Higher temperature yeast for sweet mead

[thechemister]

Hey all! I started my first mead back in December with Lalvin D47 yeast, and though it's not ready yet, I know I had it fermenting at a bit high of a temperature (which D47 is especially unforgiving about).

So before the summer starts I'm starting another batch, this time it will be sweeter. So I was wondering if anyone knows and/or has experience with a strain of yeast that works well at higher temperature and is good for sweeter products.

I've googled the hell out of this, but the info is never what I need. They give a temperature range for when the yeast will produce, but almost all of them say they go up to 80 degrees which I know will produce lots of esters.

 

[jpwic]

How about KV-1116? Ferments between 10-35 celsius. I've never used it so i'm not sure if it'll be 100% OK for high temperature ferments but it's the one I've been looking into.

 

[fatbloke]

There seems mention of wyeast 1388 being reasonably good.

Don't know myself as I've not tried it (I'm happy using K1-V1116).

Bray (loveofrose) has apparently done some stuff about it, you'd have to search for his posts here and at Gotmead forums, and for the yeast to get some idea.

Either that or make a fermenting cabinet, or even a swamp cooler might help to keep the numbers down a bit.......

Medsen Fey, over at Gotmead forums has mention of this issue too. He's in Florida so also experiences temp for summer ferments.

Just my tuppence worth but might give you something to look into.....