How to Add Yeast to Wine

Wine requires yeast to ferment.

Unless you are making muscadine wine where the grapes supply enough of their own wild yeast, you will make a better wine by adding wine yeast to your wine recipes. To ensure success, activate or "proof" the yeast before adding it to the juice you are fermenting into wine. If wine yeast isn't available, you can use bakers yeast available at any grocery store.

Things You'll Need

• Bowl or large glass measuring cup
• Fruit juice or water
• Sugar (optional)
• Wine or bakers yeast

Instructions

1. Fill a bowl or large 2-cup glass measuring cup with 1 cup of grape or other fruit juice. Alternatively, you can use 1 cup of water.

2. Add 1 tbsp. of sugar to the juice and stir to dissolve. This step is not necessary if using sweet grapes or fruits for your wine.

3. Sprinkle the package of wine yeast over the liquid.

4. Allow the yeast to sit until it begins to bubble. Stir the yeast into the juice or water.

5. Add the yeast to the remaining juice when the yeast has bubbled to twice the amount you began with in the bowl or cup. In other words, when the yeast fills the measuring cup or bowl, it is ready to add to the wine liquid.

Tips & Warnings

• How fast the yeast rises, or proofs, will depend on the temperature and humidity of the area.

• Always check the expiration date on the package of yeast. Older yeast, while it may still be viable, may take longer to proof.

References

• University of Georgia: Winemaking at Home (step 6)
• "The Foxfire Book of Wine Making"; edited by Lori Gillespie, Kelly Shropshire and Allison Adams; 1987
• "Making Wild Wines & Meads: 125 Unusual Recipes Using Herbs, Fruits, Flowers & More"; by Pattie Vargas, and Rich Gulling; 1999