Yeast suggestions

[cooknhogz]

Wife wanted a Blackberry and a Black Cherry for the holidays. So, I purchased Winexpert Island Mist in both flavors. I already know without opening the yeast is probably EC 1118 I would like to change it up a bit and swap out the yeast to start. I’ll also be bumping the ABV up slightly with corn sugar. Any suggestions? Have a great day.

 

[Johnd]

Wife wanted a Blackberry and a Black Cherry for the holidays. So, I purchased Winexpert Island Mist in both flavors. I already know without opening the yeast is probably EC 1118 I would like to change it up a bit and swap out the yeast to start. I’ll also be bumping the ABV up slightly with corn sugar. Any suggestions? Have a great day.

Lalvin K1-V1116 is considered to be a pretty good yeast for fruit wines and the one we turn to when doing fruits. I've also seen some folks be pretty satisfied with Lalvin 71B-1122, which ferments well and will also remove some of the Malic acid from your fruit, helping smooth the wine out a bit.

 

[cmason1957]

These aren't fruit wines, but a red wine base with a heavy fruit flavored syrup added after fermentation. I would use the EC-1118, you have no idea what grapes the base is. I would add 4 lbs of sugar to increase the abv up to about 10-11% and make them like that. You will want to taste test them before you just blindly blend them.

 

[Johnd]

These aren't fruit wines, but a red wine base with a heavy fruit flavored syrup added after fermentation. I would use the EC-1118, you have no idea what grapes the base is. I would add 4 lbs of sugar to increase the abv up to about 10-11% and make them like that. You will want to taste test them before you just blindly blend them.

Good catch, I must have glossed over the Island Mist, it's only in capitals..............LOL

 

[cooknhogz]

Thanks guys for the suggestions, I have only done the Strawberry white merlot in the Island Mist and used the EC 1118 it came with and it came out great.