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Wine yeast for high alcohol: EC-1118

Lalvin EC-1118, the Prise de Mousse strain, is the go-to for high alcohol: a neutral, tolerant workhorse rated to around 18 percent that will also restart a stuck ferment.

Why EC-1118 for strong wines

When a wine, cider or mead needs to reach a high final alcohol, the yeast has to keep fermenting where weaker strains give up. EC-1118, the Prise de Mousse strain, carries an alcohol tolerance in the region of 18 percent and ferments strongly and reliably across a wide temperature range. It is neutral in flavour, so it pushes the sugar through without stamping its own character on the wine.

That combination of high tolerance and clean behaviour is why it is the default for strong and sparkling bases.

Sparkling and stuck ferments

The same qualities make EC-1118 a favourite for two other jobs. Its vigorous, clean fermentation and tolerance suit sparkling wine, where a reliable secondary fermentation is needed. And because it starts fast and pushes through difficult conditions, it is the strain many reach for to restart a ferment that has stalled, taking over where the original yeast stopped.

For a stuck ferment it is prized precisely because it is robust and neutral, finishing the job without adding off-flavours.

When another strain fits better

Neutrality cuts both ways. Where you want the yeast to add something, EC-1118 is the wrong choice. Lalvin 71B softens acidity and lends a fruity note, which suits country and fruit wines. Lalvin D47 favours whites and roses and prefers cooler temperatures. Choose EC-1118 for strength, reliability and a clean slate, and one of the character strains when the yeast is meant to shape the flavour.

Our per-strain pages list alcohol tolerance, temperature and flavour so you can match the wine yeast to the wine you want.

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Sources: Lallemand · Lalvin