# Cote des Blancs and Mead



## FlowerPlanter (Aug 3, 2011)

Would like a mead that you can drink a lot of on a hot day. 

Target alcohol of 5% and maybe another at around 8%

I would like to do it sulfide free. 

Cote des Blancs "This strain will not ferment to a dryness at the low end of the range, leaving residual sugar resulting in a sweeter wine."

Any ideas where to start with SG to have it end at the target percent.


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## Ben Brewcat (Oct 27, 2004)

That's a tall topic... read the stickied "intro" thread for the basics of how to build a recipe. You won't be able to make a 5 or even 8%er that will not be bone dry, as yeast strains will ferment well over that level so leaving residual sugars will require "back-sweetening" after stabilization (which requires sulfiting).


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## FlowerPlanter (Aug 3, 2011)

Thanks Brewcat

Have you made any meads with beer yeasts? Any recommendations.

If I made a 5% and let it finish dry, then back sweetened, refrigerate and use quickly. how long before it blows corks in the refrigerator?


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## Ben Brewcat (Oct 27, 2004)

If you use a yeast that's susceptible to dormancy from cold temps (such as an ale yeast), that should work. It's how home soda pop makers have been doing it for years. I have not personally, but I'd try something neutral like Chico (Wyeast 1056 and White Labs California Ale) maybe.


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## FlowerPlanter (Aug 3, 2011)

Have you tried Wyeast sweet mead 4184, says it "leaves 2-3% residual sugar in most meads". 

Does that mean that it leaves sugar once it gets to 11%, and it will be dry for anything less than 11%.


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## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

Each Yeast has specific tolerances, temperature range alcohol tolerances etc. when one wishes to leave residual sugar in a mead it is necessary to select a yeast that has an alcohol tolerance close to the desired alcohol level. then set the specific gravity at a point where the yeast will die of alcohol poisoning before the sugar is consumed. 
For example: Let's try a three-gallon, 14% alcohol, semi-sweet mead. We'll choose a yeast that is alcohol tolerant to 14%, and start with enough sugars to leave (theoretically) about two percent's worth of unfermented sweetness. Several strains would be good for this; let's say we'll use Lalvin's D-47 Cotes-dú-Rhone for its aromatic and fruity notes. Again consulting the potential alcohol chart, finding 16% (minus the 14% the yeast should consume leaves 2% for us to taste, a semi-sweet level) means we'll need to start at 1.103 or so.

Specific %
Gravity Potential Alcohol Brix 
1.000 0.0 0.0
1.010 1.4 3.8 
1.015 2.0 4.9
1.020 2.7 6.0 
1.025 3.4 7.1 
1.030 4.1 8.2 
1.035 4.8 9.3 
1.040 5.4 10.4 
1.045 6.1 11.5 
1.050 6.8 12.6 
1.055 7.5 13.7 
1.060 8.2 14.8 
1.065 8.8 15.9 
1.070 9.5 17.0 
1.075 10.2 18.1 
1.080 10.9 19.2 
1.085 11.5 20.3 
1.090 12.2 21.4 
1.095 12.9 22.5 
1.100 13.6 23.6 
1.105 14.3 24.7 
1.110 14.9 25.8 
1.115 15.6 26.9 
1.120 16.3 28.0 
1.125 17.0 29.1 
1.130 17.7 30.2 
1.135 18.3 31.3 


This procedure will hold for any mead you'll want to make. Note that the yeast do not read the same books we do, and do not always perform the way we want. However, if they've been treated well we can usually count on them to get us near their published tolerance level. High-alcohol or high-gravity musts, or musts with a lot of acids, can inhibit them from reaching that level and they'll give up prematurely. Preparing a nutritious starter to propagate the yeast and providing adequate nutrients will help them do their best.


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