Yeast nutrients – healthier fermentation of beer, mead, cider and hard seltzer

Yeast nutrients give the yeast nitrogen, vitamins and minerals such as zinc. The result is a faster, more complete fermentation with less risk of it getting stuck. Here you will find Servomyces and White Labs nutrients for beer, dedicated mead and cider nutrients from Mangrove Jack's, Propper Seltzer from Omega Yeast for hard seltzer and Nutrisal from Vinoferm for wine.

How to choose a yeast nutrient

Product	Used for	Dosage
Servomyces 10 g	Beer	1 g per 100 litres, about 10 minutes before the end of the boil
Servomyces, 10 capsules	Beer	1 capsule per batch, in the last minutes of the boil
WLN1000 28 g	Beer	2.5 g (half a teaspoon) per 20 litres, last 10 minutes of the boil
Mead Nutrient 12 g	Mead	See the pack
Cider Nutrient 14 g	Cider from apple or pear juice	Pre-portioned pack
Propper Seltzer 28 g	Hard seltzer	1 pack per approx. 19 litres, OG up to 1.060
Vinoferm Nutrisal 1 kg	Wine	3–6 g per 10 litres

WLN4700 Zinc Buddy from White Labs is a ready-mixed zinc solution in three 10 ml vials, for adding zinc on its own.

With or without DAP?

WLN1000 and Cider Nutrient contain diammonium phosphate (DAP), an inorganic nitrogen source. Mead Nutrient is DAP-free and uses organic nitrogen sources. Servomyces is different: a zinc-enriched yeast from Hefebank Weihenstephan that is inactivated in the boil, making the zinc readily available to the brewing yeast. Lallemand Servomyces capsules are the same product as White Labs WLN3200.

Frequently asked questions about yeast nutrients

Do I need yeast nutrient when brewing beer?

Malt wort contains most of what yeast needs, but zinc is often a limiting factor. Nutrient gives a more even, predictable fermentation and is especially useful in strong beers, starters and when re-pitching yeast.

When should I add yeast nutrient?

In beer, Servomyces and WLN1000 go in during the last 10 minutes or so of the boil. Nutrients for mead, cider and hard seltzer are added according to the instructions on the pack.

How much yeast nutrient for 20 litres?

Use 2.5 g of WLN1000, half a teaspoon. Servomyces powder is dosed at 1 g per 100 litres, or 2 g per 100 litres for a starter. One Servomyces capsule is sized for one homebrew batch.

Why do mead and hard seltzer need yeast nutrient?

Honey and plain sugar contain very little of the nitrogen and minerals yeast needs. Without nutrient the fermentation is sluggish and can produce off-flavours, which is why there are dedicated products such as Mead Nutrient and Propper Seltzer.