Blue Bee uses Champagne yeast in its ciders. (Photo by Catt Levesque Photography courtesy Blue Bee Cider)
It turns out we can thank one microscopic organism for a bevy of our favorite beverages: yeast. Think of yeast as tiny little helpers, and, like humans, they require sustenance to function. Yeast’s food of choice is sugars, feasting on them during fermentation and burping out carbon dioxide to convert the sugars into alcohol.
Some yeasts are wild and occur naturally, like those found on the skins of pineapple that Beth Dixon, bar manager of Perch, uses to make tepache. A fast-fermented, low-ABV drink originating from Mexico, tepache can be used either as a non-alcoholic tipple or a mixer for a refreshing tropical drink.
However, wild yeasts can be wildly inconsistent, so many beverage makers turn to pure yeast strains that are isolated from different grape varieties: Centuries of winemaking have allowed people to predict the results of the yeast. Most often, makers turn to saccharomyces cerevisiae (commonly known as “brewer’s” or “baker’s” yeast), a species of yeast that has become ubiquitous in the beverage world and can easily be ordered online for home use. Some saccharomyces strains are neutral in flavor, like Champagne yeast, while others add layers of complexity, such as pinot noir yeast.
At Blue Bee Cider, they use Champagne yeast, and owner Courtney Mailey says, “Like people under stress can be a little salty, we try and keep the yeast happy so they can do their best work.”
Keeping the yeast happy is a balancing act, requiring the right combination of sugar, moisture and temperature to allow it to perform its magic and convert pressed apples into cider.
Some apples are moister or sweeter than others, which effects tannins and taste. A few apples fit the bill perfectly, like the Harrison, while others such as Winesap need to be blended.
Bill Cavendar, owner of Black Heath Meadery, deals with a different set of fermentation obstacles. “Natural honey has got such a low moisture content that it won’t ferment,” he says. “We need to dilute the honey with water … to make it accessible to the yeast so they can do their job.”
Beer faces its own issues, since grains, unlike fruits or honey, contain long-chain sugars that the yeast can’t digest. Malting forces the grains to germinate and “rips the chains apart into simple sugars the yeast can eat,” explains Brian Mandeville, head brewer of Fine Creek Brewing Company in Powhatan.
Temperature and yeast play a huge role in determining the fate of a beer. Bottom-feeding yeast, those that thrive in cooler environments, might produce a lager, while top-feeding yeast kept in warmer temps can result in an ale. Adding bacterial microbes before or during the fermentation process can lend acidity or sourness to IPAs and goses.
Ninja Kombucha turns to bacterial microbes to create gut-healthy concoctions. Owner Brett Nobile uses a 5-year-old yeast mother — similar to a sourdough starter — to impart the kombucha’s distinct flavor. It also works to remove nearly all the alcohol from the finished product. Instead of the closed vessels used to ferment cider and beer, kombucha is fermented in open tanks, requiring constant air circulation to provide oxygen for the longer warm ferment.
Photo by John Hopson courtesy Perch
Tepache
Recipe by Beth Dixon, Perch
1 pineapple, skin on, rinsed clean and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 mango
2 cups Demerara sugar
2 2-inch knobs of ginger, skin on, rinsed clean and diced
3 Thai chiles
Cold water
Add all ingredients to a large glass container. Top with water, making sure all solids are submerged, and stir. Cover the mixture with cheesecloth and secure with a rubber band. Let it sit for one to three days or until gently bubbling. The fermentation time will vary based on the temperature of the room. Strain the mixture into containers with secure lids, such as flip-top bottles or recycled kombucha or soda bottles. Keep refrigerated.
