I am planning on making a mead using just water and raw honey. I have the process down pretty good and I have made it before, but I have a couple of questions that maybe you can help me with. The initial gravity will be around 1.105 or 1.110 (just under 14%PA). Could I get some suggestions for a good dependable yeast to use? I used lalvin 1118 in the past because of how fast and vigorous it ferments. I am looking for a sweeter option.
Mead Yeast?
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TVHABrewguy
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Believe it or not, I used WLP001 Cal Ale to make my mead. Worked out great
RegarRenill
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A more reliable method would be to add the honey to get the ABV you want, use a yeast that will ferment past that and ferment it dry. If you want it sweeter, stabilize with omega and sorbets and back sweeten to taste. lately folks are recommending lavlin 71B and K1-V116. i havent used either, yet; i use premier cuvee for my higher gravity meads or the BOMM recipe for my lower gravity ones. Good luck!
Complete_Amateur
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White Labs Irish Ale (WLP004) yeast has worked well for me on a number of different meads. Champagne yeast will work as well, but you will have to back-sweeten.
The California Ale will work too, but has a higher attenuation and alcohol tolerance (supposedly) than the Irish Ale, leaving less possibility for residual sweetness.
At your gravity, and shooting for an alcohol level of 12-13%, I would use the Irish Ale, or something similar.
I used it on an orange blossom show mead, which was drinkable off the primary, though a bit on the dry side. I ended up adding some orange concentrate (I guess that would make it a melomel), and it continued to ferment slowly until it maxed out at about 13.5% (rated at 12%) with a bit of sweetness.
The California Ale will work too, but has a higher attenuation and alcohol tolerance (supposedly) than the Irish Ale, leaving less possibility for residual sweetness.
At your gravity, and shooting for an alcohol level of 12-13%, I would use the Irish Ale, or something similar.
I used it on an orange blossom show mead, which was drinkable off the primary, though a bit on the dry side. I ended up adding some orange concentrate (I guess that would make it a melomel), and it continued to ferment slowly until it maxed out at about 13.5% (rated at 12%) with a bit of sweetness.
fatbloke
Well-Known Member
If you know the tolerance of your yeast and how strong you want the mead, you just make your batch to the strength required and a yeast that will ferment dry.
Then stabilise and back sweeten to the desired level.
That way it's so very much easier than hoping to get a yeast to die off at the required level leaving the appropriate amount of residual sugars.
its mead, not beer and honey is almost 100% fermentable, unlike a beer wort that contains good amounts of non - fermentables. .....
Then stabilise and back sweeten to the desired level.
That way it's so very much easier than hoping to get a yeast to die off at the required level leaving the appropriate amount of residual sugars.
its mead, not beer and honey is almost 100% fermentable, unlike a beer wort that contains good amounts of non - fermentables. .....
