In today's response on the question of whether there are more or less "beer yeasts" these days, Dr. Cone mentioned that many yeasts currently considered to be "wine yeasts" may produce excellent beer.

First let me say thanks for participating in FOY. We may not say it enough, but it is greatly appreciated. My questions concern sulfites and brewing yeast. I started making wine before I started brewing so I am comfortable with using sulfites.

1) Do brewing yeast have the same resistance to sulfites as do commercially available wine yeasts?

-Andrew Jepeal

Questions for the panel:

1. Relating to mead/wine:

The first books I read on homebrewing all talked about the dangers of autolysis. I have only experienced it in several meads that I made with wine yeast and that was after two or three years in the *primary* fermenter on the entire yeast cake.