mead made with bakers yeast?

[mexbigshow]

does anyone make their mead with bakers yeast rather than brewers yeast?
if so how much yeast do you use per gallon?
thanks for any replies

chris

 

[Brosville]

I haven't made any for over 30 years, but remember using wine yeast when I did - I seem to remember that bakers and brewers' yeasts were deemed unsuitable...

 

[itma]

Baker's yeast has limited alcohol tolerance (it gives up at low alcohol levels). And it won't help your brew to clear. 'Active Dry' has quite a lot of (yeast-tasting) dead yeast.

My strong suggestion is that you pop down to Wilkinson's (the homebrewer's high street shop of choice) and invest a couple of quid in a small tub of Young's Wine Yeast. It'll last for months, if not years.
http://www.wilkinsonplus.com/home-brewing/youngs-super-wine-yeast-comp-60g/invt/0022659/

Other sources are available, and other products.

 

[mexbigshow]

cheers for the replies, i usually go to the homebrew man on the indoor market but he's not there anymore i will give wilkinsons a try thanks

 

[Arfermo]

Definitely only use a wine yeast. The best imho is the Gervin range. It can be obtained online if your local brewshop doesn't stock - as mine doesn't since I moved house!!!

 

[Bee-Key-Pur]

Definitely only use a wine yeast. The best imho is the Gervin range. It can be obtained online if your local brewshop doesn't stock - as mine doesn't since I moved house!!!

Arfermo, can you tell me what the GV numbers stand for in the Gervin range and how do you know which one to choose?

Brian

 

[Arfermo]

Arfermo, can you tell me what the GV numbers stand for in the Gervin range and how do you know which one to choose?

Brian

Go to this 4U2brew.co.uk link http://www.4u2brew.co.uk/category_Ingredients_Yeasts_1.htm and click on the various images and you can read the explanation as to use for each type. generally speaking I stick to any high alcohol yeast to ensure max fermentation, adding sugar to get best result, then stabilise with 1 campden tablet followed by a tsp of Sorbistat which ensures yeast is dead, finally sweeten to taste as necessary.

 

[RoofTops]

My wife has made several batches of wine and one of mead using bakers' yeast. She was using a 1950s recipe book and I was somewhat scathing about the type of yeast - but I had to eat my words. The wines, including the mead, were excellent.

 

[WelshPaul]

Sorry if it's a stupid question but what does the Camden tablet do?


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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=51.647714,-3.022287

 

[JamezF]

Sorry if it's a stupid question but what does the Camden tablet do?

Basically a source of sulphur dioxide, which kills yeast and some bacteria. They're often used to halt fermentation leaving some sugar still present in the product, or to kill the yeast before bottling to prevent secondary fermentation.

James

 

[victor meldrew]

My wife has made several batches of wine and one of mead using bakers' yeast. She was using a 1950s recipe book and I was somewhat scathing about the type of yeast - but I had to eat my words. The wines, including the mead, were excellent.

A champagne yeast is recommended by some showmen!
It has high alcohol tolerance and a little sparkle .
To get a high finish you need a high starting gravity but the secret is to add honey at weekly intervals as yeasts can suffer from sugar narcosis !
Don't however brew to a strength over 15% proof
VM

 

[drstitson]

"if your local brewshop doesn't stock - as mine doesn't since I moved house!!!"

you must have been a good/regular customer!!!!!

 

[Arfermo]

Basically a source of sulphur dioxide, which kills yeast and some bacteria. They're often used to halt fermentation leaving some sugar still present in the product, or to kill the yeast before bottling to prevent secondary fermentation.

James

With aplogias to James, Campden tablet doesn't actiually kill the yeast - it merely stuns it and makes it vulnerable to Sorbistat (Youngs) which does finish the job so that secondary fermentation, in the bottle for instance, cannot take place even if the wine is sweetened slightly before bottling.

For the benefit of mead makers I attach a word doc I have OCR'd for the benefit of this site.View attachment 5368

 

[JamezF]

With aplogias to James, Campden tablet doesn't actiually kill the yeast - it merely stuns it and makes it vulnerable to Sorbistat (Youngs) which does finish the job so that secondary fermentation, in the bottle for instance, cannot take place even if the wine is sweetened slightly before bottling.

I didn't know that, so thank you for pointing it out. I mainly brew beer and cider which I usually ferment pretty much all the sugar out of (and I can live with a little secondary fermentation after bottling anyhow), so I don't actually use them very often. If I get to the point of needing to do so I shall have to do some reading first.

James

 

[BigAshW]

Baker's yeast is fine. It normally has a tolerance of about 12%abv so you mill need to adjust your og to suit however it generally performs very well.

Its main issue is that it doesn't form such a nice compact yeast cake at the bottom so it's a bit harder to rack.

I've made plenty of mead with baker's yeast and produced good results.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Is this post in the right hole?

You wouldn't want your mead leaking out of your backpack would you?

 

[user 819]

Wow, a eleven year resurrection of a thread.
And JamezF hasn't changed one bit from his life like avatar.

 

[mbc]

This is the one I prefer, with a fermaidO and goferm nutrients added during the brewing.