Lalvin 71B-1122 vs. D47

I started two batches of cider on Friday, one with Lalvin 71B-1122 yeast and one with Lalvin D47 yeast.

The 71B has dropped a good deal more lees than the D47. Does the 71B generate more lees or do the dead yeast cells from the D47 not settle out very quickly? There is at least a 2:1 ratio of lees between the two. (They both started out at OG 1.050 and are both down to 1.002 as of last night. Same juice and procedures used for both batches.)

By the way, I also found it interesting that the bubbles were much finer with the 71B than with the D47.

So, any insight into the amount of lees?

Well on the Lalvin website http://www.lalvinyeast.com/strains.asp it does say that ICV D-47 has compact lees but I don't like it's temperature range stopping at 20 C,it's just too slow for me at that temperature,with 71B-1122 you can ferment it at higher temps without worrying about nail polish tastes.

I just started a 71b-1122 Cyser with raspberry. I chose the 71b for its properties with colored fruit. Just wonder what the flavor difference is between the 71b & D47. Thanks.

I did these side by side a couple years ago, both fermented to dryness. IMHO, the D47 left a bit more of the apple flavor. 71B was clean but a bit boring

71-B will metabolize approx. 20% of the malic acid, which is a major component of apple flavor. Cider made with 71-B tastes like a wet dishrag to me, but there might be some people who like it.
Regards, GF.

MarkKF said:

I just started a 71b-1122 Cyser with raspberry. I chose the 71b for its properties with colored fruit. Just wonder what the flavor difference is between the 71b & D47. Thanks.

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I did the 15 min in 2 oz water 104-109 deg F. with no starter and added it to the must at basement temp. last night. Going pretty good today. Quick start.

smyrnaquince said:

I started two batches of cider on Friday, one with Lalvin 71B-1122 yeast and one with Lalvin D47 yeast.

(They both started out at OG 1.050 and are both down to 1.002 as of last night.

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Can't help you with the Lees question, but that's a fast ferment, 1.050 to 1.002 in three days? You add yeast nutrient? What temperature you ferment at? So what does the cider taste like?

madscientist451 said:

Can't help you with the Lees question, but that's a fast ferment, 1.050 to 1.002 in three days? You add yeast nutrient? What temperature you ferment at? So what does the cider taste like?

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Sorry, been offline for a while. I just checked my notes. Dates and SGs are correct. This was 1 gallon of Whole Foods 365 Organic Apple Juice with 1 packet of yeast, so there was a lot of yeast. No nutrient. I did shake to aerate. Room temperature during fermentation was 69F.

I cold crashed and racked these, then added priming sugar to half of each batch. These were part of a multi-juice, multi-yeast experiment.

Tasting notes:
71B-1122, with priming sugar: watery, no apple flavor
71B-1122, no priming sugar: watery, bad taste
D47, with priming sugar: apple flavor, "easy to drink", came out dry and was the best of the dry ciders
D47, no priming sugar: flat, a little sour, vinegar and acid notes

And, from my notes, S-04 cold crashed with priming sugar was the best sweet cider, S-04 fully fermented was the second-best dry cider.

Unfortunately, trying this in later years I have not been able to replicate the results.

I haven't tried it yet, but I received a recommendation for using R-2 wine yeast to keep the apple flavor.

I've also heard about R2 yeast, but its an oddball item that most homebrew stores around here don't carry, I'm going to order some online for next fall's ciders.

Please do post about your experience with it!

ok, i googled these two yeast and not getting anything i want. i bought d47 for white and 71b for my grape juice wine. can anyone comment on this ? its been almost 3 years

MiBeerMan said:

ok, i googled these two yeast and not getting anything i want. i bought d47 for white and 71b for my grape juice wine. can anyone comment on this ? its been almost 3 years

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D47 is one of my go to yeasts...dig it! Use it for a range of ciders up to 14% range -- cold crashes decent (not as quickly as S04) but forms solid/caramel-like lees. Using now for my 1st welch's vino attempt. Cheers & good luck [emoji111]

bmd2k1 said:

D47 is one of my go to yeasts...dig it! Use it for a range of ciders up to 14% range -- cold crashes decent (not as quickly as S04) but forms solid/caramel-like lees. Using now for my 1st welch's vino attempt. Cheers & good luck [emoji111]

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So would D47 fermenting a cider with brown sugar be a good choice?

I only use FAJC....so not sure about Brown sugar.

MiBeerMan said:

So would D47 fermenting a cider with brown sugar be a good choice?

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No reason why not. I prefer D47 over 71B as well. A tad more flavor and it is also good for extended sur lees aging to build complexity.

gratus fermentatio said:

71-B will metabolize approx. 20% of the malic acid, which is a major component of apple flavor. Cider made with 71-B tastes like a wet dishrag to me, but there might be some people who like it.
Regards, GF.

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Considering how many ciders go through MLF and the fact there isn't a "Here's the standard T/A, always aim for it", there's got to be more to it than just malic acid.

71B tasted fine, but rather bland in my trials as compared to R4600 and QA23, or D47 aged on lees. Otherwise, I have no issues with it and it does work well for ice ciders with high acidity (concentrated acids from freezing).

As for titratable acidity, I think that there is no "goal," rather TA has to balance with several factors: sweetness, fruit aromas (esters), and tannins. I've made excellent ciders with both high and low TA.