Lalvin ICV-D21 is a good higher temp yeast (15-28C), if you can get it.
Try to stay to the lower end of the yeast's temp range.
Try to stay to the lower end of the yeast's temp range.
Recommendations for yeast
- Thread starter THawk
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D47 is fine at lower temps, 71B is the one that gets more likely to stall out when too cool in my experience.
Don't worry about your burps per minute/second compared to anyone else, it's utterly meaningless. How full the airlock, type of airlock, amount of headspace, minute leaks (even if you think you don't have one you easily could).
SG readings is the only thing to worry about, if it's dropping less than 10 points a day then it's slower than normal (assuming it's the beginning of the ferment, later it'll slow down) but not a bad thing either, less than 5 and I personally start to stress out a bit.
Don't worry about your burps per minute/second compared to anyone else, it's utterly meaningless. How full the airlock, type of airlock, amount of headspace, minute leaks (even if you think you don't have one you easily could).
SG readings is the only thing to worry about, if it's dropping less than 10 points a day then it's slower than normal (assuming it's the beginning of the ferment, later it'll slow down) but not a bad thing either, less than 5 and I personally start to stress out a bit.
My problem might be temperature... Room temperature is in the low 20's Centigrade... D-47 has a range of 15-20
Above about 21-22 C, you start making paint thinner with D47 and I'd choose a different strain. D21 is good. K1V would be my first choice.
So my sweet mead might end up as "sweet rocket fuel"? Might not necessarily be a bad thing -- Filipinos love sweets, especially sweets with a kick. My co-worker's husband loved the sample I gave them. It was some leftover rocket fuel when I re-racked my first batch (stormthecastle recipe) into water bottles... (see the thread on my JAO variant for details).
Won't K1V send it into dryness?
As for 71b stalling at low temps, no worries about that...
Won't K1V send it into dryness?
As for 71b stalling at low temps, no worries about that...
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Yes.
But that is what stabilizing and backsweetening are meant for.
There may be other yeast that will perform well in the 24-30 C range but you may need to run some side by side tests to find them. The HotMead Yeast Test (in the Patron's area) was very enlightening.
I wouldn't necessarily equate "rocket fuel" with good alcohol burn - around here the term rocket fuel seems to be used both to describe high ABV burn that hasn't integrated yet, and also fusel alcohol unpleasantness.
I'd go for the happy burn of a lower temp ferment personally.
I'd go for the happy burn of a lower temp ferment personally.
That's about the same way I'd describe the first batch I made... harsh liquid that plasters you to the back wall on the first sip...
Not to make excuses but with power and fuel prices on the rise here, investing in a cooling system (i.e. either a fan or an AC) to cool my fermenter is a bit out of the question. So am I now limited to either K1V or 71B to create my blueberry mead - and backsweetening it when the K1V ferments it to dryness?
Temperature in the office (in front of 2 ACs is still about 23-24 C) which kinda makes D-47 a bit out of the question (unless I plan on putting the finished product in my car!)...
Temperature in the office (in front of 2 ACs is still about 23-24 C) which kinda makes D-47 a bit out of the question (unless I plan on putting the finished product in my car!)...
As mmclean pointed out, D21 is also a good choice.
Beyond that, you can try other yeast and let us know which ones you find taste good (after a year or so).
Beyond that, you can try other yeast and let us know which ones you find taste good (after a year or so).
That too -- unfortunately it's not one of the yeasts I ordered...
Currently I only have K1V on hand; 71B is en route...
I have to agree. I used Cotes dec Blancs for the first time recently. I have four different traditional meads in the seconday right now. Different honey, different yeast, but pretty much the same nutrient and pH levels. All were supposed to be about 12-13% ABV at S.G. = 1.000.
The fermentation was at about 60 degrees F. The Cotes dec Blancs crapped out at 11.6% ABV at S.G. = 1.009, while the 71B and D47 reached 1.000 or less. The Cotes dec Blancs batch was good, but just a bit too sweet for my tastes. I moved the primary upstairs for 10 days where the temperature was about 10 degrees warmer in hopes that the fermentation would re-start. It did not.
On the plus side, the Cotes dec Blancs mead flocculated very nicely. It cleared quicker than the other yeasts.
I would be pretty interested in this too, perhaps even some info on nutrition/feeding since I know JAO was designed to provide lots of nitrogen to the bread yeast to keep them happy.
You can use bread yeast, and make good meads, but bread yeast tend to not settle and clear as quickly, and they may leave more of a "yeasty" flavor behind - that can be good or bad depending on what you want.
