the honey or the yeast

I am looking to do a test batch of 3-4 1 gallon meads. I have two options but I am not sure which will be the most educational to do first.

Option A is to use a different honey in each batch but keep the yeast (and everything else) the same.

Option B is to get all the same honey but divide up and use different yeasts. Nutrients would be applied to the yeasts listed needs for high or low.

Has anyone done these tests and did you learn more from the different honey types or the effect from the different yeast on a honey.

While I know this is not a perfect test as some yeasts might be better with different types of honey, I am hoping to learn more about the flaver profiles that are created from honey or yeast. Then be able to better estimate the effects on future batches. Just gotta figure out which is better to know first...

I did a similar type test a number of years ago but I just used cheap store bought honey and 3 different yeasts as it was easier to get different yeasts (and cheaper).

Both have a major effect on the results.

71B gave me the nicest young mead. K1-V1116 was rough tasting when young and EC-1118 gave a relatively bland result.

After 6 months of aging the 71B was still not much different while the K1V had moved ahead by some margin and the EC-1118 was about the same. I knew that I could just leave them to see any further changes but needed the glass, so left the experiment there as I felt it was enough of a guide to work from.

Since then I learned about D21 which is harder to get in homebrew sizes but it's my favourite followed by K1V.

I now use them mainly, with few exceptions and can concentrate on the tastes from different honey.

Looks about like what I was thinking for one option. The D21 yeast was one of the ones I was looking to order to test. Another one I was thinking about for the test was the R2 (I think R is the right letter, also by Lalvin). Hadn't decided on the others, montrachet maybe since I can get that local.

Have you done any test with different honeys but the same yeast?

I think you are going to have to test your different yeasts first on the same QUALITY honey to find out which one you like to use and then test it on different honey. Having the knowledge that you like the yeast will allow you to confidently use it on any honey. I would drop troublesome yeast like Montrachet out of the list. Do try to get some Ec1118, K1V1116, Premier Cuvee, standard easy to get yeasts depending on what you want to make, for melomels Pasteur Red works well, for the white mel Pasteur Champagne works. Everyone will have an opinion on what yeast is best but its going to take you at least a year of tasting, once its done fermenting and cleared and once it aged for at least a year to figure out which is the best. Please us good honey, people keep posting experiments on Xmart honey, your local raw honey would be the best test, a nice wildflower? What kind of honey do you have down there, some people have made meads from mesquete honey and said it was really good. WVMJ

I am definitely leaning towards doing the yeast test first and types of honey later. I intend to order one large batch of honey so it is all out of the same jug. Also I will definitely be using good honey as I am going for best quality results, not cheapest or easiest. Which is also why I don't mind using finicky yeast and pampering them. K1V will probably make the list though as it seems to get a lot of good reviews.

Here in texas, wildflower honey is by far the easiest for me to find. Several of the companies do get some good orange blossom as well. I'm sure there are others, but I just haven't made good contacts yet for getting them.