This chart collects the dry yeasts home fermenters reach for most, with the three numbers that decide whether a strain suits your batch: how much alcohol it can make, the temperature it likes, and what it does to flavour. Strains with their own detailed page are linked below the chart.
Yeast strain chart
| Strain | Type | Alcohol tolerance | Temperature | Flavour | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lalvin EC-1118 | Wine (Champagne) | ~18% | 10–30°C (50–86°F) | Neutral, dry | Strong and dry meads, sparkling, cider, restarting stuck ferments |
| Lalvin 71B | Wine | ~14% | 15–30°C (59–86°F) | Fruity, softens malic acid | Fruit meads, cyser, fruit wines, young reds and rosés |
| Lalvin D47 | Wine | ~14–15% | 15–20°C (59–68°F) | Floral, full mouthfeel | Traditional and varietal-honey meads, whites |
| Lalvin K1V-1116 | Wine | ~18% | 10–35°C (50–95°F) | Fresh fruit and floral | High-gravity fruit meads, fruit wines |
| Lalvin QA23 | Wine | ~16% | 15–32°C (59–90°F) | Citrus, tropical | Crisp whites, cider, light meads |
| Lalvin RC212 | Wine | ~16% | 20–30°C (68–86°F) | Red fruit, spice | Red wines, dark-fruit meads |
| Fermentis SafAle US-05 | Ale | ~9–11% | 18–26°C (64–79°F) | Clean, neutral | American ales, IPAs, cider |
| Fermentis SafAle S-04 | Ale | ~9–11% | 15–20°C (59–68°F) | Light fruit, malty | English ales, bitters, porters |
| Lallemand Nottingham | Ale | ~14% | 10–22°C (50–72°F) | Clean, neutral | Ales, cider, lager-like beers at cool temperatures |
| Lallemand Voss Kveik | Ale (kveik) | ~12% | 25–40°C (77–104°F) | Orange peel | Fast, hot ferments without temperature control |
Figures are typical manufacturer ranges. Real tolerance depends on nutrients, temperature and pitch rate, and a stressed yeast stops short of its limit.
Related calculator
Yeast Starter & Pitch Rate Calculator
Work out how much yeast to pitch from batch size, gravity, and beer type — target cell count, liquid packs, and dry yeast grams.
Detailed strain pages
- Lalvin EC-1118: tolerance, temperature, when to use it, and restarting stuck fermentations.
- Lalvin 71B: malic acid, fruit meads and cyser, and the killer-factor caution.
- Fermentis SafAle US-05: attenuation, temperature, and pitching dry or rehydrated.
For mead specifically, the best yeast for mead guide compares 71B, EC-1118 and D47 head to head.
How to choose a yeast
Before pitching, see how to rehydrate yeast, and for baking versus brewing yeast, active dry vs instant yeast.
