What are the benefits of alcohol yeast? The best yeast for moonshine: saf moment, turbo or alcohol. What is alcohol yeast

Yeast are the main component. A novice winemaker may be confused by the variety of types of yeast: baking, beer, spirit and wine. Some of them are better for making alcohol, others are worse. We will tell you further about which yeast is best for moonshine and how to use it correctly.

In general, yeast is a fungus that triggers fermentation. How does this happen? In addition to the yeast base, it includes granulated sugar. Yeast, when it gets into the sugar, begins to multiply and release carbon dioxide and ethanol. They participate in activating the fermentation process. But, fermentation occurs only in a certain environment and at a certain temperature.

How to start the process of yeast reproduction and fermentation of the drink? We do this:

set the temperature from 22 to 28 degrees Celsius;
We use only clean spring or bottled water;
mix water, granulated sugar, yeast in it, close the lid and pull on a punctured rubber glove;
put the jar in a warm place;
The liquid will be light.
an open jar will smell of alcohol - this indicates the beginning of fermentation.

Variety of varieties

Yeast can be pressed, as well as;

dry bakery products;
turbo yeast;

What yeast is best to use for? Each type has its own characteristics, so it’s impossible to say exactly which of them are best to add to. You can buy yeast at a regular supermarket or a store specializing in the production of alcoholic beverages. The choice of yeast should be approached with special attention.

Bakery strains

This is the most popular yeast for. They are mainly used during baking or in the production of alcoholic beverages. But they cannot be called the best: moonshine also needs to be infused for a long time: from 2 or more weeks. The result is alcohol with a high content of fusel oils and a strength of less than 10 degrees. At the same time, the drink has a sharp, unpleasant odor and is of very low quality. Therefore, winemakers recommend distilling it several times.

What are the advantages of baker's yeast?

can be purchased at any store;
have optimal cost;
can be stored in the refrigerator for a long time;
easy to use;
getting into dry wort, they quickly activate the fermentation process.

Baker's yeast is sold dry and pressed. When using a compressed product, store the packaging in the freezer after opening, otherwise it will spoil. How much yeast is required for moonshine? You need very little of them: only 100 grams per 1 kg of granulated sugar.

What are the disadvantages of baker's yeast?

the finished drink has a strength of 9 to 11 degrees;
alcohol comes out with a pungent odor that not every person will like;
if stored incorrectly, they quickly deteriorate;
when using yeast, feeding is required;
Their use provokes a lot of foam, so it is necessary to use a defoamer;
they emit a lot of carbon dioxide.

What brands of yeast for moonshine are there? Dry baker's yeast is used to make alcohol. The most popular brands are: “Saf Moment”, “Saf Levure”, “Pakmaya”.

Why are they in demand among consumers?

cheap and easy to use;
are available for sale in any store and are stored for a long time.

They are added like this: take 1 kg of sugar and 16-20 grams of purchased yeast. They are diluted with water before adding. During infusion, the smell of yeast can be felt throughout the whole house and the finished alcohol has a rich yeasty taste, but the strength is only 9-14 degrees. Consumers often compare such drinks with regular light beer.

Wine yeast

Some winemakers use wine yeast for preparation. But the technology here differs from the classic recipe.

In nature, wine yeast is found on grape berries. In Italy and the Caucasus, grappa and chacha are made from them. This yeast is good for fermenting grape marc obtained after making wine. Now you can buy dry wine yeast in the store. Their drinks are light, pleasant, and have a pronounced grape taste and smell. This alcohol is in particular demand among women. Rarely do winemakers use wine yeast for moonshine.

What are the benefits of dry wine yeast?

the finished alcohol has a strength of more than 17 degrees;
the mash loses its sharp and unpleasant smell and taste;
they are easy to store;
it is a dry, clean product that does not contain harmful impurities;
The drink infused with wine raw materials and wine yeast is very pleasant.

Of course, homemade wine yeast is of very good quality, but dry wine yeast is also very good. Which ones should you choose? Only the winemaker can decide.

Brewer's yeast

Brewer's yeast is not used for moonshine or home brew. They are used to make beer. It is also a dietary supplement that helps get rid of many diseases. Yeast first appeared in the 19th century in Germany.

Which brewer's yeast should I use? Unfortunately, none. Why?

they give a lot of foam;
the infused drink contains a lot of ethyl alcohol and fusel oils.

But there are also winemakers who use beer and wine yeast to prepare mash and moonshine. Moreover, they prepare such yeast at home themselves. How can you make them yourself? Easy: take an enamel pan, add 1 glass of boiled water and 1 glass of flour. The water should not be very hot or very cold, otherwise the yeast will not dissolve. Stir the mixture. Cover the saucepan with a lid and place in a warm place. We insist the composition for 5-6 hours. After 6 hours, put 1 spoon of sugar in a saucepan and pour in 1 glass of beer, mix and put in heat again. Pour the yeast into a bowl. They are stored in the freezer.

Turbo yeast

They occupy a separate category among baker's and alcohol yeasts. But winemakers treat them differently. Some people love and praise them, while others hate and criticize them. When used in winemaking, they ferment for 2 days, the strength of the alcohol infused with them is 20 degrees. Of course, this is very good for making alcohol at home.

What other advantages do they have?

do not form foam;
no feeding is required, since the fertilizer is already included in their composition;
practically do not emit harmful substances;
easy to apply.

What disadvantages do they have?

are produced chemically;
used in the production of strong alcoholic drinks with a specific taste;
have a high price. An ordinary pack of Turbo-24 yeast yields 40 liters of moonshine, but often one pack is not enough;
You can buy turbo yeast in a special store or online.

Having studied the pros and cons of “Turbo yeast”, you can understand why winemakers rarely use it to make homemade alcohol and prefer natural ingredients.

Alcohol strains

Alcoholic yeast is most suitable for making alcohol. Using them, winemakers prepare or. Even manufacturers recommend using them for preparing alcoholic drinks. Especially if the drink includes grains.

Which yeast is best for moonshine and why is alcoholic yeast in particular demand among many professionals?

Fermentation time is only 4 days, so alcohol yeast is the choice of many professionals;
yeast fungi die when the strength of ethyl alcohol exceeds 18 degrees. Therefore, the finished mash also has a strength of 18 degrees;
the finished alcohol does not have an unpleasant odor, has a good taste and excellent quality;
when added to mash, alcoholic yeast does not emit foam, so the barrel is filled entirely with liquid and defoamers are not used;
They are easy to store, easy to use, and do not contain harmful impurities.

Dry alcoholic yeast is often sold in stores. Alcohol yeast for moonshine is sold in a special store or ordered online.

How many do you need to take? The number of packs depends on the amount of alcohol you want to get. For example: 2.5 grams of dry yeast produces 10 liters of mash.

Terms of use

Have you bought yeast for sugar mash and think it will turn out delicious? It's not quite like that.

A few tips on how to properly infuse mash at home:

Do not use plastic or aluminum containers for infusion. It is better to ferment the drink in a glass container.
For better infusion, close the container with a water seal or rubber glove.
Shake the liquid every day.
The drink ferments better in warm conditions. For better heating, install a heater.
Add yeast strictly according to the instructions indicated on its packaging.
Dilute the yeast with water before adding to the jar.
Is there a lot of foam? Sprinkle 2-3 chopped livers on top of the drink.
Are you using Saf Velor yeast and it produces a lot of foam? Sprinkle Saf Moment yeast on top of the drink.

What is the best yeast for? There is no clear answer to this question. Only the winemaker himself can make the right choice. The most experienced of them use different varieties of yeast for their mash and only through trial and error find the best ones for themselves. If you are a beginner, then give preference to alcohol yeast. This way you will get really high-quality and tasty alcohol with which you can surprise yourself and your loved ones. It can also be a wonderful gift for a colleague or boss at work. Believe me, no one will remain indifferent.

It can be sugar, fruit cereal, etc., but you need to know the rules for setting it.

Along with water and sugar (including sugars that need to be converted into simple forms), yeast for mash plays an important role in moonshine brewing, the choice of which determines both the duration of fermentation and the choice of hydromodule (proportions between water and sugar).

How does alcohol occur? Microscopic yeast fungi absorb sugar, replacing them with alcohol and carbon dioxide. That is, without the work of yeast there will be no alcohol.

Crystalline granulated sugar, which distillers most often use in their practice, is first broken down by yeast into glucose and fructose, and then processed into alcohol. You can help them with this, speed up the ripening of the mash and reduce the amount of fusel oils (fermentation by-products) before adding it to the wort.

There are over a thousand species (races) of yeast fungi, but not all of them are suitable for making mash for moonshine. Mainly due to the fact that they have poor resistance in an alcoholic environment and die.

Some people use wild ones that live on fruits and berries to make fruit mashes. However, it is advisable to add at least some fermented (industrially produced) to them, since it is impossible to predict how wild races will behave.

Let's consider strains suitable for moonshine brewing.

Bakery

In the old days, this is what our grandmothers used. Capable of fermenting wort to a strength of no higher than 12°. At higher concentrations of alcohol they die. On the modern market there are:

Pressed (raw). They are convenient because they can be added directly to the mash without prior preparation. But they require a large hydraulic module. For a guaranteed result, take 1 to 5 (1 kg of sugar and 5 liters of water). This is inconvenient because it requires a large fermentation tank and there is not always a distillation cube to distill the entire mash at one time. In addition, moonshine made with raw baking yeast often has an unpleasant smell and taste.
Dry. Good from an organoleptic point of view: the distillate will not have a pronounced yeasty taste or smell. The disadvantages are the same as those of raw ones.
Instant(fast-acting dry) have increased lifting force. Fermentation will take place vigorously and quickly. This term also includes the ability to ferment sucrose. Many types can be stored for up to two years in a sealed bag.

Wine

Among all strains - the best. , obtained with their help, is completely devoid of the specific smell of “collective farm” alcohol. In addition, they are required 10 times less than dry baking or alcoholic ones. But they are also not without their drawbacks:

high price;
long fermentation, up to a month;
You can’t buy it everywhere, although ordering through an online store is not a problem.

Beer houses

They are very rarely used in moonshine brewing, since they die when the mash reaches 4.5-5 degrees. All the sugar in the wort will not be processed, and you will not get the expected amount of moonshine.

Important. The sugar remaining in the mash negatively affects the organoleptic properties of the final product. That is, the taste and smell of moonshine will be unpleasant.

This is also explained by the fact that having brought the strength of the wort to its critical level, the yeast begins to “get sick”, while releasing more toxins (), and then completely die.

Brewer's yeast is used only for grain wort, which contains little sugar.

Turbo yeast

This species is supplied to the market in bags with dry granules inside. More often they are intended simultaneously for baking and moonshine. The resistance of races is not the same, so see the explanation on the packaging. Advantages:

Capable of fermenting wort up to 14-18°, and some types – up to 20°.
A hydromodule of 1:4 and even 1:3 is suitable for them (if indicated on the package).
There are types on which the numbers 24 or 48 are indicated - this is the time during which you can get the mash ready for distillation. But this is under ideal conditions in terms of temperature, hydromodule, and quality of ingredients. In reality, you will receive the finished mash in 2-4 days.
They don’t require them, they are already included.

Therefore, the advantages include saving space and speed of fermentation, since it is not for nothing that they are called Turbo - fermentation proceeds intensively and quickly.

The downside is the price, although it is not exorbitant.

Alcohol

Moonshiners prefer them because they work quickly, fermenting up to 16-18° alcohol. They cost no more than bakery ones, and the quality of moonshine is significantly superior to this type. Can be pressed and dry.

To buy them, just visit the nearest market; there will definitely be a point specializing in yeast for baking and preparing alcoholic beverages.

Sourdough and required temperature

Yeast is most active at temperatures close to 30°C, so provide it with these conditions. Although an ambient temperature of 22-28°C is sufficient for fermentation, it is better to start the fermentation process at a higher temperature. That is, the temperature of the wort before adding yeast cultures should be 28-30°C.

Although raw types can be added directly to the wort (crush them and mix thoroughly to dissolve), they may not start immediately, but infect the mash. Practice shows that it is better to activate them first.

To do this, pour warm water into a cup or deep plate, add a pinch (spoon) of sugar and “knead” the yeast substance as thick as kefir. Wait until it rises, then mix with the main wort.

Note. Dry yeast (bakery yeast, alcoholic yeast, Turbo) requires mandatory activation before adding. They need to be separated.

If they do not rise within 15-30 minutes, you cannot use them for mash, otherwise you will ruin the entire product.

Manufacturers rating

Saf-levure and Saf-moment. There are few to whom they are unknown. Suitable for both baking and mash. They are inexpensive and sold everywhere. The result is excellent.

Sometimes strong foaming is observed at the first stage. Therefore, fill the container only 2/3 full.

Advice. At home, you can extinguish the foam by crumbling 1-2 cookies onto the surface of the mash.

Belarusian. Many online stores offer them. The cost is moderate. Among the assortment there are wine ones - an excellent choice for fruit mash.

Peculiarities. While there are usually no complaints about raw Belarusian alcoholic yeast, many people complain about dry yeast. Don't rush to throw them away as they need to be activated. Moreover, the “launch” of capacity can last up to 1.5-2 hours; sometimes they are left in warm water all night. Then fermentation proceeds quickly and smoothly.

"Regional" spirits. Surely in every region there is a yeast factory that produces products for moonshine. Many people like Krasnodar hops, Puriferm Moscow, Voronezh, Derbenevskie, Mayskie, etc.
Turbo yeast. Among the brands that are popular with Russian distillers are English Alcotec, DoubleSnake, Bragman, and Turkish Pakmaya Cristal. The yeast is excellent, but we sent it to the fourth stage due to its rather high price.
Chinese are gaining popularity, but there are a lot of questions about them: they stink strongly during fermentation, trying the mash is strictly prohibited. But they have proven themselves excellent on grain mashes - they work without saccharification and malt, and produce a pure distillate.

Answers to frequently asked questions

— How much yeast do you need to take per 1 kg of sugar when making mash?

Proportions worked out over many years of practice: for every kilogram of sugar - 100 g of raw pressed sugar (it makes no difference - alcohol or baking sugar) or 20-25 g of dry sugar. Wine will require only 2-5 g per 10 liters of mash (not sugar). However, do not forget to read the recommendations on the yeast you purchased - although slightly, the proportions may differ.

— How to properly dilute yeast for mash?

Place the required amount of yeast in a suitable container (deep plate, mug, etc.). add a spoon/pinch of sugar, a cup of warm water (30°C) and wait until it foams up. Then add it to the wort at a temperature not exceeding 30°C and mix thoroughly.

Important. Yeast is added last, after the sugar has already been dissolved.

— How much yeast is needed for 40 liters of mash?

The question is posed incorrectly, since the calculation is made based on the amount of water not and sugar(see: ). Therefore, let’s calculate for various water seals:

1 to 3 (where 1 kg of sugar for every 3 liters of water). 40:3=13.3 kg of sugar. This means you will need 1.3 kg of raw yeast and 250-260 g of dry yeast. Wine - up to 20 g.
1 to 4 is the “golden” ratio. We count in the same way: 40:4=10. respectively, 1 kg pressed, 200 g dry.
1 to 5 – for fast fermentation. 40:5 = 8. So, 800 g raw or 160 g dry.

— What happens if you put more yeast in the mash than normal?

Significant excess will lead to more violent fermentation in the initial stage. This can lead to foam pouring over the top of the container, clogging the water seal and breaking it, tearing the glove with further spilling of the mash on the floor.

But if the overkill is moderate, then nothing special will happen, except that there will be more sediment at the end of fermentation.

Important. Strain the mash before distillation. This is a salvation from burning and the pungent smell of the distillate.

— What happens if there is not enough yeast in the mash?

In this case, fermentation may slow down. But also based on the amount of shortage. For example, on the forums, moonshiners using SEA or Pakmaya yeast add 80 g per 5 kg of sugar (although the norm is 100 g). And not because they like it that way, but this yeast is simply packaged in such a way. This does not affect the amount of fermented alcohol.

But the opinion that the fusel smell is weaker if you add less yeast is wrong. Significantly affects the “aroma” violation of technology, not less or more yeast.

— Is it possible to reuse yeast from spent mash?

Many distillers conduct such experiments, but they are not always successful. Wild yeast (sediment) from fruit and berry raw materials, grapes, and honey works well. There is also such a technique:

When fermenting with imported alcoholic yeast, approximately in the middle of the process (while fermentation is vigorous), a liter or two of wort is poured.
Add 200 grams of sugar.
Place under a water seal in a warm place.
When fermentation becomes vigorous, a new mash is made using this starter.

According to reviews, this can be done 2-3 times. Then pathogenic fungi are “attached” to the yeast, which absorb the sugar but do not produce alcohol. As a result, fermentation was normal, but there was a large shortage of alcohol. Therefore, it is better to use new yeast each time.

— What happens if you use expired yeast?

Expiration date – the numbers are conditional. If the yeast was stored in unsuitable conditions, then even before the end of the specified period it will cease to be active. And in the freezer, raw yeast can be stored for up to 2 years. Here they seem to fall asleep, and when thawed and activated they are reborn.

Therefore, if you want to brew with old yeast, try activating it as described above. If it works, and the head of foam is stable and growing, this yeast should not be thrown away; it will still serve the purpose of creating homemade alcohol. If fermentation has not started at all or is sluggish, even though the conditions are appropriate, throw it away and buy new ones.

Many discoveries and new knowledge await the novice moonshiner. As you learn the secrets of a creative and exciting activity, you will gain experience and create small alcoholic masterpieces in your own kitchen. Listen to the advice of experienced craftsmen, but do not forget that the best is created only through experimentation.

Any alcoholic yeast, including baker’s yeast, is based on single-celled microorganisms, the so-called “marsupial fungi” (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), intended for the fermentation of sugars in a specially prepared carbohydrate-sugar syrup or fruit and berry wort.

A feature of alcoholic yeast from all other types is its high fermentation energy and resistance to metabolic products and exchange products of foreign microorganisms present in the base used for our future drink.

Basically, several types of yeast are used to prepare homemade alcoholic beverages:

alcoholic and turbo yeast;
pressed bakery products;
dry bakery products;
homemade.

Let's look at their features and properties in more detail. We will also try to rank the best yeast for moonshine.

In the video you can watch comparisons of various yeasts for mash:

Alcohol and turbo for moonshine

Alcohol yeast is used for the production of strong alcoholic beverages: moonshine, alcohol, whiskey, rum. The proportion of alcohol in the resulting mash:

13-15% for regular alcoholic yeast up to 21% for alcoholic turbo yeast. The strength depends on the amount of sugar added to the mash.

Using specialized alcoholic yeast instead of conventional baking yeast allows you to shorten the fermentation period to 4-7 days and reduce the release of foam. With turbo yeast, the mash ripening period ranges from 2 to 10 days, the duration depends only on the desire to obtain a stronger product. They do not require fermentation (activation) unlike ordinary alcoholic ones. The latter must first be dissolved in sugar syrup and kept in a warm, dark place for 30-60 minutes until signs of fermentation appear.

During the fermentation of alcoholic yeast, the number of harmful microorganisms and bacteria decreases; they are especially resistant to decay and metabolic products among all other types of yeast. This has a positive effect on the purity and taste of the resulting drink, allowing it to be stored longer and maintain its original quality. Also, alcohol yeast allows you to obtain a final product with a minimum content of fusel oils and harmful impurities.

The temperature limits for the normal functioning of alcoholic yeast are 25-30°C, despite the fact that they live and reproduce within a fairly wide temperature range. However, at very high or low temperatures, yeast activity slows down or stops. The minimum temperature for yeast development is -5°C, the maximum is 38°C, at 50°C the yeast dies.

The vital activity of alcoholic yeast is also significantly affected by the acidity of the fermentation medium. The viability of yeast is maintained within the pH range of the growing medium from 2 to 8, the optimal pH being 4.8-5.

We also must not forget about saturating the nutrient medium for alcoholic yeast with vitamins and microelements, the most important of which is biotin, since, in addition to it, yeast can synthesize almost all vitamins and microelements on their own.

The ideal growing medium is a malt-based medium because... it contains all the necessary minerals. Any malt is suitable, but rye is considered preferable.

Pressed bakery products

Pressed yeast is used in everyday life as a leavening agent for biologically based dough, as well as for the production of classic mash, which is subsequently distilled into strong alcoholic drinks (moonshine) by distillation. Not everyone can use this mash “as is” to taste due to its specific pungent smell and taste.

Pressed yeast has a grayish or pinkish tint, a dense consistency and a pleasant, slightly yeasty smell. In cooking, they are used as a leavening agent for dough, to increase its volume. It is filled with bubbles of carbon dioxide, which are released during the processing of sugar contained in flour by bacteria, simultaneously forming alcohol molecules. When cooked at high temperatures, alcohol and carbon dioxide evaporate, creating a fluffy dough with a pleasant smell.

The mash produced using pressed yeast is less strong than with alcoholic yeast, around 8-10% alcohol mass fraction.
The fermentation process takes on average from 7 to 14 days. The taste of the finished mash is specific, slightly bitter, which signals the complete processing of sugar and the end of the fermentation process.
If there is a sweetish aftertaste, this means that not all the sugar has been processed by microorganisms and the fermentation process is not completely completed.
A comfortable temperature for life is 20-30°C; at temperatures below 18°C, the fermentation process stops, and when the temperature rises above 40°C, yeast bacteria die.
The optimal acidity of the medium for the fermentation process using compressed baker's yeast is pH 5.1-5.2.
The fermentation process occurs with abundant foaming and the release of carbon dioxide. Pressed yeast does not require preliminary fermentation (activation).

The main nutrient medium for compressed bread yeast is sugar or molasses. Professionals also recommend adding raisins, dried fruits, potatoes or a crust of bread. This increases the nutritional and mineral value for the vital activity of yeast bacteria and has a positive effect on the taste of the finished product.

Video on the topic:

Dry bakery products

The main difference between dry baker's yeast and compressed yeast is only that they are pre-crushed and dried using a special technology, due to which their shelf life increases to two years, and they occupy a much smaller volume. Their use in everyday life is the same as that of ordinary pressed ones.

At the moment, there are two main types of dry yeast, which differ not only in appearance, but also in the way they are used:

The temperature and acidity indicators of the environment for the successful development of yeast cultures of dry and instant yeast practically do not differ from the same indicators for pressed yeast. But with all this, dry yeast cultures are considered purer due to the peculiarities of their production and storage. As a result, the strength of the final product is higher than when using compressed yeast.

Homemade

There are many recipes and methods for preparing yeast, such as:

rye;
corn;
barley;
potato;
from bran;
from hops;
wild (berry);
etc.

Based on the names of the products and cultures used, it can be understood that there are no standards or strict conditions for the life and development of microorganisms here, but fundamentally they do not contradict generally accepted principles. Everything depends only on the selected raw material, which affects the fermentation qualities and composition of the nutrient medium.

A distinctive feature of homemade yeast is its environmental friendliness, economic benefit and truly unique “homemade” taste of the resulting drink or baked goods.

Wine yeast is also ideal for mash, read about it in a separate article!

So which ones are better to buy?

There is no clear opinion on this question. It all depends on the size of your wallet and your preferences for a particular product. Some people prefer natural products and the environmental friendliness of the drink, so they prefer homemade yeast. Some people are used to cooking “the old fashioned way” with pressed bread yeast or instant yeast. Some people, out of a desire to get results faster and with a guarantee, choose alcoholic or turbo yeast.

Alcoholic and turbo yeast:

Pressed yeast:

no foam, no need to use a water seal;
reduced content of fusel oils and harmful impurities;
obtaining a stronger final product;
shortened fermentation times;
minus - quite high price compared to others.

Dry (instant) yeast:

easy to buy, affordable price;
short fermentation time;
ease of production of the nutrient medium;
small amount of harmful impurities;
disadvantages - increased foaming, specific odor, weaker final product.

Homemade yeast:

easy to use, low consumption;
easily dissolve, do not require preliminary dilution;
absence of unpleasant odors;
yield a fairly strong final product;
minus – longer fermentation time.

economical, can be prepared from what is on hand;
environmentally friendly product;
a huge field for creativity, its own unique taste of the drink;
minus – low strength of the final product.

Only one thing can be said for sure: alcoholic and turbo yeasts are specially produced to guarantee a high-quality, high-strength product in a short time. Therefore, the choice of many professionals when producing homemade alcoholic beverages falls on this type of yeast culture.

Video review from a popular moonshiner.

Yeast is the cornerstone of any alcoholic beverage. This is a complex world that can only be seen under a microscope, but a world that has been partly studied and adopted by all of humanity. Today, hundreds of strains of yeast fungi are used to make kvass, beer, fruit and berry wines and their distillation products: moonshine, vodka, whiskey, skate, Calvados and hundreds of exotic distillates and rectifications. In this material we will not dwell on microbiology, but will answer more pressing questions of the modern moonshiner. So, what is alcohol yeast, for what purposes are they intended and how, in fact, should you choose them to suit your needs?

Fermentation and types of yeast

Fermentation or fermentation is the biological process by which yeast converts sugars such as glucose, fructose and sucrose into cellular energy, producing alcohol (ethanol) and carbon dioxide as by-products. Without yeast, it is impossible to prepare any alcoholic drink known to mankind (with the exception of those obtained through mold fermentation, for example, sake). As a result of fermentation from fruit and berry juices, we obtain wine, including grape, from starch-containing raw materials (malt of various grain crops) - beer and kvass. By distilling fruit, grain or sugar mash, which are also fermentation products, strong alcoholic drinks such as vodka, whiskey, cognac, Calvados, rum, etc. are obtained.

There are many types of yeast that can produce alcohol as a byproduct of anaerobic (without oxygen) fermentation. However, today the most studied and widespread is the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, different strains of which are used by home brewers, winemakers and distillers to produce alcoholic beverages. And although the yeast is the same, on the market today you can find several groups of them, which are usually divided into:

Baker's yeast– usually used for making baked yeast bread and various baked goods as a leavening agent. Fermentation also comes into play here, only the resulting alcohol evaporates during heat treatment, and carbon dioxide provides the bread with the spongy structure we are accustomed to. This type of yeast is also used by moonshiners to ferment mash from sugar and other raw materials, but the quality of the resulting drink often leaves much to be desired, as does the alcohol yield. However, even some eminent producers of Scotch whiskey do not deny that they use ordinary baker’s yeast in the production of their product.
Brewer's yeast– used for making beer, as well as for making mash for whiskey and other grain mashes. Often these are the same baker's yeast, only more suitable strains that provide slow fermentation and higher alcohol yield. In practice, brewer's yeast, when it comes to moonshine brewing, makes it possible to obtain a good mash for whiskey, but with a noticeable loss of alcohol.
Wine yeast– used to produce alcoholic beverages from fruit and berry juices. These are mainly various strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, occasionally mixed with yeast nutrients. Wine yeast provides a higher alcohol yield than baking yeast, has a high resistance to sulfur dioxide (a by-product of fermentation), works in a fairly acidic environment, and also has a positive effect on the organoleptic properties of the drink (the combination of taste and aroma qualities). In moonshine they are used for the production of sugar and fruit and berry distillates (cognac, Calvados, grappa, etc.).

And finally, the last group of yeast used to prepare moonshine is the so-called alcoholic yeast or turbo yeast, the intricacies of the selection and use of which we talk about in this material.

What is alcohol yeast?

Alcoholic yeast (turbo yeast) is a ready-made mixture of dry yeast and nutrients intended for more efficient fermentation of mash before further distillation. In such mixtures, the most powerful strains of yeast are used, which have a high tolerance to alcohol, guarantee fast and stable fermentation, and, under certain conditions, provide better organoleptic properties compared to conventional baker's yeast. The nutrients that are part of turbo yeast serve to maintain in the mash the optimal level of nitrogen, vitamins and microelements necessary for yeast at different stages of alcohol fermentation, helping to create those very ideal conditions for obtaining drinks with good taste and aroma.

In addition to yeast and nutrients, the composition of alcoholic yeast for moonshine often includes a pH regulator (wort acidity), as well as a defoamer, which is indispensable for rapid and intense fermentation, which is usually accompanied by abundant foaming. To obtain a cleaner mash, some turbo yeasts contain sorbents. There are also specialized alcoholic yeasts created to produce a certain class of drinks, in particular from grain and fruit brews. They are known as yeast for whiskey, Calvados, vodka, etc. The composition of such turbo yeast is designed in such a way as to ensure stable fermentation of one or another type of mash, as well as preserve the original organoleptic properties of the raw material. For example, yeast for rum, in addition to proper nutrition, contains the enzyme glucoamylase, which is necessary for the breakdown of dextrins from molasses.

Comparing the above, we have the following characteristics of alcoholic yeast, which is not so much a list of its advantages as a description of the differences from other types of yeast:

Reduced fermentation time . The average period for complete fermentation of mash with baker's, beer and wine yeast ranges from 7 to 60 days or more (in practice, only bakery mash can provide a week's fermentation of sugar mash; grain and fruit mash usually ferment longer). Alcoholic yeast, subject to certain conditions, allows you to obtain mash for distillation in just 48 hours (there are turbo yeasts that will allow you to obtain mash in an incredible 24 hours), usually in 3-7 days.
Increased tolerance to alcohol . When a certain level of alcohol in the mash is reached, the yeast dies due to the toxicity of ethanol. For baker's and brewer's yeast this is about 12-14% alcohol, for wine yeast - about 15%. Alcohol yeast strains can withstand up to 20% alcohol in the mash (currently the maximum is 23%). At the same time, the distiller can independently influence the final strength of the mash by adjusting the amount of yeast, sugars and temperature.
High level of fermentation of sugars . Yeast is not able to consume certain sugars, for example, dextrins contained in molasses and starch-containing raw materials. Thus, beer always contains residual sugars, which affects its density and taste. Alcohol yeast often contains enzymes that break down unfermentable sugars, thereby providing a greater yield of alcohol. Alcohol tolerance also results in higher yields.
Acceptable organoleptics and “purity” of the drink . Experienced moonshiners usually criticize alcohol yeast, arguing that rapid fermentation completely “kills” the taste and aroma of the drink, and as a result, nutrients remain unclaimed and have a bad effect on the same organoleptics. This is partly true, but in recent years producers of alcoholic yeast have made great progress in this area and the composition of turbo yeast, especially specialized ones, is gradually approaching the ideal. In addition, today the distiller himself can influence the quality of his product obtained using alcoholic yeast - reduce its concentration for a more restrained fermentation, maintain the correct temperature, wort pH and other parameters of the mash.

How to choose alcohol yeast

Before you make a choice, you should understand that yeast not only produces alcohol, but also affects the taste and aroma of the drink, because in addition to ethanol and carbon dioxide, it produces a whole range of by-products: esters, volatile acids, organic acids, higher alcohols and much more. It is these fermentation by-products that form the final profile of the drink, its taste and aroma. This is important to consider when choosing yeast for a particular type of raw material for fermentation. Namely:

Will fit: all universal spirit yeasts Bragman, Still Spirits, Pathfinder, Alcotec, especially

Will fit: alcohol yeast

Yeasts are single-celled microorganisms and today over 1.5 thousand of their varieties are known in nature. But not all of them are used by us; only some races (this concept is comparable to plant varieties bred through selection) are suitable for making bread and drinks.

There are yeasts for (alcohol), baking, beer, wine, as well as “wild” yeasts that live on the skins of fruits and berries.

Thus, without yeast we would not be able to get bread in the form we love, wine, etc. Yeast is a living organism that actively multiplies in a nutrient medium and suitable conditions; during its life, it releases carbon dioxide, which “raises” bread and forms foam on liquids.

They also process sugars into... But when distilling mash specially prepared for this, we get the product for which fermentation was organized.

Yeast strains are pure cultures, “processed” by humans in sterile laboratory conditions so that they are best suited for their intended purposes. In addition, different types are used for different purposes:

Bakery- view Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Best suited for baking. In addition to raising dough, this species actively processes sugars into alcohol. During the baking process of bread, alcohol evaporates; moreover, it does not have time to “ferment” in large quantities in the dough in an hour or two.
Wine– species Hanseniaspora uvarum, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Saccharomyces beticus. The last type is sherry, which is used to create wine with a strength of up to 24° and some types of beer. Usually the yeast dies when the strength of the drink reaches 12°.
Beer houses. There are types for bottom and top fermentation. They are most suitable for fermenting malt and usually do not bring the wort to a high degree, “stopping” at 4-5° (see:).
Turbo yeast designed for quick preparation of baked goods or mash for moonshine. Their peculiarity is the presence of a large number of “feedings”, which contribute to the rapid proliferation of yeast fungi.
Alcohol. The basis is baked goods, but enriched with special salts to feed microorganisms. As a result, they work faster, multiplying and converting the sugars in the wort into alcohol. At the same time, their resistance increases and they die not at 12° mash strength, like baking mash, but at 17-20°. And the quality of raw alcohol is much higher than that prepared in bakeries.

What yeast is best for moonshine?

Brewer's yeast is completely unsuitable for moonshine brewing. Other types can be used. But take into account the specifics.

Wild. A good choice if you are preparing grape or fruit distillate (chacha, plum brandy, etc.).
Wine strains also suitable for high-quality moonshine. But they are rarely used due to their high cost.
Bakery. In the old days (read: Soviet and perestroika), baker's yeast was most often used. The mash was placed on them, resulting in moonshine, the quality of which largely depended on the skill of the distiller and the apparatus. Why they don’t suit us today:

unsatisfactory possibilities regarding the strength of the mash (10-12°). What is natural: the stronger the mash, the more finished product we will get;
long fermentation period (1-2 weeks);

Reference. The longer fermentation lasts, the more fusel oils and other impurities harmful to the body are formed in the mash. Most likely they will be in moonshine.

the presence of an unpleasant yeasty taste and aroma in the finished product.

Turbo. Regarding turbo yeast, according to user reviews, the mash can be ready in a day or two, but the quality of the final product cannot be called luxury. Oddly enough - precisely due to the acceleration of the process. The alcohol ferments, but the organoleptics don’t keep up, that is, in the moonshine you can barely feel that peculiar spirit and taste that should be depending on the raw materials used. Therefore, it is most advisable to use alcohol turbo yeast if you need moonshine in a couple of days. Although, on the other hand, many strive to minimize the “moonshine” smell.
Alcoholic raw or dry yeast. If you have time to create cool homemade strong alcohol, it is better to use alcohol yeast. Moreover, if you follow the technology, you will need no more than a week. But there will be significantly less aldehydes, fusel oils and methanol in the finished mash than from bakery mash.

Popular manufacturers

The least “overhead” for the buyer with quite decent quality:

"Intoxicated"— dry, modestly positioning themselves “For making drinks.” Produced in Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. Inexpensive, but popular due to their good alcohol yield and fast fermentation.
Belarusian. Here opinions differ. Mostly they praise the raw ones and are not satisfied with the dry ones.
Pakmaya Cristal – dry. They work quickly and produce good quality mash.

In addition, in Russia today they produce many types of pressed alcoholic yeast, which will not hurt your pocket, but will allow you to get decent moonshine with a good yield.

High quality, but also at a more significant price, is represented on the domestic market by dry yeast from the brands “Turbo”, Alcotec, STILL SPIRITS, BRAGMAN. Many people like Chinese Angel, with which you can quickly get ready-made mash from sugar and grain raw materials.

Remember that alcohol yeast has a number of benefits:

The mash is ready for distillation in less than a week.
Significantly less foam is formed, which saves the mash from running away, and the moonshine from splashing.
High activity of fungi that die only when the alcohol concentration in the mash is 16-17%, which means a high yield of moonshine.
Less contamination of harmful impurities.
Alcoholic yeast does not require additional mineral nutrition; it is already contained in its composition.

How to make yeast for moonshine with your own hands?

There are many home distillers who consider store-bought alcoholic yeast to be “suspiciously chemical” and therefore prefer to prepare this invariable component of the mash themselves. And I must say that this is not such a difficult process.

Probably, the question of how to prepare yeast for moonshine yourself is of interest to many, and we will try to give as comprehensive an answer as possible.

Yeast prepared with your own hands at home can be used in exactly the same way as store-bought yeast, and it will cost you almost nothing.

They become alcoholic (that is, most suitable for making strong homemade alcohol). due to excellent nutritional environment, which increases the ability of yeast fungi to survive in a concentrated alcohol environment. As a rule, those created with one’s own hands work up to 16-17° in the mash.

Attention. It is best to test the capabilities of self-made alcoholic yeast using a small amount of mash.

First try the hydromodule 1:4 (1 kg of sugar and 4 liters of water), then 1:5. Alcohols should handle it.

Rye alcoholic yeast

This recipe is taken from an old book on making homemade vodka.

Important. This yeast turns out to be strong, so it should be used with caution so that the mash does not foam.

Do not exceed the liquid level: the container should be filled with mash no more than a third of its volume. You will need:

an enamel or stainless steel pan with a capacity of 8-10 liters;
hops – 700 g fresh or 400 g dried. You can either buy it or assemble it yourself;

Reference. The best time to collect cones is the end of August - the beginning of September, when they are already ripe, but do not fall apart. Dry in the shade in a draft. Store in canvas bags.

rye malt in the amount of 4 cups. To prepare it, you need to wash and germinate 4 cups of rye. Then grind and use. Or buy ready-made;
wheat flour - 4 cups;
liquid baker's yeast - 1 cup. If there are none, then you need to dilute 200 g of pressed ones in a glass of water;
water – 6 liters.

The first stage is boiling hops for 3 hours in six liters of water. After boiling, the heat is sharply reduced so that it boils, but does not jump out of the pan. When cooking is finished, allow to cool under the lid. Then filter.

Carefully. Control the water temperature, it should not be higher than 28-30°C. Otherwise the yeast will lose activity.

Add flour, malt, yeast to the decoction that has cooled to a lukewarm “steamy” state and stir until completely dissolved without lumps. Leave this solution for a day in a warm room, covered with a lid. Then pour into bottles or jars and seal.

On prescription - such alcoholic yeast is stored on ice. But we will not resort to such radical methods, but will put them in the refrigerator and use them as needed.

Yeast on beer for moonshine

This recipe is designed for preparing “beer starter” for mash. You can use it right away. You will need 1 glass of warm water, flour and dark beer, as well as a tablespoon of sugar.

First, mix warm water with flour and leave for 6 hours. Then add sugar and beer, leave in a warm place until a foamy head forms. After this, you can either immediately put in the mash, or take the mixture to the cellar, where it can be stored for quite a long time.

On rye bread

Rye bread is an excellent base for creating homemade alcoholic yeast. First, grind 0.5 kg of rye bread (with your hands or a knife). Stir it with 2 glasses of warm water and 3 tablespoons of sugar. Leave in a warm place for 24 hours. Strain and squeeze the bread thoroughly.

Based on this infusion we make a dough. Helping with a whisk, mix in enough flour to obtain the consistency of sour cream. After two to three hours, you can put on the mash. And put the leftovers in the refrigerator, covering the jar with a lid.

Note. To make sure that the wort is ready for distillation, observe for external signs of fermentation and also taste it.

There should not be the slightest sweetness in the ripened mash: it is bitter, with a noticeable aftertaste of alcohol.

Yeast is an essential component for fermentation. Therefore, choose them carefully or prepare them yourself from quality ingredients. If you carefully follow the technology, homemade alcohol will fully replace purchased alcohol, and your homemade alcohol will not only replace store-bought alcohol, but will also surpass it in quality and pleasant taste.