New - but NOT new. and a Blueberry Yeast Question

[TDick]

Good Afternoon!
It's been a few YEARS since I've posted - even visited!
Hope all my all friends are alive and kicking!

A major life change. Downsized and moved in 23 to the other end of Alabama.
Part of my moved resulted in gifting my copper still - and he still hasn't done anything with it.
But I still have the itch that needs to be scratched - if only for a little bit.
Setting up a new still is not an option so I just received an Air Still - no haters please.
I will have fresh blueberries available very soon as well as possibly raw honey for something like Mead.
Also thinking about using the Air Still to refine and/or flavor commercial booze.
Not like before but Asi Es La Vida.

So I'll be back visiting again but I do have a technical question for "The Experts".
In making SOMETHING with the blueberries, what is the best yeast to use?
I don't want something completely dry and focusing on retaining those flavors.
Would Lalvin K1-V1116 be best?
I'm thinking better than a more powerful EC-1118.
Appreciate any advice, and glad to be back!

From a BREWING website:

K1 V-1116 yeast is a versatile yeast that will produce a fresh and fruity tasting wine, cider, or mead.

Lalvin ICV K1-V1116 yeast for alcohol is perfect for hard ciders and melomels (fruit mead), as it preserves and enhances the flavours and fruity aromas.

The natural fresh fruit aromas are preserved longer than with other standard yeast strains (such as champagne yeast).

[Saltbush Bill]

Welcome back TDick, long time no see.
I'll leave the berry question for those with more fruit fermenting experience.
As for the Mead here is a link to a good mead recipe that I posted up elsewhere.
Stick exactly to that recipe and I doubt you can go wrong.
https://australianhomedistiller.com.au/ ... 154e11def5

[greggn]

In making SOMETHING with the blueberries, what is the best yeast to use?

I've had good success using Lalvin 71B when making mead with a blackberry/blueberry mix as well as with tart cherry.

[OtisT]

Welcome back TDick.

[TDick]

Welcome back TDick, long time no see.
I'll leave the berry question for those with more fruit fermenting experience.
As for the Mead here is a link to a good mead recipe that I posted up elsewhere.
Stick exactly to that recipe and I doubt you can go wrong.
https://australianhomedistiller.com.au/ ... 154e11def5

Thanks Bill - glad to be back.
It's an interesting transition.
Moved from a city - county population over 200,000 - to a SMALL - population 5,000 -
agricultural little town about 90 miles from The Redneck Riviera on The Gulf of America.
It's been great but it IS taking some getting used to - EVERYTHING is less than 5 minutes away.
Also, when out walking the dog I regularly hear gunfire - from the nearby Gun & Skeet Club.

I have bookmarked the Mead Recipe - thanks so much!
One of my new acquaintances here has told me more about the production of Honey than I ever imagined.
He - well his Bees - produce a bunch of different varieties.
He's told me his best comes from honey gathered near Chinese Tallow - Popcorn - Trees.
And he just dropped off a jar gathered near a local sunflower field.
Not sure he's harvested near another friend who has the blueberry "orchard/vineyard".
A few hundred bushes, last summer I gathered several 5 gallon buckets eat and put in the freezer.

I've had good success using Lalvin 71B when making mead with a blackberry/blueberry mix as well as with tart cherry.

One thing about the mead recipe may have addressed the other question about yeast.
It's adamant about using bread yeast because the alcohol tolerance is down at 12% compared to 14-18% with the wine yeasts.
(Lalvin claims the K-1 is up at the higher tolerances of 18% while the 71B is lower at 14%)

Since I want a "sweeter" mead and brandy, the 12% or 14% sounds like the better alternative.
Actually sounds like an opportunity to compare the two.
Thanks again!

[BlackStrap]

Good to have you back T-Dick..

[Saltbush Bill]

bread yeast because the alcohol tolerance is down at 12% compared to 14-18%

That is the whole point of using the bread yeast in that recipe.
If you don't want to use bread yeast you might as well find a different recipe and use that.
I've made a few batches of this, it's a great beginning recipe imo.

[Pure Old Possum Piss]

Welcome back TDick, long time no see.
I'll leave the berry question for those with more fruit fermenting experience.
As for the Mead here is a link to a good mead recipe that I posted up elsewhere.
Stick exactly to that recipe and I doubt you can go wrong.
https://australianhomedistiller.com.au/ ... 154e11def5

Thanks Bill - glad to be back.
It's an interesting transition.
Moved from a city - county population over 200,000 - to a SMALL - population 5,000 -
agricultural little town about 90 miles from The Redneck Riviera on The Gulf of America.
It's been great but it IS taking some getting used to - EVERYTHING is less than 5 minutes away.
Also, when out walking the dog I regularly hear gunfire - from the nearby Gun & Skeet Club.

I have bookmarked the Mead Recipe - thanks so much!
One of my new acquaintances here has told me more about the production of Honey than I ever imagined.
He - well his Bees - produce a bunch of different varieties.
He's told me his best comes from honey gathered near Chinese Tallow - Popcorn - Trees.
And he just dropped off a jar gathered near a local sunflower field.
Not sure he's harvested near another friend who has the blueberry "orchard/vineyard".
A few hundred bushes, last summer I gathered several 5 gallon buckets eat and put in the freezer.

I've had good success using Lalvin 71B when making mead with a blackberry/blueberry mix as well as with tart cherry.

One thing about the mead recipe may have addressed the other question about yeast.
It's adamant about using bread yeast because the alcohol tolerance is down at 12% compared to 14-18% with the wine yeasts.
(Lalvin claims the K-1 is up at the higher tolerances of 18% while the 71B is lower at 14%)

Since I want a "sweeter" mead and brandy, the 12% or 14% sounds like the better alternative.
Actually sounds like an opportunity to compare the two.
Thanks again!

Sounds like you're not too far from Dothan. I'm on the Choctawhatchee. PCB is no longer the Redneck Riviera, it's all commercial now. You can't even see the Gulf from Front Beach Rd anymore, and if you work on the beach you can no longer afford to live there.

[TDick]

Not far from Dothan at all.
Moved from Tuscaloosa- we always went to Gulf Shores instead of PCB - and that was even before Orange Beach.
Florida-Bama was a 2 room package store & bar.
Moved here back to SWMBO’s hometown.
She’s been to PCB THREE times to see old friends.
I haven’t even sniffed it yet
I’m enjoying it so far - except for the gnats!

[NZChris]

It's nice to see you back again.

My favorite mead recipe, from Joe Mattioli. insisted on bakers yeast. I've used his method three times over twelve years and each batch has produced fine products. I still have bottles from all of the batches, each batch being separate ferments of different types of honey, which I try to keep separate. Blending does happen on bottling days and everything is labeled.

My youngest bottles are nearly five years old now. Time flies when you are having fun.

[IAmPistolPete]

With that volume you can make a great no sugar/no water 8-9% blueberry wine. BBs are mostly water anyways. 71b is good but I love RC-212 for this. Really brings the fruit forward. Crush, ferment on the skins [make sure you use pectic enzyme], then press. It legit will taste like a good Pinot Noir in 6-8 months.

[sadie33]

Hello and welcome back!!