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  3. What determines the rate of yeast infestation and fermentation initiation..?

What determines the rate of yeast infestation and fermentation initiation..?

The acidity of the must, the concentration of sugar, the availability of nutrient salts, the saturation of dissolved oxygen and the temperature of the must all seem to play a part in how quickly the yeast spreads throughout a must and starts fermentation.

Presumably the levels of inhibitors of yeast metabolism and reproduction and other antagonistic organisms also play a part - though I have no idea what the effect and nature of these might be.

What else affects the time it takes a must to get going after pitching?

I have become particularly interested in this after having one recent

5 gallon pitch which was fairly vigorous after 3 hours, but mostly finding up to 3 days or so is a common induction time.

Many thanks, Jim

Reply to
jim
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I've had a few 3 day innoculations... I saw action before it became active, but it was vigorous after it started. Now, I don't worry so much. Yeast is good at this. Damn good.

Kirk

Reply to
Kirk Mitchell

I'll add that the most explosive batches I've ever done have always been.... Pineapple.

Yeast loves that stuff, and it always leaves me with a mess and dry in less than 5 days..

I'm guessing that pineapple is mostly frutose..

Kirk

Reply to
Kirk Mitchell

Yes its a very good way to get a rapid start. I have spent the last

18 months making 54 different types of country and grape wines and as a newbie have been amazed by the difference in start rates and fermentation speeds. I think if you are after a rapid start then making an active starter is an unbeatable method. It seems also that boiling the sugar mixture for a long time (I think it is referred to as inverting the sugar) makes the solution even more yeast friendly.

Anyway, my rapid discovery winemaking experiment is slowing down now. As the wines mature and get consumed I will, wine by wine, decide what staples to make larger quantities of. The initial winner for me are dried elderberry/blackberry and dried elderberry/summer fruits wines which seem to hit the spot nicely and ferment readily. They are very palatable young imho although I am making enough that I will get to taste them mature too :)

Thanks again for your contributions.

Jim

Reply to
jim

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