Cider yeast: which one to use
Data sheetPick the yeast by the cider you want: bone dry, fruitier, ale-style or sparkling.
Which yeast to use for cider: M02, WLP775 or EC-1118 for a dry cider, WLP720 for a sweeter one, QA23 for aroma, Nottingham for an ale-yeast cider and CBC-1 for bottle-conditioned sparkling cider.
Source data checked 6 October 2026.
Which yeast for the job
YeastMatch assessment, using only the uses each maker lists for the strain. Figures are the makers' published data.
| A dry, crisp cider | Mangrove Jack's M02 CiderMangrove Jack's · 12 to 28 C (54 to 82 F) White Labs WLP775 English CiderWhite Labs · 20 to 24 C (68 to 75 F) · Very High (15 %+) Lalvin EC-1118Lallemand · 10 to 30 C (50 to 86 F) · 18 % ABV M02 and WLP775 are dedicated cider strains that ferment dry while keeping fresh apple aroma; EC-1118 is the neutral champagne option Lallemand lists for cider. |
|---|---|
| A sweeter cider | White Labs WLP720 Sweet Mead / WineWhite Labs · 21 to 24 C (70 to 75 F) · High (10 to 15 %) White Labs lists WLP720 for cider and states it leaves more residual sweetness than its champagne strain. |
| A more aromatic cider | Lalvin QA23Lallemand · 14 to 28 C (57 to 82 F) · 16 % ABV Lallemand lists QA23 for cider; it lifts aroma rather than stripping it. |
| An ale-yeast cider | LalBrew NottinghamLallemand · 10 to 25 C (50 to 77 F) · 14 % ABV Lallemand lists Nottingham for cider as well as ales: a neutral to slightly fruity strain that is easy to find. |
| Sparkling, bottle-conditioned cider | LalBrew CBC-1Lallemand · 20 to 30 C (68 to 86 F) · 12 to 14 % ABV conditioning; 18 % ABV in cider and mead CBC-1 is a conditioning strain, not a primary yeast: Lallemand lists it for sparkling cider, and it adds carbonation without changing the flavour. |
Where to buy these yeasts
No prices shown: they change daily.
YeastMatch notes
The dry-cider strains here take apple juice almost completely dry. For a sweeter cider, ferment dry, then back-sweeten and stabilise, or use a strain that leaves residual sweetness such as WLP720.
Mangrove Jack's notes that M02 produces more fruity esters at warmer temperatures.
All of these ferment at room temperature, so cider needs no fermentation fridge; check each strain's range in the table.
The strains in full
Sources: Mangrove Jack's Craft Series yeast chart (attenuation, alcohol tolerance, temperature) · White Labs WLP775 English Cider Yeast product page · Lallemand Lalvin EC-1118 Technical Data Sheet · Lallemand Lalvin EC-1118 product page · White Labs WLP720 Sweet Mead/Wine Yeast product page · Lallemand Lalvin QA23 product page · Lallemand Oenology Yeast Quick Reference Chart (alcohol tolerance and temperature limits) · Lallemand LalBrew Nottingham Technical Data Sheet · Lallemand LalBrew Nottingham product page · Lallemand LalBrew CBC-1 Cask & Bottle Conditioning Technical Data Sheet