I got to thinking, what are some of the best mead yeasts I’ve ever used? Next I tried to figure out what my top three yeasts would be, assuming I could only brew with those for the remainder of my brewing days. Now, I’m at the point where I think I’ve nailed it down. So I present, the last three mead yeast strains you’ll ever need. Of course, this is an opinion, and I invite you to share what your top three would be and why in the comments.

1. Red Star Montrachet Mead Yeast & Wine Yeast

This amazing strain is just about perfect in my book. It ferments to about 14-15% and quits there fairly reliably. While there are other easy ways to create a sweet mead, knowing I can make a must 1.125 and ferment it to get a semi-sweet mead without any extra work at the end is comforting. It drops clear fairly quick, and it leaves behind a great honey flavor with minimal aging. This strain is perfect for all your standard mead styles that don’t require high alcohol contents.

2. Wyeast Roeselare Blend

Of course, I need a sour blend in my bag of tricks. Wyeast’s Roeselare blend creates a balanced funky profile that leans sour when used in meads with a bit of maltodextrin. If I wanted to isolate brett for use in mead, I can use the second or third generation, as the souring bugs do not hold up as well as the brett. This makes Roeselare a great one-two punch for sour mead making.

3. Red Star Champagne Yeast

In the event that I need to ferment a big mead, I’m probably going to put my chips on good old champagne yeast. It’s reliable, not fussy, and has produced plenty of great high gravity meads. Just stay o top of your nutrition and temperature control and you will avoid any issues.





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