High alcohol toleratant wine yeast

[Ken L]

When I was a kid, I used a high alcohol toleratant wine yeast bought from the local HB store to make a five gallon batch of elderberry wine with a super high fruit content.
The results were fantastic.
If I can find a good local source of berries I'll be looking to repeate the excersise this year but am having a hard time tracking down a suitable yeast.
Yes there are the turbo yeasts but I don't really fancy this for wine as they're basically intended for brewing with a simple sugar solution and I'd rather that the process was slower but quality.
Can anyone recomend me a readily available yeast that will brew out to 15 - 20% ABV ?

 

[granda]

lalvin ec-1118 is the one your looking for

 

[Ken L]

Thanks Granda. The spec says it'll do 18% wich is ideal for what i have in mind.
Just a shame that I put an order for some stuff together last week and I've just checked and the suplier that I used carrries it so I could have got it delivered for free if I'd included it. in my order.
Oh well, I guess I have about five weeks before I have to have it so time enough for another order.

 

[Moley]

Can anyone recomend me a readily available yeast that will brew out to 15 - 20% ABV ?

All I use is Harris's ‘Super Yeast’ GP yeast compound.
Young's do one too, it's probably the same stuff, or very similar.
I know mine will handle 19%.

Don't rely on that though, it's usually a better idea to give it 75% of your sugar from the start and then feed the fermentation with small additions of sugar as it nears its completion.

Do you ever have cause to travel near Gornal or Blackheath?

I probably visit the Harris shop (Gornal) every 3-4 weeks so I'd always be happy to pick up anything you needed.

 

[Ken L]

Thanks for the offer Moley but as I say I'm probably going to have cause to put an order together in the next few weeks anyway.
I used Harris (If it's the one I'm thinking of) when I lived in Smethwick - good service and free local delivery.

BTW, How much are you paying for your sugar ?
It's as expensive as hell in Kiddy but the Asian Supermarket (on Cape Hill) does two 1kg bags for £1. Latiffs apparently do it at the same price in Birmingham city centre.

 

[Moley]

Harris are on Zoar Street in Gornal. There's also a useful stall on Blackheath Market, open Friday, Saturday and one other which I can't remember.

You can get some of the basics from Wilkinson's.

I tend to stock up on sugar when Netto have it on a weekend special at 59p/kg. That happened last weekend, and I think I got 20kg.

 

[Ken L]

Tesco's in Kidderminster too - and their beer kits are very well priced.

If you happen to be in Smethwick, you should pop into the Asian. 9p a kilo cheaper than Netto and lots of those interesting "world foods" thist you like - ginger, garlic, chillies, coriander etc are cheap as chips.

 

[Moley]

Tesco's in Kidderminster too - and their beer kits are very well priced.

I've never seen any homebrew in our Tesco, is this very recent and where have they hidden it?

For ethnic supermarkets I would be more likely to visit Woverhampton, although our own corner shop (Hurcott & Turton) has a good selection.

 

[CptnCrackoff]

I think its just the mega stores that do homebrew stuff. Nearest one to me is near London. My local tesco extra does cheap kegs at 22 quid.

 

[Turbotez]

Monday is the other day Blackheath Market is open :thumb:

 

[Ken L]

I've never seen any homebrew in our Tesco, is this very recent and where have they hidden it?

Go into the store and look left, on the wall you will see two huge signs saying "Books" anf "Entertainment" the HB stuff is right between them next to the fire exit.
Scrub what I said about good prices though. The Stout kit that I had got my eye on at £8 looked like good value but when I checked today it only makes 16 pints. The other stuff is also cheaper at Wilkinsons.

 

[Drunken_Jock]

my wife works for tesco and she didnt know they did them.

After searching tesco.com all i could find was brew buddies

 

[Drunken_Jock]

my wife works for tesco and she didnt know they did them.

After searching tesco.com all i could find was brew buddies.

http://direct.tesco.com/search/default. ... onfirm.y=8