Mead yeast

[The_Dutch]

Hey guys,
In the past I’ve really only brewed beer and cider. I had very good luck with both. I still make large amounts of cider, however Ive taken a bit of a break from brewing beer. So enough of introductions. I have really caught the mead bug. I have a classic JOAM going strong now as well as a cranberry mead. Both are going well and I am wanting to do more. I don’t know what kind of yeast to use tho. Both of the ones I have going now have bakers yeast. Am I wrong to just keep using bread yeast. I don’t care for some of the tastes I’ve gotten from champagne yeast. Any suggestions?? Please any input will help

 

[Kent88]

I've used Wyeast's and White Labs' sweet mead yeasts. Both taste ok, but Wyeast's strain takes forever unless you use it in a melomel and baby it. In my experience the White Labs strain is a little better and I've used it a couple of times, and I'll probably use it again.

It seems like when the good meadmakers I have seen on YouTube videos and heard in podcasts make mead, they usually use a wine yeast like EC1118. Come to think of it, usually they are using a grey packet of something Lalvin, and they have a half dozen varieties for you to test out if you like.

If you are happy with what you get from bread yeast, don't abandon it. If you are curious about other strains, work in an experimental batch once in a while when it won't interrupt things too much.

 

[Joel chrysler]

I just did my first batch of mead after plenty of wine batches. I always use EC-1118 wine yeast. But it depends on the flavours you want. If you like high alcohol and a wine flavour go for ec-1118 or champagne yeast. If you want sweet, you can get a sweet mead yeast or something similar to that! Let me know if you learn anything yourself as I’m still learning lots about mead and wine my self! Cheers

 

[bernardsmith]

Two thoughts:
1. There really is nothing about a so-called "sweet mead yeast" that somehow miraculously makes a mead sweet. Yeast will continue to ferment honey under two separate but important conditions: First, when the honey is appropriately diluted with liquid (typically water),such that the total quantity of sugar in the must is such that the yeast can effectively transport the sugars through their cell walls (ie it is not too concentrated a solution) until they hit their tolerance for alcohol. That means that if you are looking for a sweet mead then you either back sweeten or you have enough knowledge to know how to effectively step feed the yeast with fermentables (so that the starting gravity does not cause osmotic shock).

2. All wine yeasts (and ale yeasts) are cultured to enhance certain characteristics or mask certain features. Bread yeast is cultured to make bread. Some yeasts enhance the fruity flavors of your must, others enhance mouthfeel. Some yeasts work better at lower temperatures while others don't create problems at higher temperatures. Some yeasts produce a great deal of hydrogen sulfide so you need to create an environment that allows that H2S to be blown off rather than trapped to help perfume the mead. Some yeasts are likely to produce a larger range of esters so you may want to use one of those when you are working to make lower ABV meads (meads with not very much of the honey that is the flavor source of the mead). In other words, selecting the best yeast for the mead you want to make is a part of the task of the mead maker. Bread yeast will certainly ferment the must but IMO, bread yeast is always better in a loaf of bread.

 

[The_Dutch]

Two thoughts:
1. There really is nothing about a so-called "sweet mead yeast" that somehow miraculously makes a mead sweet. Yeast will continue to ferment honey under two separate but important conditions: First, when the honey is appropriately diluted with liquid (typically water),such that the total quantity of sugar in the must is such that the yeast can effectively transport the sugars through their cell walls (ie it is not too concentrated a solution) until they hit their tolerance for alcohol. That means that if you are looking for a sweet mead then you either back sweeten or you have enough knowledge to know how to effectively step feed the yeast with fermentables (so that the starting gravity does not cause osmotic shock).

2. All wine yeasts (and ale yeasts) are cultured to enhance certain characteristics or mask certain features. Bread yeast is cultured to make bread. Some yeasts enhance the fruity flavors of your must, others enhance mouthfeel. Some yeasts work better at lower temperatures while others don't create problems at higher temperatures. Some yeasts produce a great deal of hydrogen sulfide so you need to create an environment that allows that H2S to be blown off rather than trapped to help perfume the mead. Some yeasts are likely to produce a larger range of esters so you may want to use one of those when you are working to make lower ABV meads (meads with not very much of the honey that is the flavor source of the mead). In other words, selecting the best yeast for the mead you want to make is a part of the task of the mead maker. Bread yeast will certainly ferment the must but IMO, bread yeast is always better in a loaf of bread.

So I think you may have misunderstood the question. I probably didn’t give enough background as well. So like I said I’m new to mead. In the past I have done it and I didn’t care for it but I’m trying again and I’m really liking it. A year or so ago, I made a simple mead with D47. After about 3 months I tasted it and it left a champagne-y taste behind and I really didn’t care for the taste. I am wondering what kind of yeast other more experienced people used. Something that will yield a medium to higher ABV. But not leave any off taste.

 

[bernardsmith]

Fermenting at lower temperatures and providing the yeast with the nutrient load it needs tends to avoid off flavors. Ale yeasts , wine yeasts are all good choices depending on the flavors and characteristics you are looking for. Check out the spec sheets published by the labs. 71B is always good, I think 47D is good, DV10 is good...

 

[Joel chrysler]

Two thoughts:
1. There really is nothing about a so-called "sweet mead yeast" that somehow miraculously makes a mead sweet. Yeast will continue to ferment honey under two separate but important conditions: First, when the honey is appropriately diluted with liquid (typically water),such that the total quantity of sugar in the must is such that the yeast can effectively transport the sugars through their cell walls (ie it is not too concentrated a solution) until they hit their tolerance for alcohol. That means that if you are looking for a sweet mead then you either back sweeten or you have enough knowledge to know how to effectively step feed the yeast with fermentables (so that the starting gravity does not cause osmotic shock).

2. All wine yeasts (and ale yeasts) are cultured to enhance certain characteristics or mask certain features. Bread yeast is cultured to make bread. Some yeasts enhance the fruity flavors of your must, others enhance mouthfeel. Some yeasts work better at lower temperatures while others don't create problems at higher temperatures. Some yeasts produce a great deal of hydrogen sulfide so you need to create an environment that allows that H2S to be blown off rather than trapped to help perfume the mead. Some yeasts are likely to produce a larger range of esters so you may want to use one of those when you are working to make lower ABV meads (meads with not very much of the honey that is the flavor source of the mead). In other words, selecting the best yeast for the mead you want to make is a part of the task of the mead maker. Bread yeast will certainly ferment the must but IMO, bread yeast is always better in a loaf of bread.

WLP720 By white labs is literally called “sweet mead/wine yeast” it’s because different yeast strands can change the flavour of your brews. This particular sweet mead yeast leaves a fruitier taste left behind. Look it up, and choose your yeast wisely for what flavours you want to bring out.

 

[Scientific hippie]

I have used the recommended Wyeast 1388 for Bray's 3-day and one-month meads and have been very happy with them. Right now I've got a 3-day with Wyeast's 4766 Sweet Mead & Cider yeast; the store was out of 1388. It is taking longer; it is day 3 and it is just beginning to bubble, and the S.G. has been slow to change (granted, the kitchen temp is also cooling). We'll see what happens.

 

[Scientific hippie]

Today, Day 4, the S.G. has dropped a little, but it is not bubbling. I added 0.4 tsp of Fermaid O and I forget how much potassium carbonate, a la the BOMM, and it is bubbling nicely. It tastes very good. Will check tomorrow.

 

[W7JRR]

Lalvin D47 has been working very well for me so far. Using it on both Mead and Cider. The first I used it on was a Black Cherry Mead that started at 1.128, and was finished down to 1.001 in 8 days. No off flavors that I had expected as the A/C in the house broke and the temps went up into the mid 90's. Currently finishing off a cider that I expect to be done in another day or 2, and a Blueberry mead that started at 1.110.

 

[Scientific hippie]

The step feeding with Fermaid O and potassium carbonate did the trick; I have now bottled it. A bit more cloudy than with 1388, but tastes very good. For starters, why not try Bray's 3-day mead with Wyeast 1388, which doesn't need step feeding? Make sure you steep the honeybush tea very strong and let it cool (it gets even stronger) before adding it. Let it sit in the bottles a few days after cold-crashing and adding k-meta and sorbate.

 

[Frankenfoote]

I usually use any wine yeast as Mead is very similar to wine. I find EC-1118 is pretty foolproof but strips most of the flavor, especially in Melomels.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

I usually use any wine yeast as Mead is very similar to wine. I find EC-1118 is pretty foolproof but strips most of the flavor, especially in Melomels.

I concur! I've only made 2 high gravity Meads, but both were made identically sans for yeast. The one made with EC-1118 was deficient in flavor, but the one made with K1-V1116 tasted great.