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Yeast tests

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I'm just a bit curious about the K1V attenuation.

I know that it's listed to go to 18%, but has anyone here actually gotten that?

In my muddling through the web, I seem to see typical ABV results in the 12%-16% range.

My own - admitedly very limited - experience has my mead just shy of 15%. I'll be the first to admit that it's nothing to gauge overall performance by.

I'm just curious as to whether it's been attained by anyone here in a mead.
 
I have a cyser that's made with K1V that's sitting at about 18% now. I goosed it after primary with some more cider and it maxed it'self out. It's a bit young and some aging will do nicely.

Here's a link to Scott Laboratories with information on the Laffort Yeasts that Pewter referenced in his chart above for anyone not familiar with the Laffort yeasts (they're used pretty heavily in wine production, especially where I live in California):

http://www.scottlaboratories.com/products/fermentation/yeast.asp

The D-47 is listed on the Lallemand website as 12 - 14% ABV which I can verify from personal experience as I have a sweet show mead that is sitting at 14.4% as I type this. Here's the Lalvin reference chart:

http://consumer.lallemand.com/danstar-lalvin/refchart.html

Hey Pewter, that's an interesting chart you got in your class. Is that available somewhere on the web, or something that was passed out as a class addendum? Neat stuff.

Oskaar
 
Oskaar,

I have a request in to the person that taught the class to dig up where he got it. All I have is a hardcopy that was cut and pasted into my mead journal. I will post a link when I get it...
 
Woo hoo!

Just received three one gallon buckets of honey. One sage blossom, one clover blossom and one western buckwheat blossom. Life is good.

I think I'll use the orange blossome for the yeast test. Has everyone had time to check on the yeasts yet?

Who will be participating?

Oskaar
 
I figure I'll let you guys put in your $.02 on the yeasts. I still have to go out and get some supplies first. We should probably discuss a start date once we decide on the yeasts.


DE
 
As I indicated earlier I'm with Svaros on the yeast choices which were:

Lalvin (Lallemand):
ICV D-47
RC212
71B

Red Star (Le Saffre):
Montrachet
Pasteur Red

Oskaar
 
Since we're going to do a five gallon batch, and we'll be doing a medium sweet mead I think we should leave it until the next round, which I hope will follow this one closely :D

Oskaar
 
I'm in...

Is there any single place that I can get all 5 yeasts online?

We need to start reviewing the procedures...

1. Each uses their own techniques to create 5 gallons of must. This includes energizer, pasteurization, etc. What about tannins?

2. Use enough honey based on the heartiest yeast being able to ferment to completion with a little sweetness to spare?

3. Only rack once at completion and a second time before bottling? Rack each mead the same number of times?

4. I do not believe we all have to be exactly synch'd since room temps and such will vary and so completion rates may vary. But the goal is to complete at about the same time.

5. All batches from each individual brewer are cleared by the same method (aging, chill, fining agent, etc.) though different brewers may use different methods?

6. Age in bulk or in bottles? I suggest bulk this first time. How long do we age? 6 months after completion? 8? 10?

Just thinkin' out loud....
 
I'm a bit stubborn on some of these..... Not to say that we as a group have to do it my way, or that I couldn't be talked into doing something different, but...

Pewter_of_Deodar said:
1. Each uses their own techniques to create 5 gallons of must. This includes energizer, pasteurization, etc. What about tannins?
Click to expand...
I don't use added tannins in anything. Ever. It'll be hard to talk me into this one.

2. Use enough honey based on the heartiest yeast being able to ferment to completion with a little sweetness to spare?
Click to expand...
Sounds good. We should choose an OG and start there. I haven't sat down to calculate a suggestion yet.

3. Only rack once at completion and a second time before bottling? Rack each mead the same number of times?
Click to expand...
I rack at least twice, depending on the amount of lees. I'm inclined to say that racking should be at the discretion of each meadmaker, though good records should be kept.

4. I do not believe we all have to be exactly synch'd since room temps and such will vary and so completion rates may vary. But the goal is to complete at about the same time.
Click to expand...
Again, there will be some unavoidable differences. Each meadmaker should keep good records.

5. All batches from each individual brewer are cleared by the same method (aging, chill, fining agent, etc.) though different brewers may use different methods?
Click to expand...
I only clear through aging, though I think it is reasonable to vary clearing methods by brewer.

6. Age in bulk or in bottles? I suggest bulk this first time. How long do we age? 6 months after completion? 8? 10?
Click to expand...
I only bulk age, a minimum of 9 months. More if it isn't clear yet. This is one case where I think uniformity is important.
 
Scott,

Tannins would be up to the brewer but if he uses them in one, he must use the same amount in all. Same with any other chemicals or additives of any kind. We want to be tasting the differences caused by the yeasts, not by differing amounts of some other substances, whatever it might be...

OG should be for about 16 percent ABV? So everything has some margin to ferment to completion?

On racking, I would say that the only restriction would be that "if you rack one, you rack all of them". We don't want to disqualify a yeast because we left the must on the lees longer than we did for another yeast.

The racking differences between brewers won't matter as long as they are the same differences for every batch.

The fining differences between brewers won't matter as long as they are the same differences for every batch.

The aging differences between brewers won't matter as long as they are the same differences for every batch.

Again, just thinking out loud... always open to discussion... no hard and fast rules...
 
All of the different yeastie thingies have been ordered!!!!

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

I am doing mine with Goldenrod honey since someone already said they were doing Orange Blossom...
 
Scott,
I agree with your methods (and start date), but would like to suggest that we add yeast nutrient to the batches, especially since we're testing D47 and it needs nutrient. I don't want to inconvienence those who have already placed orders or sourced their yeast, but it would probably be a good idea.


Thoughts?


DE
 
I have the nutrient and the energizer so I'm on board with that too. Generally I've used only 1 tsp of nutrient for 5 gallons but for this test I have no problem with 2 tsp.

Oskaar
 
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