Fermentation is a process that used to be hailed as something magical or mystical. Then we learned that fermentation is due to a single-celled organism that turns our batch of porridge into something far better. Many of us consume fermented food items on a daily basis and don’t even realize it. It’s surprising to think about how poorly most of us understand the fermentation process despite the impact it has on our culture. While brewers take the credit for masterfully manipulating ingredients like malt and hops, it’s actually the yeast that does most of the heavy lifting. I wanted to reach out to the experts and industry-standard setters to help us better understand what we need to know and why we need to know it. My next guest is our guide into the mysterious and tiny world of yeast and fermentation.
When discussing beer, people often gravitate to the sexy descriptions of the citrusy, tropical hops or the toasty and bready malt. The complex role that yeast play is often overlooked. Perhaps with better understanding and appreciation, the contributions by yeast in your beer will be the next topic of more sophisticated discussions.
Show Links
Bean Curd Turtle episode on GBM
Beard Beer with John Maier of Rogue Brewery on GBM
Auto Brewery Syndrome – It’s a real thing