The Red Star Champagne yeast is very similar to the Lavin EC-1118 yeast. Both are fast fermenting. I have used both brands in making rootbeer. After leaving the plastic bottles at room temperature for 24 36 hours the bottles are rock hard. Once refrigerated the yeast go dormant and any further carbon dioxide creation is stopped. The nice thing about these strains of yeasts is if a bottle of rootbeer goes flat all you have to do is screw on the top and give it a day for the yeast to re-carbonate the liquid. Then refrigerate and you have carbonated rootbeer ready to go.
Chlorine kills yeast; You didn't use tap water did you?
Champagne yeast is a slower yeast. I would suggest creating a starter batch first.
Buy an Erlenmeyer flask and an airlock. (or a yeast starter kit.
Pitch yeast distilled non chlorinated water (your favorite bottled water) and yeast nutriant(Sugar) into the flask.
Apply the airlock to the top of the flask. Place in a dark place at around 70 75 degrees.
(A closet or pantry) Return in a few days, you should have a yeast culture ready to use!
(Throw the yeast into some apple juice!) :)
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Just finished my first batch of hard cider. Yeast did a great job. Price was right and it got here in an instant. Seeing that I will continue making hard cider till my intervention, I will certainly buy from Red Star again.
Andy, Lima Ohio
Read Best Reviews of Red Star Champagne Yeast (10 Packs) Dried Yeast Here
I decided to make a batch of hard apple cider or apfelwein after reading about it on the internet. Used: 2 gallons of store-bought apple juice (no preservatives, made from concentrate), 2 pounds of table sugar, raisin juice (as a yeast nutrient) and one packet of red star champagne yeast. The batch started bubbling at 24 hours and at 14 days, the fermentation was complete. Not a great flavor profile, but I guess that depends on the quality of the fruit pulp that you put in. The yeast did its job very effectively. I was aiming for at least 12% ABV and the yeast managed to that, in 14 days. Pretty impressive. Since it is a wine yeast, it doesn't leave behind too much of a mess in the primary. Highly recommend this product if you are learning to brew wine at home.
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Take any good 100% juice that is preservative free or organic and make it better in a week or two.
Recommended candidates are Apple, Grape both red and white, Cherry, Peach, Raspberry You get the idea.
The nice thing is the juice comes with a the secondary fermenter.
Store extra yeast packets in the freezer.
Let them slowly come to room temperature before use.
Its Easy.
You will need
A packet of magic juice enhancer Red Star Champagne Yeast
2 Quart bottle of 100% juice that is preservative free or organic.
A primary fermenter
I use a cleaned and sanitized 1 gallon milk or water jug.
Using the larger container minimizes the chances of a blow off mess.
Its disposable so no need to clean after use.
A drilled rubber stopper or bung that fits the jug
A three peace air lock
A Secondary fermenter.
The rinsed and saved bottle the juice came in sanitize before reusing.
A drilled rubber stopper or bung that fits the juice bottle
The same air lock.
A length of clear 3/8" vinyl tubing
A dark place.
Patients.
1. Rehydrate yeast.
See packet instructions 1/2 cup warm water.
Watch for a few little bubbles to form.
2. pour juice in to the cleaned and sanitized 1 gallon jug airrating as you go
Only at the beginning introducing oxygen is a good thing from now on should be avoided.
3. pitch yeast pour it in the juice gently shake to mix.
4. plug the jog with the cleaned and sanitized bung and filled airlock.
You can use water in the air lock but I prefer to use vodka as it prevents growth of unwanted little beasties.
If the air pressure changes or when the jug is moved some gets sucked in to the jug using vodka will help to prevalent an infection of undesirable little beasties ruining your fun.
5. put in a dark place.
6. After a several hours or the next day check the airlock for bubbles and foam in the jug.
Do not open or remove the bung or air lock to look inside.
7. wait a week or two.
8. siphon with the cleaned and sanitized tubing to the cleaned and sanitized secondary fermenter.
The bottle the juice came in.
Don't suck on the tube.
Fill the tube with clean water.
Pinch the tube closed a few inches from the outlet end.
Insert the other end into the juice holding the other end lower let the water drain out in to a pot or other container.
As soon juice starts to flow out pinch to stop the flow put the end in the juice bottle and let the juice flow holding both ends of the tube just below the surface.
you want to minimize airration and leave any solids that may have settled out on the bottom or be floating on top from being transferred.
9. Taste!! Yum?!
You could drink it now but.
10. plug with the stopper and refilled airlock.
11. put back in a dark place.
12. Wait a week or Two more.
13. chill
14. drink
15. Enjoy
This was fun and easy so do it again.
To carbonate.
By now the little yeasties have used up all the sugars and need some more sugar to eat.
Make a small wort/syrup by heating about 1/4 a cup of water to at least 165 degrees but not boiling ad 2 to 3 Tbsp's of sugar stir until thoroughly dissolved.
Cover and cool to room temperature.
Then fill a cleaned and sanitized 2 liter soda bottle with the syrup and juice and tightly cap.
Gently shake to mix.
Place upright in a dark place until rock hard about 2 to 3 days.
place in the freezer for 15-20 minutes to quickly chill and send the yeasties to sleep.
Move to the refrigerator to completely chill up right letting the yeasties settle out.
Enjoy!!
Hey, you just made wine!!!!!!!!
This is a basic walk through of the steps.
Experiment and see what works for you.
The addition of yeast nutrient and yeast energizer can improve the process.
Adding extra sugar can also boost alcohol levels.
The most important thing is sanitation.
I use Five Star Star-San, PBW and 1-step.
IMPORTANT Read the instructions!
Bleach and soap can leave a residue.
I am not a zin drinker but this kit is just fine for the price. Good instructions, easy, and easy to work with. I would cut it to 5 gallons, or use a top off of something sweet, and a wine conditioner, which I did. What I have now at bottle time is a nice, light little wine to chill off and enjoy. I am sure the age in the bottle will make it better. I did let mine age about 2 weeks longer before bottle, and the taste was quite different, age is the key. Nice little wine for the back yard zin folk, and a good pair with white cheese and crackers. I will keep this stock on hand for the informal little do. And they like it!
