After reading Billy Beltz’ article “Can Ale Yeast Make Great Mead?” in the May/June 2016 Zymurgy, I am excited to try WLP001 in my mead. A couple of concerns that I have though deal with a good start/fermentation, and alcohol tolerance. I make mead often, so I am familiar with and use go-ferm and staggered nutrient additions.
I would like to ask Billy if he was able to take WLP001 to 14% like my traditional mead is when I use 25% honey and 75% h2o. Or better yet, can it take a Cyser to 18% using 25% honey and 75% cider? I’m thinking I might have to start the fermentation using WLP001 to set the flavor profile and then use a clean wine or champagne yeast to achieve the desired ABV, sweetness, and mouthfeel.
Any thoughts? Any first hand experience?
Our club did a experiment for the 2014 NHC in Grand Rapids. Same must different yeast. One yeast was 1056/001, the Chico yeast. Staggered nutrient additions were used. It got to 15% ABV, but took longer than the wine yeasts. There were many wine yeasts that made mead that tasted better to me, but some liked the Chico just fine.