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LagerLover24 · 04-28-2010, 07:05 AM

I have never made a mead before, and was wondering what kind of yeast most of you guys use. Is there a "workhorse" yeast like WLP001 or Wyeast 1056 are for beer? I want to make a dry mead that is more white wine like. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

**jezter6** · 04-28-2010, 01:25 PM

There are just sooo many yeasts with different qualities, that I'll bet you find a billion answers. As soon as I recommend one, someone else will recommend another.

Really, the yeast should be somewhat tailored to a the recipe. How much honey are you going to use, how dry do you want it, what ferment temps are you looking at, etc.

That said - I use Cote de Blancs yeast for EVERYTHING. I did try 1 cyser with D47 which is also recommended a lot, but it's still fermenting so I don't have any clear opinion on it yet.

A lot of guys will use the champagne yeasts for higher abv/dry meads. I don't do anything over ~13-14% and like it very sweet, so I can't give an opinion on those.

Emerald · 04-28-2010, 01:40 PM

Me I have been using EC-1118 by lavlin and really like it but it does ferment out dry.
I tried the Cote de blanc and I hate to say this but the wine turned out sour and dry. Not vinegar sour but not tasty by any means and I hope that aging will help..
Now I haven't used it yet but I picked up D-47 and K1-116 on a recommendation for mead... so I might have to update some day.

jfkriege · 04-28-2010, 01:43 PM

I have used D47 for all of mine and been quite happy.

meading_of_minds · 04-28-2010, 07:42 PM

What I'm using for meads really depends on my honey per gallon. K1-V1116, EC-1118 I use if I'm making mead with a lot of honey. I use D47 and 71B for everything else. Once in a while I'll us Pasteur Champagne or Premier Curvee, but I've had really good results with the Lalvins.

malkore · 04-28-2010, 09:36 PM

it really depends. honestly the best mead yeast resource I've found is Ken Schramm's book The Compleat Meadmaker. the book is great and he's got like 4 pages on the wine yeasts out there, plus the wyeast and white labs offerings, and how they 'play' with different mead styles, plus the yeasts nutrient needs (since mead tends to lack free nitrogen for the yeasties)