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Mead yeast guide.
Picking a yeast sets your mead's alcohol ceiling, its temperature window, and much of its flavour. Profiles drawn straight from manufacturer data.
Lalvin 71B
~14%Ester-forward wine yeast that can partially metabolize malic acid — a friendly pick for fruit meads and early drinking.
15–30 °C (59–86 °F)Low nutrient need. nitrogenLalvin ICV-D47
~15%Round, full-bodied wine yeast well suited to traditional meads — keep it warm enough to avoid stressing it.
15–30 °C (59–86 °F)Low relative nitrogen demand under lab conditions. nitrogenLalvin EC-1118
up to 18%Robust, neutral champagne strain that tolerates osmotic and pressure stress — the go-to for difficult ferments and restarts.
10–30 °C (50–86 °F)Robust and tolerant of difficult conditions. nitrogenLalvin K1-V1116
up to 18%Floral ester producer that stays robust under difficult conditions — give it good nutrition for low-temperature aromatic ferments.
10–35 °C (50–95 °F)Benefits from good nutrition, especially for low-temperature aromatic use. nitrogen