, then your advice would be (based on your own experience) a full envelope to each gallon?
I can get the yeast pretty easily and I am not a cheapskate either lol, but I was concerned about using too much yeast in one gallon if I used the whole package. Thank you!
 
Most everyone here will probably tell you it's OK to use the entire packet for 1 gallon batches.

I'm a contrarian. For my 1 gallon batches I only use 1/2 packet of yeast. When using 1 packet/gallon I find it more difficult to control the fermentation speed and temperature; and particularly aromatic wines, I lose some of the character of the fruit as a result of faster, hotter ferments.
 
to use less than the whole packet purchase a small gram scale. one gram yeast per gallon is sufficient. make sure to hydrate per instructions on the packet. take unused yeast and refrigerate ready for the next batch.
 
Keith, then your advice would be (based on your own experience) a full envelope to each gallon?
I can get the yeast pretty easily and I am not a cheapskate either lol, but I was concerned about using too much yeast in one gallon if I used the whole package. Thank you!
I am a cheapskate not that money is an issue i just dont like to spend more that i need to, on things i don't really need,.
As far as a packet being too much, i dont see that as likely. The yeast is going to multiply at a crazy rate either way so in several hours there will be far more yeast than the little bit in the package.
I have to go to work now but latter i will look for the info i have found in the past regarding yeast reproduction and post it if i can find it again.
 
But here is the thing: sure yeast will bud and reproduce and they do that rapidly but it is not clear that daughter cells are going to ferment your must as well as a larger colony of mature cells and it is unclear that pitching a small colony of cells into a large pool rich with sugar will not result in flabby, lazy cells that fail to ferment with sufficient vigor (not speed) to expel odors that may be less than desirable. I am not a chemist and not a dietician.. but I am sure you are familiar with published "portion sizes" (1/2 cup of cooked pasta is a portion?). You cannot under ordinary circumstances over-pitch yeast but you can under-pitch. I would treat one gallon to one pack of yeast. and if you are worried about the "speed" of the fermentation then lower the temperature. What you want is a vigorous fermentation , not a fast one, and you want that fermentation to be clean. If your starting gravity is around 1.090 or higher I don't see how you can get that with less than 1 pack per gallon (assuming your rehydration protocol is top notch and you are pitching a high percentatge of viable yeast cells and not killing about 50 % of the cells before they have rebuilt their cell walls
 
But here is the thing: sure yeast will bud and reproduce and they do that rapidly but it is not clear that daughter cells are going to ferment your must as well as a larger colony of mature cells and it is unclear that pitching a small colony of cells into a large pool rich with sugar will not result in flabby, lazy cells that fail to ferment with sufficient vigor (not speed) to expel odors that may be less than desirable. I am not a chemist and not a dietician.. but I am sure you are familiar with published "portion sizes" (1/2 cup of cooked pasta is a portion?). You cannot under ordinary circumstances over-pitch yeast but you can under-pitch. I would treat one gallon to one pack of yeast. and if you are worried about the "speed" of the fermentation then lower the temperature. What you want is a vigorous fermentation , not a fast one, and you want that fermentation to be clean. If your starting gravity is around 1.090 or higher I don't see how you can get that with less than 1 pack per gallon (assuming your rehydration protocol is top notch and you are pitching a high percentatge of viable yeast cells and not killing about 50 % of the cells before they have rebuilt their cell walls

One half of a 5g packet far exceeds the standard dose rate of 1g/gallon.
Someone more familiar with the kinetics of fermentation would have to help here. I'm just saying my purely anecdotal experience is that for some aromatic wines, 5g/gallon results in fast hot ferments (ie, 3 days) which cause the wine to lose some of its character. Now off to google scholar...
 

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