September 23, 2021

Comparing Yeast Strains for Hard Cider

Comparing Yeast Strains for Hard Cider

Each year, during fall harvest and apple season, we get asked a lot of questions about making hard cider at home: What is the best yeast for fermenting hard cider? What difference can different yeasts make to the flavor of a hard cider? Can I use an ale strain or only wine and champagne strains? To help answer those questions, Northern Brewer team members Chip and Dan set up a taste panel for a batch of hard cider that was split six ways and fermented with six different yeasts including three newer SafCider strains from Fermentis; Cote des Blancs from Red Star; and two ale yeasts -- Safale US-05 and Nottingham from Lallemand.

Check out their tasting notes video and the yeast selections below as you plan for your hard cider making: We Compare Six Hard Cider Yeast Strains

Comparing Yeast Strains for Hard Cider

Featured Yeast Strains

Check out our Hard Cider 101: How to Make Hard Cider at Home class for in-depth info on making hard cider.

Read our extensive instructions on How to Make Hard Cider.

View all Northern Brewer Cider Making Equipment & Ingredients