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Yeast

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Mu

NewBee
Registered Member
Sep 1, 2005
215
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38
Melbourne
Im thinking about making a mead with just your average run of the mill beer yeast (From Big W if you know the store) Im assuming it’s a Lager Yeast. Now I have been reading on Sake making and noted “It is wise to use a yeast that works well in lower temperatures such as lager yeast” now the final % is 19% for the Sake. But there using a beer yeast?

Is it possible to get a beer yeast to ferment to 19%? In about 20 days? Or would such a thing only work with Sake? If it would even work there.

Any down sides to using a beer yeast in Mead?

Mu.
 

memento

NewBee
Registered Member
Aug 3, 2005
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good question! Lager yeast for cold fermentation of mead? Anyone? My house will NOT be heated to anything over 60 degrees this winter. Will lager yeast go to 16%? How far will it go and what would be needed to use it in mead?
 

HomeBrew

NewBee
Registered Member
Jul 13, 2005
175
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I am pretty sure that you will not get above ~8% alcohol with a lager yeast. Also, lager yeasts generally produce a lot of sulphur compounds. This may or may not be a problem, depending upon your recipe.

You may want to consider a German Ale yeast. You can get up to ~11% with some strains and they are tolerant of cooler temperatures.

Peace.
 

JAG

NewBee
Registered Member
Oct 5, 2005
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Hi! First post...thought I would share this information.

Lalvin DV10 : This is "the original Champagne isolate," according to Lallemand, known in other contexts as Epernay. Its fermentation kinetics are strong over a wide temperature range (50-96° F) with relatively low oxygen and nitrogen demands. It is one of the most widely used strains in Champagne and is known for clean fermentations that respect varietal character while avoiding bitter sensory contributions associated with many other strains. It is highly recomended for both premium white and red varietals, mead and cider production, and many fruit, berry, vegetable, and herb wines. It is a fast fermenter with an 18% alcohol tolerance, is famous for its ability to ferment under stressful conditions of low pH, high total SO2, and is low foaming with low volatile acid production.
 

HomeBrew

NewBee
Registered Member
Jul 13, 2005
175
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Hey JAG, welcome to the forum...That was a good first post and a good suggestion.

Mahalo.
 

memento

NewBee
Registered Member
Aug 3, 2005
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hey JAG! I know you! Now where else have I seen that info..... :p

Thanks for the info. I'm in the northeast and anticipate cold temp fermentation (55 deg, maybe 60) once my cyser is finished.
 

JAG

NewBee
Registered Member
Oct 5, 2005
43
0
0
;D Hi Mem! (Memento got me interested in making mead, or should I say got me addicted to mead making. I brew beer also.)
Thanks for the welcome guys. I've been lurking here awhile.
I also found that K1 can tolerate a huge temerature range (50-107° F).
and
Wyeast 3021 Pasteur Champagne will go from 55° -75°

So there, being in Maine I was also looking for a low temperature yeast that would ferment to a higher alcohol tolerance. Only to find some of my favorites will do it. :D YAY!
 

Mu

NewBee
Registered Member
Sep 1, 2005
215
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0
38
Melbourne
Thanks for the information. Guess I will have to grab my parents credit card to order some yeasts online, as I don’t have a home brew shop near by. I just have tea in my primary at the moment. Summer is coming so I figured id make more hard ice tea, to enjoy cold. But I had some beer yeast laying about and wondered how it would go in mead, then I read it could ferment in Sake, to 19% and flipped, considering all my reading to that point had told me otherwise. Im tempted to try it just to see if it works.
 

Mu

NewBee
Registered Member
Sep 1, 2005
215
0
0
38
Melbourne
Thanks Oskaar, i will have a look, do they post to Australia? my rooms about 16c most of the time up to the high 20s in summer. so im looking about for Yeast. Now that i undersatnd how important chosing the right one is.

Mu.
 

Angus

Lifetime Patron
Lifetime GotMead Patron
Aug 19, 2005
908
0
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55
Milwaukee, WI
Hey Mu,

There are members of GM who own Home Brew stores and I am sure they will be happy to hook you up with supplies and ship them to you. Check around the members and look at their Web sites before contacting Lallemand directly.

Angus
 
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