Making wine requires just a few ingredients, with the most important being the yeast starter. Typically, the starter is yeast, and sometimes specific wine yeast is used. Yeast contains enzymes necessary to complete the fermentation process, turning sugar into alcohol. You can buy regular yeast, such as saccharomyces, which are a special type of yeast. These can be found at grocery stores or specialty food shops, often labeled as active dry yeast. Before adding it to the wine mixture of crushed grapes and sugar, you need to reactivate the yeast by moistening it. We will guide you through activating dried yeast with and without a yeast starter.
Activating Dried Yeast Without a Starter
Step 1. Purchase a packet of active dry wine yeast from a grocery or wine store.
Step 2. Pour the contents of the packet into a container filled with spring water or filtered tap water.
Make sure the water is at a temperature of 37-40 degrees Celsius. Do not use distilled water.
Step 3. Gently stir, cover the container, and let it sit at room temperature.
Step 4. Check the mixture after 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, check if bubbles have formed. If they have, cover the container and let it sit for another 6-12 hours. If the yeast hasn't activated, start over with fresh ingredients.
Step 5. After 6-12 hours, add the active yeast to the wine mixture (must).
Alternative Method: Using a Yeast Starter
Step 1. Activate the yeast using warm water as described in the previous method.
Allow the yeast to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Step 2. Check if the yeast has come to life after 30 minutes.
If it has, cover the yeast and let it sit while you prepare the wine must. If the yeast hasn't activated, start over with fresh ingredients.
Step 3. Prepare the wine must in a separate covered container, using 60 ml of strained wine must or sweet fruit juice.
Step 4. Add the yeast mixture to the must.
Step 5. Cover the mixture and let it sit for 4 hours.
Step 6. After 4 hours, add another 60 ml of juice or must.
Step 7. Cover it again and let it sit for another 4 hours.
Step 8. Add the mixture to the wine must.
