Yeast Nutrient

[Spikesdad]

Hi all,

Yeast Nutrient - What is it, and when and why is it used? Whats the pros and cons of this product?

reason Im asking is that guy in LHBS palmed this stuff on me when i said i had a slow start with a kit recently, but all i did was put brew belt on, bit of a stir and it seemed to be ok after that.

so i thought id just ask for future ref. thanks all

[Lillywhite]

Yeast nutrient encourages a good fermentation and can prevent stuck fermentation. I always add a teaspoon full when adding my yeast.
A small tub can be purchased for only 70p and will last for many brews.

[6470zzy]

Beer made from all malted grain doesn't really need to have yeast nutrient, which is essentially nitrogen, fatty acids and amino acids. These are the things that yeast needs in order to grow and replicate. Malt has all of these things in sufficient amounts however things like sucrose do not, so if your percentage of refined sugars is too high then use the yeast nutrient in the appropriate amount, too much and you get a nasty chemical taste. I always think that in cases like this that "less is more(better")

Cheers