What do they mean by 'nutrient'?

[SlugLobber]

I'm looking at wine recipes to make Elderberry wine for the first time and keep coming across this term. Is the nutrient part of the yeast formulation?

Confused and that's BEFORE drinking it, tee hee!

[Two_Sheds]

It's a little white tub of yeast nutrient, to feed the yeast: http://www.easyhomebrew.co.uk/Produc...FU0B4wodQ2_Yiw

[SlugLobber]

Ohhhh I seeee! Thanks, TS! Some of that might jump into my online trolley. Very useful link, there! Don't suppose you know how fast they deliver? I have the elderberries ready to go!

[Polly Fouracre]

A quarter teaspoon of Marmite will do as well.

[SlugLobber]

URRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!! Sorry, PF, but no way am I letting that stuff into my house!

[Two_Sheds]

Yeast nutrient is a blend of ammonium sulphate and ammonium phosphate... Marmite sounds so much more natural

[rustylady]

Generally speaking, you shouldn't need yeast nutrient. All elements required should be present in your brew. Yeast really only needs sugar, water and oxygen. Suspect someone's making money!!

[Hilary B]

Generally speaking, you shouldn't need yeast nutrient. All elements required should be present in your brew. Yeast really only needs sugar, water and oxygen. Suspect someone's making money!!

Depends what ingredients you use. Yeast nutrient is 'fertilizer' for the yeast. Grapes contain all the right elements, but some ingreedients are lacking in some of those substances. When you grow veg, while you might have soil with just the right balance, if it wasn't right, you wouldn't expect healthy fast growing crops unless you added some form of fertilizer (organic or otherwise, to personal choice), and you certainly wouldn't expect to get a crop growing on plain water!

[parrot1974]

A quarter teaspoon of Marmite will do as well.

Oops...no wonder my yeast went mad when I put a teaspoon of the stuff in my raspberry wine! Have to say, can't taste it in there but it seems to have speeded everything up a lot...

[Duronal]

doesn't the marmite effect the flavour of the brew?

[parrot1974]

Would have said it didn't when I tasted it last week. However, when I sniffed it today there was a slight marmite smell... Am going to taste it again in a bit and will let you know!!!!

[Duronal]

Thanks i'd appreciate that

[brewer]

nutrients

Nutrients add properties that are required for the brewing process to work well and for the finished product to be at its best.
Wine was made from grapes, other fruits and vegetables are now being used, broad beans !!!!, they do not contain the necessary contents to allow a full bodied brew to be made.
So nutrients are added to allow the brewing process to acheive its best product.
Just go with it.

[parrot1974]

doesn't the marmite effect the flavour of the brew?

Um... Went to taste my raspberry wine the other night, but disaster had struck and it smelt and tasted foul. Think this was due to the fact I left too much headroom in the dj, rather than the marmite! So, can't really answer the question, I'm afraid.

[Hilary B]

Nutrients add properties that are required for the brewing process to work well and for the finished product to be at its best.
Wine was made from grapes, other fruits and vegetables are now being used, broad beans !!!!, they do not contain the necessary contents to allow a full bodied brew to be made.
So nutrients are added to allow the brewing process to acheive its best product.
Just go with it.

Like I said, it's the same as putting fertilizer on the ground where you grow your veg.