I hope to make two more 3-gallon batches this winter to take advantage of the colder months for effective fermentation (since it is the only time of year my house is reliably under 70 degrees). I can get it even colder by turning the heat down for a week or two during a primary if need be in addition to my normal method for keeping a fermenter cold. I have some Lalvin K1-V1116 and Red Star Montrachet I'm planning to use for these batches but I'm having troube deciding which is the best yeast to use for each batch.
Here's my current timetable:
1. I'd like to make a blueberry melomel but I'm still looking for a good recipe that will produce a lighter, warm-weather mead. If I find what I'm looking for, I'm hoping to start it sometime next month so it will be mostly ready/drinkable by the end of next May or June. Is the 1116 a good match for this? My reasoning is it's an aggressive yeast that will push out any wild yeasts, which fresh blueberries usually have (frozen is probably ok, but those wild yeasts may be dormant, not dead). My only concern is the alcohol might be a bit high for a warm-weather mead but I could probably compensate to get the range I want by lowering the OG. I don't plan to carbonate this, so I'd like it to finish medium to sweet.
2. In late January/early February next year I'd like to make Ken Shramm's Fall Bounty Cyser. I plan to let it age all spring and summer so it would be ready by mid-to-late October. I'm aiming for a dry/medium-dry (possibly carbonated) mead instead of something sweet, so I'm planning to save the Montrachet for this. The original recipe calls for D47, so if need be I could get some of that if the Montrachet would cause it to turn out badly. What do you guys think?
Alternatively, I found this recipe for what looks like a nice cyser online: https://foodfictionblog.wordpress.com/2013/10/02/18/comment-page-1/. Anyone ever make that? If so, how did it turn out? I would follow it as-is except I would pitch the Montrachet instead of EC-1118 and adjust the recipe to 3 gallons (and add pectic enzyme if I actually end up heating the apple juice). Since that uses EC-1118 it would probably finish bone dry with high ABV anyway.
Do my yeast choices sound good for what I want to do or should I use different stains? If so, why?
Here's my current timetable:
1. I'd like to make a blueberry melomel but I'm still looking for a good recipe that will produce a lighter, warm-weather mead. If I find what I'm looking for, I'm hoping to start it sometime next month so it will be mostly ready/drinkable by the end of next May or June. Is the 1116 a good match for this? My reasoning is it's an aggressive yeast that will push out any wild yeasts, which fresh blueberries usually have (frozen is probably ok, but those wild yeasts may be dormant, not dead). My only concern is the alcohol might be a bit high for a warm-weather mead but I could probably compensate to get the range I want by lowering the OG. I don't plan to carbonate this, so I'd like it to finish medium to sweet.
2. In late January/early February next year I'd like to make Ken Shramm's Fall Bounty Cyser. I plan to let it age all spring and summer so it would be ready by mid-to-late October. I'm aiming for a dry/medium-dry (possibly carbonated) mead instead of something sweet, so I'm planning to save the Montrachet for this. The original recipe calls for D47, so if need be I could get some of that if the Montrachet would cause it to turn out badly. What do you guys think?
Alternatively, I found this recipe for what looks like a nice cyser online: https://foodfictionblog.wordpress.com/2013/10/02/18/comment-page-1/. Anyone ever make that? If so, how did it turn out? I would follow it as-is except I would pitch the Montrachet instead of EC-1118 and adjust the recipe to 3 gallons (and add pectic enzyme if I actually end up heating the apple juice). Since that uses EC-1118 it would probably finish bone dry with high ABV anyway.
Do my yeast choices sound good for what I want to do or should I use different stains? If so, why?
