Yeast guide

Lalvin K1-V1116

K1-V1116 is the yeast for imperfect conditions. It ferments across a huge temperature range, tolerates low nutrients, and still manages fresh, lightly floral esters rather than going flat and neutral.

10 to 35°C
Ferments at
18% ABV
Alcohol tolerance
Lallemand
Maker

What it's like

That resilience makes it a quiet favourite for country wine made in sheds, garages and kitchens where the temperature does what it likes. It is also strong (18%) and competitive, so like EC-1118 it can restart a struggling batch.

Flavour wise it sits between 71B and EC-1118: more character than the champagne yeast, less overt fruitiness than 71B. A very safe pair of hands for almost any fruit wine.

Use it for

Fruit wines, difficult ferments, wide temperature swings. Pick it when your fermenting spot runs cold, hot, or unpredictable, and you still want some charm in the glass.

Plan the batch: honey for a mead, sugar for a wine, then ABV from your readings. All free.

Other yeasts in the guide

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