Yeast 'Facts'

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morethanworts

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I thought I would share some nuggets of my stumble through the famous (beer) 'Yeast' book by Chris White and Jamil Zainasheff, which I got for Christmas. I'm only up to page 80-odd, and it's quite a heavy bedtime read, but I've already picked up on a few points I find particularly interesting in either confirming, complementing or busting commonly accepted 'knowledge' and best practices. This is not anything to do with reviewing the book, so I've posted in this section. I hope they're of interest.

I know some members will have read this book (and others) right through several times and will be ahead of me on this, but there are things in there that don't seem to get much airplay and which I have either missed (probably :roll: ) or not fully understood in 10 months as an active member.

So, just as bullet points, simplified, in my own words:

- It's not just high temperatures that produce fusel alcohols: levels of aeration and nitrogen also have an effect and these all have to be balanced with conditions that develop esters. (p. 36-37)

- The '4 phases' of fermentation overlap and 'much of the yeast does not follow distinct phases with firm starting and stopping points'.( p.65-66)

- Flocculation refers to how well yeast clumps together, not specifically to how well it sinks to the bottom (though high-flocculators usually sink better than low).

- Mashing at a higher temperature does not mean you will get a 'maltier' tasting beer. (p.70)

- Even an all-malt wort may well lack zinc, the implication (taken with the wider text) being that nutrients are not a bad idea, up to a point, especially when reusing yeast.

- ADDED
Oxygenation/aeration IS required to ensure a healthy fermentation.
 
Hi just started reading this myself, just up to page 38 and could hear the brain cells screaming, but has already made me look at fermentation in a new light.
A great read so far.
 

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