# Yeast Tolerences and flavors



## barnabees (Jun 20, 2012)

I'm not "new" to mead making, but am rather in the experimental phase of the hobby - The phase where 'I wonder what this would taste like' wins out over following anybody's recipes when starting a new batch.

Anyway, looking through the threads there's a lot of talk about the yeast surviving higher alcohol contents and having different flavors. I'm interested in making some stronger stuff ('panty removers' I saw someone call them) or adding some different qualities to my meads. So far I've really only used Red Star blancs and champagnes. 

Does anyone have a resource that breaks down the different yeast types and their properties/flavors/survivability?


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## Ben Brewcat (Oct 27, 2004)

There are lots. Jack Keller's Winemaking page is a good resource, and the published stats from the yeast maker (Lallemand, White Labs, Wyest, etc). Mead books like the Compleat Meadmaker (Schramm) also have some info., and for recipe formulation guidelines to target alcohol content using gravity and strain ETOH tolerance see the Stickied intro thread.


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## WVMJ (Apr 2, 2012)

Both EC-1118 and KIV-1116 are very strong fermenting yeast good for mead. We like to use 4 gallons of pure fruit juice (like 100% blackberry, black raspberry or elderberry) and a gallon plus about a quart of honey to bring the starting gravity to about 1.095, when it drops to 1.020 we add enough honey to bring it to 1.030, repeat as many times as it will take it back down. This is much better than starting the gravity very high and hoping it finishes, this way the yeast has a chance to grow and develop and make more alchohol slowly. Dont forget to add some nutrients if you want a higher level at the end. WVMJ

http://www.lalvinyeast.com/strains.asp


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## barnabees (Jun 20, 2012)

Thanks Ben. I did read the sticky before I posted and have seen the target alchohol content chart before, but I was looking for some more specific information regarding yeast strains and their properties. I will look at the Jack Keller's page, though. 

WVMJ - That's a great idea! I've usually just let it run and end up with sweet or dry depending on my target alchohol content, sometimes missing the mark before everything dies out. Your way seems like it would always be on the dryer side and have a high content, correct?


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## WVMJ (Apr 2, 2012)

It all depends on you, if you start the yeast off with a gravity they can ferment to dry, instead of overloading them at the start, then you get control over the ferment and no such thing as missing the mark again. Remember to feed a little at a time, if you want it drier you might want to start feeding when it gets to 1.000 and raise it only to 1.01, wait for it to finish, add more etc. We generally like our meads to end up at 1.02 or .03 after feeding it 1 or 2 times, not to hot and not to sweet. WVMJ


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## barnabees (Jun 20, 2012)

WVMJ - Off topic, but I was looking at your website (I assume I'm writing to Jack?) and was wondering what you did to increase the body of your wine after you had it taste tested.


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## WVMJ (Apr 2, 2012)

BB, one thing is we use as much fruit as we can, an example of one of our blackberry/elderberry meads was 25 pounds blackberries, 10 pounds of elderberries and start with a gallon of tulip poplar honey, we have also steam juiced 8 gallons of elderberries and adding a gallon of locust honey to it and make 5 gallons, feeding it in stages with more honey, our black raspberry mead had 24 pounds of black raspberries, a gallon of elderberry juice and a gallon of tulip polar honey. This past winter we went with even more fruit, but that is still in carboys waiting to be bottled this winter. Put as much fruit as you can and use good honey, I think the better the honey the better the body will be also. If you still need to boost your body, you can add some extra light dried malt extract, notice Extra Light, anything heavier than that and you will be able to taste the malt. 

That gives me an idea, add some heavier malt and honey together with wine yeast to make a high alchohol, high body honey malt wine, maybe some buckwheat honey! Anyone got a gallon of buckwheat honey to sell?

WVMJ


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## barnabees (Jun 20, 2012)

Thanks for the info. I've got a basic dry that's watery (and I want to keep it dry), so adding fruit isn't going to work. I've read banana's help without hurting the flavor, but I'll try the malt idea too.

Thanks again!


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## WVMJ (Apr 2, 2012)

What is a basic? ELDME is going to add some sweetness as it is malt, I think its better to add that at the begining, your wine might not clear with it added at the end. Glycerol is what you want to add at the end if you want body but we havent had to do that so far. WVMJ



barnabees said:


> Thanks for the info. I've got a basic dry that's watery (and I want to keep it dry), so adding fruit isn't going to work. I've read banana's help without hurting the flavor, but I'll try the malt idea too.
> 
> Thanks again!


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## barnabees (Jun 20, 2012)

It's just a basic honey and water mix. It was the very first batch I made and can't seem to finish it because it's so watery. I like the taste - kind of like a light chardonnay, but it has very little body. I haven't made this since because of this, but would like to know how to fix this in future batches so I can do something other than fruity/flavored/sweeter meads.


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