Using ale yeast in mead

[Stevie G]

Does anyone have experience using ale yeast in mead? And if so which would you recommend? I'm wanting to experiment with different yeasts , aside from the same lalvin D47,EC-1118, k1-v1116 usuals. Recommendations for traditional mead ,and melomels.

Cheers!

 

[DBhomebrew]

BOMM

 

[Dan O]

Does anyone have experience using ale yeast in mead? And if so which would you recommend? I'm wanting to experiment with different yeasts , aside from the same lalvin D47,EC-1118, k1-v1116 usuals. Recommendations for traditional mead ,and melomels.

Cheers!

Definitely read the BOMM (Bray's One Month Mead) thread. Its one of, ( if not THE longest thread in here), but worth the read.
Bray Denard uses Wyeast 1388, Belgian Strong Ale Yeast. Lots of great information in there. I've been a big fan since I started making mead.

 

[Miraculix]

This is from the author of the original BOMM:

https://www.omnimead.com/mead-making-101

Everything you need to know is there in condensed form.

 

[Johnny2]

Is Kveik an ale yeast?

 

[CKuhns]

Some Kviek strains are Ale Yeast. Not sure if they all are, but I suspect so.

I have used the following Ale yeasts for Session Meads 7-8% ABV.
- Wyeast 1388
- Voss Kviek Hot Head
- Safale US 04
- Safale US 05

All produce a very good result. In my opinion Hot Head is the cleanest and most neutral. This yeast in primary is best at 88 to 90 deg F so temp management is a must.

 

[hottpeper13]

I use The Yeast Bay's Belgian Dry, it gets to 13.2%. I've also used their saison Blend in a cherry and blueberry that finished at 1.006 and 13.2%.
Had a failure with wlp 400 finished at 1.030 and was kept for 6 years, didn't get better so it was dumped.

 

[Johnny2]

I've used s-04 and us-05, not on a mead though. I liked s-04 more, but the recipe I used was not the same. I liked s04, because it had a nice off-flavor when it finished, I guess it's called an ester. That vanished once I pasteurized it, and I had to.

S-04 is probably better than US-05 for a mead that is drunk young.

 

[MightyMosin]

SafAle S-04
SafAle US-05

Both are rates at 9-11 ABV

I believe that the US-05 is the yeast for Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.

S-04 is very clean fermenting. With proper nutrition and time, these can go to 14% ABV

Both have provided god results for me.

 

[Jeffrey_G]

https://issuu.com/americanmead/docs/amma_issue_16.3_161118
-The Great 'Ale Yeast' Mead Experiment