Yeast Comparison Experiment

[RottenGrapeJuice]

Hey all, I wanted to do an experiment for my own personal knowledge by fermenting with several different yeast strains. The easiest and cheapest way I thought of doing it is to buy a container of pure grape juice (no preservatives), throw them into solo cups and pitch each with a different strain. However, this method may have some challenges:

Given the low liquid quantity, it will be tough to use a hydrometer. So I think I should be able to use a refractometer, adjusting for temperature and OG.

Also, the yeasts may have different fermentation speeds, so it’s possible that the first will be done a few days before the last. I think that the blanket of CO2 created during fermentation should be enough to protect from oxidation.

Any thoughts? Is this a waste of time?

 

[winemaker81]

The experiment is a good idea, but the batch sizes are too small to be practical.

The batches require aging -- the wines shortly after fermentation completes are too raw to provide enough useful information.

I suggest you upsize the batches so you can bulk age in 750 ml bottles, e.g., initial batch size will need to be a liter. A #2 or #3 drilled stopper will fit a wine bottle (can't remember which), so you can age the wine, and will have enough to make a real comparison.

 

[BigDaveK]

Not a waste of time!
Experimenting is always fun and there's only so much you can learn from reading. To learn about wine making you have to make wine! Well, ok, if I have to... And the effect of different yeast strains can be astonishing.

I agree with everything Bryan said, make larger batches. But I'll go even further - if you're investing the effort and time and resources why not make something you'll (hopefully) enjoy drinking? A couple months ago I made 2 one gallon batches of elderberry, one with RC212 and one with Bravo. Going into bulk neither was better than the other, they were completely different wines. Six months from now I have no idea what my opinion will be. Time, unfortunately, is a very important wine making ingredient.

Now go experiment!!!!

 

[sour_grapes]

The CO2 will not "blanket" your wine. The CO2 produced during active fermentation provides some limited protection, but as the fermentation slows down, this goes away. Gases mix freely on the time scale of minutes, so air will quickly be able to get to your wine once the outgassing of CO2 slows down.

In particular, I agree with Bryan's comment that aging is needed before you can judge the results of this experiment, and you simply cannot age in an open Solo cup.

 

[RottenGrapeJuice]

The experiment is a good idea, but the batch sizes are too small to be practical.

The batches require aging -- the wines shortly after fermentation completes are too raw to provide enough useful information.

I suggest you upsize the batches so you can bulk age in 750 ml bottles, e.g., initial batch size will need to be a liter. A #2 or #3 drilled stopper will fit a wine bottle (can't remember which), so you can age the wine, and will have enough to make a real comparison.

Thanks for the feedback. My thought was that since all other things are equal AKA all the samples are young that would be eliminated as a variable. Unless you’re thinking that the fact that it’s young will mask some of the characteristics imparted by the yeast?

 

[winemaker81]

Unless you’re thinking that the fact that it’s young will mask some of the characteristics imparted by the yeast?

That's generally correct. I've been making wine long enough that I can roughly judge how well a very young wine is going to do, but that's an educated guess. Honestly, it's more of a pass/fail score. I cannot make a quality assessment of the wine, as at that time there honestly isn't any quality -- it's all potential.

Wines go through a lot of chemical changes in the first 3 to 12 months. Trying to compare young wines, wines that you wouldn't normally drink, doesn't tell you much.

For whites and light reds, 6 months is the earliest I'd expect a comparison to be useful. For heavy reds, that could be 12+ months.

Dave's idea of making larger batches is honestly your best value. Start with 1.25 US gallons of juice for each batch, inoculate with your various yeasts, and you should be able to fill a 1 US gallon / 4 liter jug with each wine, post clearing. At the end of 6-12 months you not only have your test, you've got several gallons of good wine.

 

[ChuckD]

At the end of 6-12 months you not only have your test, you've got several gallons of good wine.

Win-win !!!

 

[Nebbiolo020]

That's generally correct. I've been making wine long enough that I can roughly judge how well a very young wine is going to do, but that's an educated guess. Honestly, it's more of a pass/fail score. I cannot make a quality assessment of the wine, as at that time there honestly isn't any quality -- it's all potential.

Wines go through a lot of chemical changes in the first 3 to 12 months. Trying to compare young wines, wines that you wouldn't normally drink, doesn't tell you much.

For whites and light reds, 6 months is the earliest I'd expect a comparison to be useful. For heavy reds, that could be 12+ months.

Dave's idea of making larger batches is honestly your best value. Start with 1.25 US gallons of juice for each batch, inoculate with your various yeasts, and you should be able to fill a 1 US gallon / 4 liter jug with each wine, post clearing. At the end of 6-12 months you not only have your test, you've got several gallons of good wine.

I can taste a wine right out of primary going into malo and know pretty reasonably well how it’s going to taste down the road experience does matter