Why would I need to wait 12 hours before pitching the yeast?

[Juggernaut]

I'm following Jack Kellers 1st recipe http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/reques48.asp In it he says to wait 12 hours before adding the yeast. Why is this?

 

[WVMountaineerJack]

probably so the yeast doesnt eat the pectic enzyme, some people also wait another 12 hours if they use KM even though modern yeasts are tolerant of KM and most pectinases are not affected by KM

WVMJ

 

[Turock]

You want the meta to kill the biological growth on the fruit or grapes so you don't have a sluggish or difficult to start culture. On fruit and some grapes, your also using pectic enzyme. And that time period helps get the fruit broken down a bit, giving more accurate readings for brix and PH testing.

 

[jswordy]

^^^ What Turock said plus it give time for the k meta to gas off some, because I know from personal experience that if you pitch too quick you are gonna have a slow start if you have a start at all. The extra time allows all the ingredients in the must to homogenize well, too. Patience is a virtue in winemaking.