Smart brewers know that a yeast starter is the best way to ensure proper cell count and yeast viability prior to pitching. If you want a reliable starter for your batch of beer, you need to feed the yeast. Adding a yeast nutrient to the starter will give the yeast an added boost! Fermaid K is a yeast nutrient that works for starters and main fermentation. Here’s how it works: Fermaid K is a complex formula that provides DAP, free amino acids, yeast hulls, unsaturated fatty acids, sterols; and micronutrients such as magnesium sulfate, thiamin, folic acid, biotin, calcium pantothenate, and other vitamins and minerals. Yeast use Nitrogen for protein synthesis and to maintain cellular growth. Nitrogen from the alpha amino acids contained in Fermaid K is utilized much more efficiently than from the ammonia salts like DAP. The unsaturated fatty acids and sterols available in Fermaid K are important survival factors needed to maintain alcohol resistance. They also help keep volatile acidity levels low. The cell wall fractions, available through the included yeast hulls, absorb medium chain fatty acids that are toxic to the yeast. They also provide nucleation sites to help keep the yeast in suspension. You do not need to add any additional fertilizers or DAP when adding Fermaid K. Use approximately 1 gram per gallon. Rehydrate in distilled water. A rough approximate of weight is 1 tsp = 4.7 grams. We highly recommend using a scale to weigh the product for an accurate dose. For a similar product check out CellarScience® FermFed Yeast Nutrient!
