Joe's Grape Mead yeast question

[Tinman13]

Im looking to make this in the next few days (maybe), I have a question
I have tryed to read all the posts on this but it's in the 100's
Question: this calls for EC-1118 yeast
I have on hand 71B and Champaigne has any one use eather?

Joe's Grape Mead / Pyment / Melomel

Ingredients
2 lbs Clover honey
1 oz buckwheat honey
64-oz Welch's Grape Juice with Vitamin C added- Make sure it has no preservatives in ingredients other than Vitamin C added (A.K.A. Absorbic Acid)
Balance water if you need it to make 1 gallon after adding honey mixed in water (don't use too much water in honey mix or you'll end up with more than you bargained for.
Lalvin EC-1118

 

[tweake]

i would avoid using ec1118. its a good beginners yeast but there are better ones around.
what champagne yeast do you have?

i'm using 71b in a pyment at the moment, tho its to early to tell what it will turn out like.
hopefully it will stop around 14% so i end up with a sweet pyment. any champagne yeast (ie ec1118) will ferment it bone dry.

 

[Tinman13]

Red Star Pasteur Champagne
Red Star Montrachet
Lalvin 71b-1122
any ideas?

 

[tweake]

never used red star yeast so i can't tell you what it will do flavor wise.

specs on the yeast show montrachet is not a good choice due to high sugar levels.
judging by the recipe its highly likely to be below 14% ABV so 71B will dry it out as well.
you will have to check gravity when you mix it

Pasteur Champagne seams an ok choice.

 

[fatbloke]

To "state my case".....I don't normally used any champagne yeasts as they blow too much of the aromatics and more subtle flavours straight out the airlock.

.....you would know which is your best substitute from a quick search...... because EC-1118, listed in the recipe IS a champagne yeast.

Of course, its possible/likely that it will present a different flavour profile, but the champagne yeast you already have, should be an OK replacement.

Just look out for the obvious possible differences, like if it goes "stinky", telling you that it needs more energiser and a bloody good stir to aerate and help remove the H2S, if it should develop.

It's not a certainty that it will, I just haven't seen any data about the redstar nutritional requirements compared to the Lalvin EC-1118

 

[Rockape66]

I have been using the Pasteur Champagne yeast very successfully, but I am making very sweet Christmas Metheglyns. >3.5# of honey per gal. This leaves a sufficient residual sugars for what I desire. I don't know what it would do for a dry or med dry mead.

 

[huesmann]

With the amount of sugar in the recipe, 71B should still have the guns to take it dry. I wouldn't have any problem using that instead of the recipe's 1118. Note that it may take slightly longer with 71B, since 1118 typically goes gangbusters on sugars.