Yeast.... Yeast is an incredibly important ingredient in beermaking, if not the single most important ingredient. Yeast, and yeast alone, is responsible for converting syrupy, sugary, sweet liquid called wort into beer! Yeast is a single-celled organism, and truth be known, it is actually a fungus! Just like with other organisms (like people!), there are specific conditions that are required for yeast to be kept in a healthy state. Depending upon the particular strain of yeast being used, there are pretty slim margins in temperature ranges, oxygen concentration and alcohol presence that determine if the yeast will be healthy and vigorous or lethargic and sluggish (or worse yet, dead). If the yeast cells are kept healthy and happy, they can reproduce exponentially and devour lots of maltose sugar, resulting in finished beer. At Deans Brothers Brewing Company, we manage our yeast very carefully. We start with a single, isolated cell of yeast, and grow it to the point where it can ferment 15 barrels (roughly 500 gallons) of wort! Yeast strains impart specific flavor characteristics to beer. If you've ever enjoyed a Belgian Ale, for instance, chances are great that you've noticed the “tangy” quality the yeast contributes to the beer. English Ales often have a “nutty” characteristic provided by the yeast strains used in this beer style. Other yeast strains can impart tastes ranging from fruity (ales), bubblegum (hefeweizen) to slightly sulfury (lagers).
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