WLN4700 Zinc Buddy Yeast Nutrient (3 x 10ml) - White Labs

WLN4700 Zinc Buddy Yeast Nutrient for Beer

WLN4700 Zinc Buddy from White Labs is a pre-mixed zinc solution designed to improve yeast health in homebrewing. Each pack contains three 10 ml vials, totaling 30 ml, which are ready to use. The solution is sterilized and acidified to a pH of 4.0 to ensure maximum solubility and uptake of zinc by the yeast.

Key Benefits:

• Improved Yeast Health: Zinc is essential for yeast protein synthesis and growth, resulting in increased viability and overall health. Using Zinc Buddy can increase the viability of harvested yeast by over 5% and improve flocculation, leading to a 10–15% denser cell concentration at harvest.
• Efficient Fermentation: The addition of Zinc Buddy promotes the uptake of maltose and maltotriose, which can increase attenuation up to 95%. This results in the beer reaching its final gravity 1–2 days faster for most ales, as well as faster clarification.
• Improved Flavor Profile: Reduced levels of diacetyl and sulfur compounds, as well as faster dry hopping due to reduced "hop creep," contribute to a cleaner flavor profile in the finished beer.

Instructions for Use:

1. Shake the vial well before use.
2. Disinfect the cap with isopropanol or another suitable disinfectant, and carefully loosen it.
3. Pour the desired amount of Zinc Buddy™ directly into the fermenter before adding yeast, to ensure thorough mixing in the wort.
4. Clean any spills with isopropanol or disinfectant, and replace the cap on the vial.

How does Zinc Buddy differ from Servomyces?

Servomyces is a yeast grown in a zinc-rich environment, where zinc is incorporated into the cell walls. When the yeast dies, the zinc is released and effectively taken up by the yeast added to the wort. An advantage of Servomyces is that it can be added at the end of the boil, as the yeast cells protect the zinc from binding to proteins in the hot break trub.

• Zinc concentration in Servomyces: 50,000 ppm zinc
• Dosage: 1 g/HL, which provides a total zinc concentration of 0.5 ppm in the wort

Why use Zinc Buddy instead of Servomyces?

WLN4700 Zinc Buddy is a sterile and pre-mixed zinc solution that can be added directly to the cold side. Unlike Servomyces, which must be dissolved and added during the boil or in the whirlpool, Zinc Buddy is immediately available and easy to use.

• Zinc Buddy provides an additional dose of 0.2 ppm zinc, for a total zinc concentration of 0.3 ppm in the wort.
• Can be added after cooling, allowing for precise dosing without nutrient loss.
• Simplifies zinc addition for brewers seeking an alternative to Servomyces.

Although Servomyces allows for a higher total zinc concentration (0.5 ppm vs. 0.2 ppm from mineral zinc), too high concentrations of mineral-based zinc can lead to undesirable off-flavors in the beer. Zinc Buddy thus provides a balanced approach, and is particularly useful for brewers who do not already use Servomyces.

In summary: If you already use Servomyces, this yields the best results due to the higher bioavailability of zinc. But if you want a simple, sterile, and user-friendly alternative, Zinc Buddy is a good choice for optimal yeast health and efficient fermentation.

Click here for information about WLN3200 Servomyces.