why do we let juice sit 24 hr b4 adding yeast?

[rshosted]

Why do we let juice sit 24 hours before adding yeast? Is it time to let pectic enzyme to work, or sorbates to stablize?

 

[Wade E]

I hope you did not use sorbate! It is to let the meta kill off any wild
yeasts so as that we can start fresh with a more desirable specific
yeast. One that is designed to do what we want and to take it as far as
we want.

 

[smurfe]

You let the juice set so it can reach a stable temperature, normally around 70 degrees or so to give the yeast a suitable environment to do their thing. In the kits you normally add some hot water to the juice bag to get all of the concentrate out so this can raise the must temps to 80 degrees or better.


For fruit wines many times you pour very hot water over the bag of fruit or whatever to extract the color or flavors from the main ingredient and the temps can rise over 100 degrees or better. Letting the must sit will let the temps stabilize to room temperature. Thats my take on it.


Wade's point about the wild yeast is very valid as well for a wine where you press your own grapes. In the kits you don't add sulfites, sorbate or peptic enzymes in the beginningso that isn't an issue. The flash pasteurizing takes care of those wild yeasts I believe.


Smurfe

Edited by: smurfe

 

[masta]

When dealing with fresh fruit you want to wait after adding the initial dose of sulfite that will kill any wild yeast before adding pectic enzyme since a high level of S02could impede it's ability to work properly.


After adding the pectic enzyme you also wait to add yeast to give it time to activate and start breaking down the cell walls of the fruit.