Acidic Concentrate and Yeast Survival Question

[J Trott]

This is my first post and I am a definite newbie. I have only made a couple successful, extremely basic, batches of white and red wine from 100% juice, sugar and yeast. I want to experiment with more acidic juices similar to the “skeeter pee.”

From what I have read, I am going to try to pitch the acidic “wart” into the yeast cake for the primary fermentation. I’m using champagne yeast and I will try to start the yeast with some condensed warm sugar water (maybe some of the dead yeast from a previous batch too?), for about 30 minutes, before pitching the yeast into the acidic mix. Any advice on how to go about this different or if this is a good plan of action?? I probably won’t be buying any additional nutrients or other yeast, for now. Just trying to get a plan of action with the supplies I have.

Thanks in advance for any insight! I have spent many hours on here reading amazing tips and tricks. Hope I can share some gained knowledge myself down the road.

Planning on using lemonade, limeade, pink lemonade concentrate, sugar, yeast and priming it with grape concentrate for carbonation before bottling.

 

[J Trott]

In case I can help anyone else out on this issue. I tried twice to rehydrate the yeast before pitching. No luck (Red Star Champangne Yeast.). I ended up adding some DAP nutrient, energizer and pitching the yeast, dry, 6 days after zero signs of fermentation. Then, 12 hrs later it took off, full boar.

 

[melp]

The nutrient and energizer helps a lot. May concider a titration acid test kit. In WY we get grapes with an acid level of 1.3% and they will kill the yeast. When adding sugar I try for an SG of 1.092 and an acid of .62%. Juices make great wine. Except for blue berries. They give off potassium sorbate. Quite a challenge.

 

[RPh_Guy]

Generally for these difficult fermentations I would definitely recommend properly* rehydrating dry wine yeast using GoFerm, and using a generous amount of Fermaid O in staggered additions. Also aerate/oxygenate.

This is the best way to pitch lots of healthy yeast cells and give them fuel to finish the fermentation.

*Use the correct amount of the correct water at the correct temperature. Follow the manufacturer recommendations.

FYI unfermented juice is called "must". Wort is unfermented beer.