Beer yeast in wine??

[bjk24100]

I have a packet of beer yeast and I was wondering if I could use it to make wine. I used bakers yeast last time and I could tell it had a lower alcohol content. Would beer yeast give me the same alcohol content as a typical wine yeast or champagne yeast??

 

[lumpher]

beer yeasts have a maximum alcohol tolerance. it probably won't make a good wine, but even so, you have to check the yeast itself. they die or go into complete suspension after a certain alcohol level, usually around 11%. what yeast is it, and what kind of wine are you hoping to make?

 

[MeadHorn]

Generally speaking, beer yeast has a lower alcohol tolerance than wine yeast, but there are variables that need to be taken into consideration. The kind of wine you plan on making, whether or not you use nutrients, the temperature of the must, the specific gravity of the must, etc... A person could get the right kind of beer yeast up to wine alcohol levels with some TLC, but it's a touch easier to get to the 12% range with wine yeast.

As far as bread/baker's yeast is concerned, I've read people getting as high as 14% ABV using it. The reasons why it's not ideal for brewing is the yeast's alcohol tolerance is unpredictable, it can cause off-flavors, and just looking at it causes the yeast cake at the bottom to move.

If you want to learn more about wine yeasts in general, check out Jack Keller's web page (winemaking.jackkeller.net). I know I've learned a fair share about the art of winemaking from him. The websites for the yeast producers also have tons of info about their yeast.

 

[Airplanedoc]

Packs of wine yeast are only $1.00. I get mine for $.69-$.79 at my local shop, but many places are a little more.

 

[RobWalker]

Yeast is very important to the wine dude - its not just functional. Invest in wine yeast.

 

[Rossnaree]

Yeast is very important to the wine dude - its not just functional. Invest in wine yeast.

Amen to that... most of the flavor profile, the character, so much else, is the result of the yeast. To prove it to yourself, take grapes from the same vine, divide into as many "batches" as the harvest will allow (or even just into two, either way the point will be made), treat all batches exactly the same except for yeast. You will absolutely not believe that the wines were even made from the same variety of grapes, the same year, or anything else. Likewise, your beers. I tried this with a Hefe recipe, used a wheat/hefeweitzen yeast in one and an ale yeast (what kind, I don't recall sitting here, but it's in my notes somewhere) in the other. The hefe yeast brew was excellent, the other was -- well, it wasn't "bad," but it wasn't like anything I'd really want to waste good wort making it a second time.

I know, I know - your question is about whether or not beer yeast will give the same alcohol content as wine. I see that others have answered appropriately; as in, "maybe, but unpredictable." If alcohol is the goal, heck go with beer yeast, turbo yeast or anything else. But for quality, go with a wine yeast suitable for the must you're adding it to. I think you'll be happier with the results.

 

[Celticway]

If you have precious ale yeast, why on earth would you want to spoil it on wine?

 

[Rossnaree]

Good point, CW. Matter of perspective.

 

[Celticway]

I suppose it could be interesting to pitch the ale yeast first for a couple days, cold crash it, rack it, then add wine yeast.

 

[Celticway]

Then repitch that ale yeast into a beer.

 

[MeadHorn]

Well, most of the responses to the OP are "yeast is cheap, get the right yeast for the job you need done." I guess I should have thrown that in too in my 1st post, as I completely agree (just because you can, doesn't mean you should!).

Then repitch that ale yeast into a beer.

That sounds like a very interesting idea. I'll have to keep that tucked away for when I start doing beer.