Yeast Nutrients

[PieOPah]

What exactly is the benefit of Yeast Nutrients?

My last visit to a HBS, they had some in stock so I picked up a tub and added it to my list. Not sure why I bought it but thought that since I now had some I should find out what to do with it

[steve_flack]

Not entirely sure but my guess is that the idea is that malt is pretty low in nitrogen and we take a lot of effort to remove protein during the hot/cold breaks. Yeast however does need nitrogen so that's mostly what's in the nutrient (it's not in the form of protein though so shouldn't cause hazes).

Whether or not you actually NEED yeast nutrient is another matter but it won't hurt if you add it anyway.

[PieOPah]

Thanks. So I should just throw in 1/2 a teaspoon of the stuff with the yeast every time?

[steve_flack]

You can add it at the end of the boil too.

[PieOPah]

I think that I'll avoid throwing in yeast or slurry durring the boil. I will just add the nutrients to the fermenter.

Thanks.

[deadlydes]

i always add a shot of murphys yeast aid in the last 15mins of the boil

[steve_flack]

I'm pretty sure zinc and copper are involved soewhere when it comes to yeast nutrients. Some people claim to chuck dried yeast or yeast slurry into the boiler as a nutrient also.

Yep, trace elements are in there too.

IIRC, Fullers have been mentioned as chucking a bucket of yeast into the boil in order to provide nutrients to the yeast they add later in the FV.