# Bread yeast ABV?



## Coaster (Dec 3, 2006)

Just an experiment. I think I read that bread yeast will do about 7-8% alc. That sound about right? Am trying to make some sweet hard cider from all natural juice and thought with a SG of 1.080 it would drop to about 1.020 with bread yeast (right in the sweet range I am looking for).


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## jsmahoney (Dec 4, 2006)

Keep us informed! That is interesting!


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## masta (Dec 4, 2006)

I usedthree1/4 oz packets of Fleischman's regular active dry yeast in my 5 gallon batch of Ancient Clementine Mead and the yeast was pretty impressive with a 13.5% ABV when finished.


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## Coaster (Dec 4, 2006)

Wow. If that happens, guess we'll back sweeten.


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## Funky Fish (Dec 4, 2006)

Bread yeast that you buy in the grocery store can be one of several different strains. Therefore, while one package might ferment cleanly to 7 or 8%, another might ferment to 12 - 13%.


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## grapeman (Dec 4, 2006)

Coaster, where do you live? Another thought is to do like you say and check the SG often. When it reaches 1.015- 1.020 or so, set it out in a protected area like a garage or something similar. If you are in a cold environment, the wine will stop fermenting due to the cold temperatures. Just keep it above freezing. Let it stay there for a week or so and bring back in after making sure ferment stopped. At that point add stabilizer and it should clear within a few weeks to a month and be the desired sweetness. I have recently done this with a very sweet Niagara this fall and the flavors out twice what they normally are. It is almost clear now and I will be letting it bulk age a bit before bottling. I had retained more than needed to top off so naturally I had to drink it.


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## Coaster (Dec 6, 2006)

I'm in Central Texas but Iam helping my brother and his wife do this in OK. Since they've never done wine before (but he's done some beer) I don't want to make it too complicated. We'll let if ferment out and see if we need to back sweeten or not.


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## Dean (Dec 7, 2006)

most bread yeast from Fleishmans is actually Saccharomyces cerevisiae with Characteristics that make it good for bread. This is the same yeast family that we use for wine and beer. 

Everytime I've used Fleishmans yeast, my meads have gone to about 13.5% and once I got one up to about 16%. I thnk that you'll find most bread yeasts are quite the performers when it comes to fermentation.


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