Lalvin EC1118

Uncle Remus · Post by **Uncle Remus** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 3:15 pm

Anyone use this yeast for their mashes? What are your thoughts/results? Is it good for vodka? whiskey? rum?....The reason I'm asking is one of the grocery stores got it on sale right now for .70 per pack...just looking for a little feedback from those who use it.
Thanks

knuklehead · Post by **knuklehead** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 3:30 pm

It's a great yeast for making rum, I use it all the time. I always make a starter with it but then it ferments out a blackstrap molasses wash in about 3 or 4 days. On this wash it will bubble my airlock faster then even turbo's do my sugar washes. I have tried it for an all sugar wash but it is very very slow taking up to a month to ferment dry. Even using it on a fancy molasses wash takes a long time. How big are the packs they have on sale. I always buy the small 5 gram sachets for 59 cents Canadian.

The Chemist · Post by **The Chemist** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 3:37 pm

It makes good Honey Ale!!

Post by **Tater** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 5:41 pm

Ive used it on fruits with good results.

junkyard dawg · Post by **junkyard dawg** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 8:08 pm

I used ec1118 along with bakers yeast on my last batch of whisky. worked out great for me. I mashed corn rye and wheat, pitched ec1118 and bakers yeast. stripped it and repeated 4 more times with the sourmash...

anyhow, for what its worth, that yeast did my project right, but I always used it with bakers yeast too. At .70 cents you can't go wrong can you? They sell this at grocery stores up there?

KatoFong · Post by **KatoFong** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 8:23 pm

I use it when I make brandy and wine. It's great. The ferment is usually pretty slow, though--my only complaint.

pothead · Post by **pothead** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 3:39 am

If it is over-pitched with plenty of nutrients it can ferment out in a about a week or two.

I have used it with sugar, fruit with good results.

Uncle Remus · Post by **Uncle Remus** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 7:05 am

junkyard dawg wrote:
anyhow, for what its worth, that yeast did my project right, but I always used it with bakers yeast too. At .70 cents you can't go wrong can you? They sell this at grocery stores up there?

Yeah, One of the grocery stores here sells carboys, airlocks, yeasts, beer kits probably wine kits too.

Yes KH they are 5gr packages.
Thanks for the replies guys...I'm gonna pick some up and give it a go.

knuklehead · Post by **knuklehead** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:04 am

Is it Safeway? Safeway's around here all sell that stuff too. Is that price in USD? I pay 59 cents Canadian or 50 cents US for the 5 gram sachets.

Uncle Remus · Post by **Uncle Remus** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:38 am

Overwaitea, and yes I'm talking $cdn. I think places likeReal Canadian Superstore and Extra Foods carry homebrew supplies too.

Spiritmaker · Post by **Spiritmaker** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:38 am

UR, you may remember that this is primarily used in making wine but it is a very good choice when fermenting anything with its own nutrients already there., Lalven wine yeast dosen't supply very much (if indeed any nutrients) by itself and that's probably why Knucklehead had such good results with his rum. There are far more nutrients in molasses than in a plain sugar wash, so if you are making a sugar wash, add a sufficient amount of nurtient to support the yeast. It does work with grains such as corn, but I did have to add some nutrients though. I have personally found that a small amount (one half of a 3oz can) of tomato paste desolved into 5gallons of water is all it needs to work. I agree with culturing it first and overpitching the yeast, this will shorten the fermentation time a lot! Makes a great wine, rum and believe it or not, vodka when distilled.
Enjoy your inexpensive supply my friend, I just wish we all could sample some of KH's rum!
Spiritmaker

junkyard dawg · Post by **junkyard dawg** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 9:20 am

This thread caught my attention because I'm pitching yeast for a new batch of whiskey this morning. I have a few different kinds of yeast and was wondering what to use. I checked out Lalvins site:

http://consumer.lallemand.com/danstar-l ... ers use?

junkyard dawg · Post by **junkyard dawg** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 9:22 am

oops... don't know what I did wrong there, but there are a few extra urls in that last post

Post by **Tater** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 9:28 am

On grain I use distillers yeast. Rum as well as fruits I usally use ec1118 in fall and mix with distillers in hot weather.

Uncle Remus · Post by **Uncle Remus** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 10:14 am

JD, I've only ever used the Gert Strand whiskey yeast on grains always with good results... The whiskey yeast contains amylase enzime which will take care of any starches your malt does'nt get.

Big J · Post by **Big J** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 3:39 pm

I used Lalvin EC-1118 on my last two rum washes. They turned out really nice. They are my only two fermentations ever so I don't have anything to compare them to, but I can say they did work, and the final product was better than I expected for my first couple of times distilling. I had a 5 gal wash at about 15% potential alcohol (1 gal molasses+5 lbs sugar), and I pitched 10g rehydrated yeast. It wasn't doing anything after 24 hrs, so I pitched 10 more grams and some DaP. Did the same thing both times. 6 days later it was ready to go at 14% alc. Good luck.

Cheers,
Big J

knuklehead · Post by **knuklehead** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 4:02 pm

Big J, make yourself a starter the day before you make your molasses wash. Then the yeast is ready to work when you need it to go. They'll be bouncing off the walls in the starter raring to be let free in the wash and when you release them they will get right to work. You will see action in a few minutes after pitching then. A starter is always a good way to go. You want the yeast to take control as soon as possible so there is less chance of your washing being infected with something other then the yeast you pitch.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 4:16 pm

Using 100gr bakers yeast takes off and ferments good, from what I have read....

"The reason why baker's yeast works so well with molasses is
because commercial bakery yeast manufacturers GROW IT on molasses as
the propagation medium. Therefore it is a yeast that is already fine-
tuned to working with molasses."

Big J · Post by **Big J** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 6:35 pm

knuklehead wrote:Big J, make yourself a starter the day before you make your molasses wash...

Thanks, I'm definitely going to try that on an upcoming wash. A starter is just a small version of the bigger wash, yes? Say, divide all the amounts of ingredients (molasses, sugar, water) by 20 and put the yeast in that for a day? Thanks.

-Big J

knuklehead · Post by **knuklehead** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 6:51 pm

yup, doesn't really have to be that precise as long as you use the same ingredients.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 7:50 pm

I use EC-1118 for rum (and wine).

I make a starter, however I only start 1 packet for about 1/2 hour and pitch it.

Maybe I should start it for longer as my fermentations take 1-2 weeks to complete, and not 6 days. I've never had it really roaring as in action within a few minutes...

rectifier · Post by **rectifier** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 7:51 pm

That's it, I'm turning on the "log me in automatically". I'm sick of making guest posts

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