Different Yeasts Used In Mead

[Alcoholalchemy]

I was wondering if anyone has used ale yeast to impart a particular flavor in a mead and then perhaps re-pitched with a wine or mead yeast to reach a higher ABV. I would think that you could get some pretty interesting flavors with some Belgian yeasts. Any stories?

 

[biochemedic]

I was wondering if anyone has used ale yeast to impart a particular flavor in a mead....
....I would think that you could get some pretty interesting flavors with some Belgian yeasts. Any stories?

Yes!, and you are correct...

My Belgeglin (Belgian-style metheglin with coriander seed, bitter orange, and Wyeast 3711 French Saison yeast) came out great! Got 12.6% ABV out of the 3711 (1.100 down to 1.005) by itself, and I think you could easily do 12-13% out of most of the good Belgian strains, especially with a proper starter, good nutrients, etc. I suppose you *could* finish something like this off with something like EC-1118 if you were intent on something higher ABV, but 12% is perfectly fine for me...

 

[Insomniac]

Yeah, some ale yeasts are surprisingly good at fermenting when all the sugars are fermentable. I cold crashed my cyser at 10% with safale s-04.

 

[Alcoholalchemy]

I wasn't sure if ale yeast tends to get stressed out in honey, because I would like a mead that is less dry than if I used wine yeast. That's where the starter and nutrients come in though I guess.

 

[fatbloke]

I wasn't sure if ale yeast tends to get stressed out in honey, because I would like a mead that is less dry than if I used wine yeast. That's where the starter and nutrients come in though I guess.

Fine, just make a recipe/batch with a set end point, about the 14 or 15% ABV, as per wines, and then stabilise it and back sweeten.

That way, you can get the sweetness level that you enjoy by back sweetening in small increments, and then just leave it too age and mellow.