LALVIN EC-1118 Yeast

Description

EC-1118 Champagne Yeast is the versatile workhorse of fermented beverages beyond beer — a neutral, highly attenuating strain originally isolated in the Champagne wine region of France. It has been adopted by homebrewers worldwide for its remarkable tolerance to high alcohol levels, wide fermentation temperature range, and ability to ferment virtually any sugar source to dryness. Whether you are brewing a dry cider, a mead, a fruit wine, or a ginger beer, EC-1118 delivers a reliable, clean result without the risk of stuck fermentations that plague less robust strains.

Fermentation Notes

EC-1118 is a highly competitive yeast strain — it produces sulphur dioxide and other compounds that suppress competing yeast and bacteria, making it highly effective at completing fermentations reliably even in challenging conditions. This competitive character also makes it useful for restarting stuck fermentations in wine or mead where a less robust strain has stopped before reaching terminal gravity. Its very high alcohol tolerance (up to 18% ABV) means it will not quit early on high-gravity batches. Strong flocculation means it typically drops clear once fermentation is complete, leaving a bright finished product without filtration. One key consideration: EC-1118 ferments aggressively dry — it will strip residual sweetness from a cider or mead if allowed to finish completely. For sweeter styles, back-sweeten post-fermentation, stop fermentation early, or blend with a less-attenuating batch.

What You Can Make

• Dry Apple Cider — EC-1118 produces a clean, crisp cider with very high attenuation. A typical starting gravity of 1.050 ferments to below 1.000, producing a bone-dry, wine-like cider at around 5–6% ABV. A small malic acid addition and campden pre-fermentation yields a commercial-quality result.
• Traditional Mead — one of the most widely used mead yeasts globally. EC-1118 handles high-gravity honey musts well; add yeast nutrients in staggered doses (TOSNA protocol) to support healthy fermentation. A standard show mead finishes dry at 14–18% ABV depending on honey addition.
• Country Wine (Fruit, Flower, Vegetable) — suitable for virtually any fruit wine. Its neutral character lets the fruit express itself; its competitive nature and alcohol tolerance ensure a reliable finish regardless of starting gravity or fruit composition.
• Ginger Beer (fermented adult style) — ferment a high-sugar ginger wort to dryness with EC-1118 for a dry, intensely gingery properly fermented ginger beer. Target 4–6% ABV for a session ginger beer; higher sugar additions produce a ginger wine.

In Australian conditions, EC-1118’s wide temperature range (10–30°C) makes it a genuinely all-seasons strain — it ferments happily in a summer garage in Queensland or a cold winter cellar in Tasmania. For wine and mead applications, maintaining a consistent temperature around 18°C during primary fermentation produces the cleanest results. Temperature swings during active fermentation can increase sulphur production in wine-like applications; this typically dissipates with a brief settling period post-fermentation.

In the Glass

EC-1118 contributes a neutral to slightly wine-like character — a clean fermentation platform that lets the base ingredients express themselves. Finished products are typically very dry and brilliantly clear. The high carbonation tolerance makes it suitable for sparkling applications as well as still products. A flexible strain that works across almost every non-beer fermented beverage category.

EC-1118 Champagne Yeast is in stock and ships Australia-wide. 5g sachet. The essential yeast for wine, cider, mead and country wine brewing at home.