Blending Yeast
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Hey all,
I just bottled my traditional mead from clover honey today, and came across something interesting. I used Red Star champagne yeast for the initial ferment, and after 30 days the SG was only down to 1.03. I wanted a dry mead, so I pitched half a packet of Lalvin d-47 and let it go another 2 months. The FG is now .990 and has a smooth, light body with a creamier mouthfeel.
I made a cider before with d-47 only, and I don't know if it's the yeast or the temps i'm fermenting at (a bit high), but the flavor and mouthfeel was all butter. Very creamy and not at all what I was looking for in a cider. However I thought maybe the d-47 would do the same thing for the mead, taking the edge off of a sharp dry flavor with the buttery notes. Interestingly enough, it worked! Here's the recipe summary:
Batch #24 – Traditional Mead
Yield: 1 gal
Ingredients: 3 lbs Clover Honey, Pasteur Champagne yeast, d-47 yeast, nutrient, topped to 1 gal with water.
OG: 1.09
FG: .990
Approx ABV: 13.5% (!)
This is extreamly smooth for a high ABV mead, and it seems to have matured very quickly (3 months old at time of tasting, includes primary fermentation). Have you guys ever used two different types of yeast to achieve a combination of flavor profiles?
I'll crosspost this in the mead forum too
mike
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On Deck - IPA, Lost Elm Rye Pale Ale
Fermenting - Lost Elm ESB
On Tap - Lost Elm Rye Pale Ale, Lost Elm ESB with Honey
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