Cider Yeast vs Saison Yeast – Which One Makes Better Cider?
Cider Yeast vs Saison Yeast – Which One Makes Better Cider?
I do these experiments so you don’t have to.
And sometimes… that means questioning things that feel obvious.
If you brew cider, you use cider yeast. Right?
Well… probably. But after years of brewing beer, dabbling in cider, fermenting under pressure, and generally being that annoying nerd who always asks “what if?”, I realized something a bit embarrassing:
I had never actually brewed cider with proper cider yeast.
And I’d never brewed one with Saison yeast either.
So obviously, the only reasonable solution was to brew the same cider, split it in two, ferment both under identical conditions, and let the yeast fight it out.
Let’s kick it.
🎥 Watch the Full Experiment
This blog post is based on a full split-batch experiment where I brewed, fermented, tasted, and compared both ciders side by side on video.
If you want to see the pours, clarity differences, aroma reactions, tasting notes, and the moment I (very reluctantly) call a winner, you can watch the full video here:
(Trust me — the glasses tell half the story.)
Why Yeast Choice Matters More Than You Think
When we talk about cider, we usually focus on:
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Juice quality
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Apple varieties
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Sweetness vs dryness
But yeast? Yeast is doing all the real work.
It doesn’t just turn sugar into alcohol — it shapes aroma, mouthfeel, clarity, perceived sweetness, acidity, and the overall vibe of the drink.
Two ciders can finish at the same gravity and the same ABV, yet still taste like completely different beverages.
So the real question is:
Do you really need cider yeast to make great cider?
Or can a beer yeast — specifically a Saison yeast — actually do it better?
The Split-Batch Setup (Keeping It Fair)
To make this comparison actually mean something, everything except the yeast had to be identical.
The Base Cider
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Fancy pressed apple juice
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Topped up with apple juice concentrate to bump the OG
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Final volume per batch: 3.7 liters (0.98 US gallons)
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Original gravity boosted from 1.044 → 1.055
Same juice. Same sugar. Same everything.
The Yeasts
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Angel Yeast BV818 – a cider/wine yeast
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Angel Yeast CS31 – a Saison beer yeast
One is literally designed for cider and wine.
The other… absolutely isn’t.
Sponsor Shout-Out: Angel Yeast
This experiment — and the video it’s based on — was kindly sponsored by Angel Yeast.
Angel Yeast supplied the yeasts used in this comparison and has a surprisingly broad range of brewing strains, including cider, wine, ale, and specialty beer yeasts.
If you want to check out their brewing products, you can find them here:
👉 Angel Yeast brewing products:
https://bit.ly/Brewing-AngelYeast
Fermentation Conditions
Both batches were fermented under pressure — because that’s how I normally ferment.
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Temperature range: 25–28°C (77–82°F)
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Pressure: ~22 PSI (1.5 bar)
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Same temperature ramps
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Same fermentation time
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Same conditioning time
I did nothing to help clarity.
No finings. No tricks. Only time.
First Impressions: They Don’t Even Look the Same
Before tasting anything, the glasses already told a story.
Cider Yeast (BV818)
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Hazy
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Rustic
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Bigger bubbles
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Looks juicy
Honestly? It looked delicious — like something you’d happily sip in a garden without overthinking it.
Saison Yeast (CS31)
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Much clearer
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Almost champagne-like
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Finer carbonation
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More fruity, more nerdy… just more
The Saison version cleared significantly more on its own. Same cider, same conditions — totally different result.
Yeast matters.
Numbers Don’t Lie (But They Don’t Tell the Whole Story)
Both ciders fermented down almost identically:
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BV818: FG ~0.998
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CS31: FG ~0.999
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ABV: ~7.5%
On paper? Basically the same cider.
In the glass? Not even close.
Aroma: Apples vs… Everything Else
BV818 – The Cider Yeast
Straight away:
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Clear apple character
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Wine-like
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Almost apple-wine territory
It smelled dry, clean, and focused. Very “this is cider, deal with it.”
CS31 – The Saison Yeast
Now things got interesting.
Still apple — but:
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More complexity
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Subtle fruitiness
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A slight peppery edge
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A touch of funk (not that funk)
Nothing overpowering. Just… more layers.
Like the apples had opened up and decided to bloom.
Taste Test: This Is Where It Gets Dangerous
BV818 in the Mouth
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Very dry
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Apple-forward
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High perceived acidity
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Clean fermentation
This is real cider.
Not a thirst-quencher — something you sip. Structured. Sharp. Honest.
Vinous. Zingy. Apple wine, in the best way.
CS31 on the Palate
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Softer mouthfeel
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Feels slightly sweeter (even though it isn’t)
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More fruit
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More “pop”
It doesn’t scream Saison. No aggressive spice or pepper. Instead, it adds complexity without stealing the show.
The apples feel… enhanced.
Perceived Sweetness, Mouthfeel & That Tricky Brain Thing
Here’s the fun part:
Even with nearly identical final gravities, the Saison cider feels sweeter.
That’s not sugar — that’s yeast character.
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BV818 feels drier and sharper
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CS31 feels rounder, softer, and fuller
The numbers say one thing.
Your brain says another.
And your brain usually wins.
So… Which Yeast Should You Use?
This is where I struggled.
If You Want “Just Cider”
Use cider yeast (BV818).
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Clean
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Apple-forward
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Dry
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Traditional
It does exactly what it says on the packet — and it does it beautifully.
If You Want Something Extra
Use Saison yeast (CS31).
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More complexity
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Better mouthfeel
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Slightly more expressive
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Still very much cider
It’s the nerdy option. The one that makes you pause and think.
Calling a Winner (Reluctantly)
I really didn’t want to do this.
Brewing cider with yeast recommended by the actual yeast manufacturer…
versus brewing cider with Saison yeast recommended by Hamster of Borg in a YouTube comment.
But if I had to pick one?
I’m sorry…
The Saison yeast wins.
Not because the cider yeast was bad — it wasn’t. It was excellent.
But because I’m a beer drinker at heart, and I loved the extra complexity the Saison yeast brought to the cider.
Final Takeaway
There is no wrong yeast here.
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Want classic, sharp, apple-driven cider? → Cider yeast
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Want something a bit fancy, layered, and nerdy? → Saison yeast
And the best part?
You don’t have to choose forever.
Split-batch it. Experiment. That’s half the fun.
Now excuse me while I finish the rest of this cider.
If you enjoy deep-dive experiments like this and want early tastings, behind-the-scenes content, or a way to support the channel, you can check out OnlyHans (aka Patreon) here:
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DrHans out. 🍎🍺
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