Which yeast is your favorite dry yeast for making mead?

[NeverDie]

Most promising one yet: a yeast which is totally *incapable* of producing H2S: https://www.thebeveragepeople.com/p...-h2s-preventing-wine-yeast-500-g-details.html

The company that manufactures it has around 5 different yeast strains like that, but the minimum order is 500g, so that makes it rather expensive to test drive it.

A number of them can ferment at high temperatures, so they look very promising indeed.

Lalvin has one called Senys, which can't produce H2S nor can it produce SO2, but unfortunately for me it ferments only at colder temperatures.

 

[Maylar]

Wow, that podcast is long. 2.5 hours! I'm 15 minutes into it, and they haven't even gotten to the topic yet. I think I'll have to save it for bedtime listening....

Yep. Click the progress bar and skip ahead. Some of the podcasts have a lot of BS in the beginning.

Per packet DV10 is one of the more expensive ones, but the amazon description says only 1 gram per gallon (of what?) is needed. Well, at least it's a dry yeast. Also, it has a low nutrient demand and a wide fermentation range (50-95F). It also says it's known for "clean fermentations." What does that mean? https://scottlab.com/dv10-yeast-dv10

https://scottlab.com/dv10-yeast-dv10

Pitch rate depends on starting gravity and batch size. I'm seeing people using 2 grams per gallon with mead, and always rehydrated in GoFerm. I used 2 packets of D21 for my current 5 gallon batch, per Ryan's recommendation.

 

[NeverDie]

I found a cider yeast which is incapable of producing H2S and which is available in 10g increments, so I ordered it: https://www.thebeveragepeople.com/products/yeast/10-g-fresco-cider-wine-yeast.html

Perhaps (?) it will do well in a cysor.

I'll add it to my yeast bake-off as soon as it arrives, probably later this week.

 

[Shine0n]

In the last couple months I've grown to love QA23 and RC212

212 did great in my mesquite trad fermented on AO and Hungarian med toast cubes. Very nice!!!

QA23 was awesome in my barrel fermented bochet

 

[Maylar]

I found a cider yeast which is incapable of producing H2S and which is available in 10g increments, so I ordered it: https://www.thebeveragepeople.com/products/yeast/10-g-fresco-cider-wine-yeast.html

Perhaps (?) it will do well in a cysor.

I'll add it to my yeast bake-off as soon as it arrives, probably later this week.

Thanks for the link. I ordered some too... with red apple and citrus notes it might be perfect for an orange blossom cyser. Gonna give that a shot.

 

[NeverDie]

Thanks for the link. I ordered some too... with red apple and citrus notes it might be perfect for an orange blossom cyser. Gonna give that a shot.

When you're just starting out with a new yeast whose nutrient needs you either don't know or can't find, how do you proceed? e.g. Do you start by supplying it with the lowest amounts of nutrients and then add to that if it seems to ferment too slowly or stall or complain (e.g. perhaps you smell H2S, but not in this case of course)? Or, do you go with heavy nutrients on the first batch and then cut back on subsequent batches until you find where the nutrient threshold is? Or....?

 

[Maylar]

When you're just starting out with a new yeast whose nutrient needs you either don't know or can't find, how do you proceed? e.g. Do you start by supplying it with the lowest amounts of nutrients and then add to that if it seems to ferment too slowly or stall or complain (e.g. perhaps you smell H2S, but not in this case of course)? Or, do you go with heavy nutrients on the first batch and then cut back on subsequent batches until you find where the nutrient threshold is? Or....?

I assume they're "medium" if not specified. But I really tend to avoid anything that's not documented. Fortunately, that one is. Underfeeding leads to stressed yeast, sulfur. Overfeeding leaves unused nutrients in the mead, which you can taste.

 

[NeverDie]

I've only ever made two back to back and identical batches of high OG (sweet) Orange Blossom Honey Mead, one for which I used K1V-1116 yeast and the other for which I used EC1118. The K1V-1116 Mead had a very nice flavor and character, and the EC1118 Mead was noticeably more dull and characterless by comparison.

What kind of nutrients did you use for K1v-1116. I've made two attempts at using it, and both ended sulfurous. Out of the 10 or so different yeast test batches I currently have going, K1v-1116 is the only failure so far. I'd like to try to make it work though.

 

[Maylar]

That's odd, because Scott Labs shows K1's nutrient requirements as low.

 

[z-bob]

What kind of nutrients did you use for K1v-1116. I've made two attempts at using it, and both ended sulfurous. Out of the 10 or so different yeast test batches I currently have going, K1v-1116 is the only failure so far. I'd like to try to make it work though.

I've used K1V-1116 in beer and cider. (it works better in beer than you'd expect) Never noticed any sulfur, but I use nutrients in cider, and beer wort has plenty of them on its own. K1 is very ester-y. That might be good if you're making mead with cheap clover honey. But I don't think you'd want to use it was delicate and expensive varietal honeys. The beer I made with all pilsner malt and fermented with K1 was one of my best beers ever. The beer made with pale ale and dark Munich malts was okay but the esters were much more pronounced and distracting. Both were fermented quite cool.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

What kind of nutrients did you use for K1v-1116. I've made two attempts at using it, and both ended sulfurous. Out of the 10 or so different yeast test batches I currently have going, K1v-1116 is the only failure so far. I'd like to try to make it work though.

I was a rookie back then and did not use any nutrient or do any acid adjustment.

 

[NeverDie]

OK, I just now pitched a fresh batch of K1V-1116. If it goes sulfurous again on me again, I'll try putting it on a slide under a microscope and see if anything jumps out at me.

Can bacterial infections also cause sulfurous smells? I've read yes. So, how do I know whether the sulfur smell is coming from bacteria or instead from stressed yeast?

 

[NeverDie]

Watched a youtube of Schramm, and he says 71B is his "go to" yeast for mead. From watching some other youtube's of other pro mead makers, I get the impression it's popular for commercial mead producers to use.



By the way, Schramm says for sweet meads he starts with a very high gravity must and let's it ferment to completion, so not at all the ferment dry and then backsweeten approach that loveofroses seems to like. He says that 71B is tolerant of a very high OG, whereas some other yeasts can't really handle it well.

 

[Miraculix]

Watched a youtube of Schramm, and he says 71B is his "go to" yeast for mead. From watching some other youtube's of other pro mead makers, I get the impression it's popular for commercial mead producers to use.



By the way, Schramm says for sweet meads he starts with a very high gravity must and let's it ferment to completion, so not at all the ferment dry and then backsweeten approach that loveofroses seems to like. He says that 71B is tolerant of a very high OG, whereas some other yeasts can't really handle it well.

I did that just now with mangrove jack California lager and it got a bit hot at the end. It was an experiment. I guess it really depends first on the yeast and second on the way you treat it. I guess there are many yeasts that will always end up hot, no matter how well you adjust temperature and nutrient additions and than there are those few ones that actually can handle it, given the right treatment.

 

[NeverDie]

I did that just now with mangrove jack California lager and it got a bit hot at the end. It was an experiment. I guess it really depends first on the yeast and second on the way you treat it. I guess there are many yeasts that will always end up hot, no matter how well you adjust temperature and nutrient additions and than there are those few ones that actually can handle it, given the right treatment.

Maybe that's what Schramm meant when he said that 71B is predictable: that, based on experience and tight control over the variables, he can be confident as to what ABV 71B will stop at, whereas with many yeasts, it might run higher and/or hotter or simply with greater variability from batch to batch.

 

[NeverDie]

Maybe that's what Schramm meant when he said that 71B is predictable: that, based on experience and tight control over the variables, he can be confident as to what ABV 71B will stop at, whereas with many yeasts, it might run higher and/or hotter or simply with greater variability from batch to batch.

Has anyone here tried one of his commercially produced sweet meads? As a check on the veracity of what he's saying, it would be interesting to know what it says on the ingredients label. Does it list any sorbates or sulfites?

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Another thing that's interesting is that Schramm prefers DAP over the new organic fermaid nutrients, because it can be fully utilized and leave nothing behind, whereas with the organic nutrients there's a lot of leftover yeast hulls at the end to cloud things up.

 

[Maylar]

He'd be a fool if he doesn't use sulfite for an antioxidant. And I don't know that sorbate is required labeling.

 

[Blacksmith1]

I have seen it on some packaging. Not alcohol neccessarily. I belive the law requires if you put it in, it goes on the label. I could be wrong.

 

[NeverDie]

He'd be a fool if he doesn't use sulfite for an antioxidant. And I don't know that sorbate is required labeling.

It's quite pricey, but I'm going to order some of it to try.

 

[NeverDie]

I have seen it on some packaging. Not alcohol neccessarily. I belive the law requires if you put it in, it goes on the label. I could be wrong.

I would think so. Otherwise, I doubt anyone would include it on their product's ingredient list.

 

[bob1852]

Schramm's doesn't use sorbate/sulfite (though fermentation itself does generate some sulfite, I believe).

They rely on incredibly high OG and experience, to achieve a yeast intolerance level of ABV that results in a high FG and very sweet mead without sorbate/sulfite and backsweetening.

While Schramm's meads are amazing, they are incredibly sweet....though meticulously balanced....you wouldn't know you're drinking something with an FG of 1.080+....

 

[NeverDie]

This morning I ordered 4 of Schramm's meads: ginger mead, raspberry mead, blackberry mead, and "The Statement" (which appears to be a blend of 51% cherry juice and 49% mead). I don't believe this sort of thing is carried locally, so I paid for FedEx ground shipping in order to get it.

I wish he made a purely traditional mead, using only honey and water and yeast, as it would be an interesting benchmark. Which commercial producer makes the best one of those?

 

[bob1852]

It's not cherry juice. They use whole cherries....

Definitely make an experience out of it....charcuterie plate, chocolate, etc...

I can't afford to buy that stuff much, but it's always a treat to have it.

Someday, I want some Heart of Darkness...


Edit: that's cool that they're shipping now...that's relatively new.

 

[NeverDie]

Schramm's doesn't use sorbate/sulfite (though fermentation itself does generate some sulfite, I believe).

They rely on incredibly high OG and experience, to achieve a yeast intolerance level of ABV that results in a high FG and very sweet mead without sorbate/sulfite and backsweetening.

While Schramm's meads are amazing, they are incredibly sweet....though meticulously balanced....you wouldn't know you're drinking something with an FG of 1.080+....

What other high caliber meads have you tried that are worth ordering?

 

[bob1852]

Not sure how accessible they are (I think many are on Vinoshipper though...)

Brimminghorn Meadery
Lost Cause Meadery
Meridian Hive Meadery
Melovino Meadery

Those are some of my favorites. They all make some fairly unique stuff....brimminghorn is a master with herb/spice combos; Lost Cause is doing amazing things with buckwheat honey, barrels, etc.; Meridian Hive's draft session meads are great; Melovino is doing some incredibly unique "beer style" meads.

 

[NeverDie]

Current status on dry yeast testing:

I did a count, and I currently have 16 test batches, each with a different yeast, fermenting away at room temperature. I expect many of them won't do well at that temperature, but hopefully some of them will. I'm still waiting to receive the no-H2S cider yeast (that I linked earlier in this thread), and when I get it, I'll add it to the shootout.

Of the 16 yeasts that are currently fermenting, 3 are liquid yeasts just to have a point of comparison.

The 13 dry yeasts currently under trial are:
DV10, S-04, EC-1118, Belle Saison, K1V-1116, D21, CdC, D47, Premier Blanco, Fleishmann's, 71B, and Premier Cuvee.

The 3 liquid yeasts are:
1388, Wyeast Sweet Mead, and Voss Kveik.

All of them are being made with the same type and amount of honey and the same spring water in the same type of vessel. It's as close to apples-to-apples as I can make it.

 

[Blacksmith1]

You are out running me big time. I'm about to get the juice to try S-05 and see if it works any better than the S-04 for me.

 

[Miraculix]

Current status on dry yeast testing:

I did a count, and I currently have 16 test batches, each with a different yeast, fermenting away at room temperature. I expect many of them won't do well at that temperature, but hopefully some of them will. I'm still waiting to receive the no-H2S cider yeast (that I linked earlier in this thread), and when I get it, I'll add it to the shootout.

Of the 16 yeasts that are currently fermenting, 3 are liquid yeasts just to have a point of comparison.

The 13 dry yeasts currently under trial are:
DV10, S-04, EC-1118, Belle Saison, K1V-1116, D21, CdC, D47, Premier Blanco, Fleishmann's, 71B, and Premier Cuvee.

The 3 liquid yeasts are:
1388, Wyeast Sweet Mead, and Voss Kveik.

All of them are being made with the same type and amount of honey and the same spring water in the same type of vessel. It's as close to apples-to-apples as I can make it.

May I suggest an additional yeast that I have not tested myself? Mangrove Jack m31 Belgian tripel, which might be the Wyeast 1388 (the original BOMM yeast) in dry version.

Here is a thread covering this topic:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/mangrove-jacks-m31-in-bomm.660755/

I tested myself CBC 1 in waaaaay to warm conditions and it trow of soime higher alcohols, but I made it without fermentation control within the summer heat which was HIIIGH this summer in Uk (30C+!) during main fermentation... so my fault. Otherwise the yeast didn't contribute much, which is a good thing in mead, I guess.

 

[NeverDie]

May I suggest an additional yeast that I have not tested myself? Mangrove Jack m31 Belgian tripel, which might be the Wyeast 1388 (the original BOMM yeast) in dry version.

OK, I ordered it. May not arrive until March 18.

Thanks!

 

[Miraculix]

OK, I ordered it. May not arrive until March 18.

Thanks!

Brilliant, let us know how it turns out! It was also on my list for my next non-wild mead