Erudite beer lovers are happy to talk about the fact that two or three hundred years ago this drink was considered a cure for many diseases. Doctors recommended beer to fragile urban young ladies to improve their appetite and complexion, to hysterical ladies to calm their nerves, to the wounded in hospitals to recuperate.

Quality beer really contains many useful substances. But in our time, such prescriptions for treatment are not applicable: firstly, it is difficult to find live unfiltered beer without synthetic additives, and secondly, it will not take long to get beer alcoholism with such a medicine. However, scientists have found that brewer's yeast is a real storehouse of vitamins and microelements that are easily digestible by the human body. The use of brewer's yeast for the prevention and treatment of certain diseases, as well as for strengthening the immune system, brings very good results.

Types of brewer's yeast

There are three forms of brewer's yeast on the market:

• Live (liquid) brewer's yeast. Sold at breweries. The additive in this form has the greatest strength, but there is a significant drawback: liquid yeast can be stored at room temperature for no more than 6–8 hours, and in the refrigerator (at a temperature of +7 to +10 °C). Live brewer's yeast should not be taken with fungal diseases (in particular, with thrush) and with intestinal dysbacteriosis.
• Dry brewer's yeast in the form of powder or granules is sold in pharmacies. Dry yeast has a much longer shelf life than liquid yeast.
• Brewer's yeast tablets. In this form, both ordinary dietary supplements (biologically active additives) are produced, without impurities, and enriched with various minerals or vitamins.

Useful properties of brewer's yeast

Brewer's yeast is one of the most effective dietary supplements containing:

• 14 vitamins: group B (ensure the normal functioning of the central and peripheral nervous system, prevent the occurrence of Parkinson's disease, accelerate cell regeneration, improve vision, slow down the aging process), as well as C, D, E, F, PP;
• 17 amino acids, most of which are essential;
• unsaturated fatty acids (arachidonic, oleic and linoleic);
• potassium, chromium, calcium, selenium, phosphorus, zinc, iron, sodium, sulfur, copper and other trace elements.
• All vitamins contained in brewer's yeast are water-soluble, therefore they do not accumulate in the body. This supplement significantly improves well-being with beriberi and hypovitaminosis. BAAs based on brewer's yeast are useful for vegetarians to periodically take: these preparations contain folic acid, the source of which for the body is mainly meat food. Folic acid is involved in the process of DNA synthesis during cell division and has a beneficial effect on reproductive function.

The benefits of brewer's yeast are as follows:

• improve appetite, normalize digestion and metabolism;
• contribute to the achievement of optimal weight. If body weight is excessive, then due to the acceleration of metabolic processes, you can lose a few extra pounds. People who are underweight, taking yeast, on the contrary, get better. This effect is often used by athletes who want to pump up muscle mass;
• due to the high content of chromium, they alleviate the condition of patients with type II diabetes;
• antioxidants present in yeast slow down the aging process;
• prevent the occurrence and development of liver cancer;
• soothe with stress, emotional exhaustion, sudden mood swings;
• restore strength during physical exhaustion, anemia, strengthen immunity;
• help to endure significant physical and mental stress;
• normalize the work of the cardiovascular system;
• maintain an optimal level of acid-base balance in the body;
• help get rid of youthful acne, rashes, improve the condition of the skin with furunculosis, dermatosis, eczema, psoriasis;
• strengthen hair and stop hair loss;
• strengthen nails, make them less brittle.

Contraindications to taking brewer's yeast

Brewer's yeast can only be harmful if you do not follow the instructions and recommendations of the doctor. Taking drugs with brewer's yeast is contraindicated:

• children under 3 years old;
• the elderly (dietary supplement contains a large amount of nucleic acid);
• people with kidney disease;
• those who are allergic to brewer's yeast.
• This supplement is not prohibited for pregnant women, but before you start taking it, you should consult a doctor.

Features of taking brewer's yeast in various diseases

Brewer's yeast, unlike beer, does not contain alcohol. Therefore, they are allowed to be taken by children from the age of three.

Live yeast before use is diluted with milk, fruit or vegetable juice, water in the proportion: one tablespoon of the drug for half a glass of liquid.

The medicine is taken 30-40 minutes before meals. For prevention, the following dosage is recommended:

• for children from 3 to 6 years old, the dosage of the drug should be prescribed by a doctor;
• for children from 6 to 12 years old - 3 times a day for a teaspoon;
• for children aged 12-16 years - 3 times a day for a tablespoon;
• for adults (over 16 years old) - 3 times a day, 2-3 tablespoons.
• The duration of the course is 30 days, after which you need to take a break for 1-3 months.

In other cases, the regimen of taking the drug depends on the disease:

• in case of skin problems (acne, rash), as well as beriberi, you should drink at least 2 times a day half an hour before meals a tablespoon of live yeast diluted in milk;
• with low acidity of the stomach - 3 times a day half an hour before meals, drink 2 tablespoons of yeast diluted in water;
• for burning and spasms in the intestines - 3 times a day half an hour before meals, take a tablespoon of yeast (mix with water). Add half a teaspoon of grated ginger to the solution;
• with colitis and enterocolitis - 2-3 times a day between meals, drink a tablespoon of yeast (dilute with a glass of carrot juice).
• with insomnia - for 20 days, drink at night a tablespoon of live yeast mixed with a glass of warm milk. A pinch of ground cardamom is added to the medicine.

The easiest way to dose brewer's yeast in tablets: the regimen is indicated in the instructions. However, it is better to discuss the exact dosage with your doctor.

How to choose the right brewer's yeast enriched with trace elements

To make the benefits of brewer's yeast even more significant, various useful substances are added to them. Knowing why the body needs a particular trace element, you can easily choose the right dietary supplement for yourself:

• iron prevents the decrease in hemoglobin levels in the blood. Yeast with iron is recommended to drink with anemia;
• zinc lowers cholesterol levels, has antiviral and antibacterial properties, and also has a beneficial effect on reproductive function. Dietary supplements with zinc are primarily advisable to take for those who plan to conceive a child;
• magnesium is involved in the process of protein synthesis in the body, this trace element is necessary for the functioning of the heart muscle;
• succinic acid makes muscles more elastic, helping to endure significant physical exertion;
• selenium is an immunomodulator that slows down aging and is necessary for the normal functioning of the liver;
• sulfur strengthens nails and hair, cleanses the skin;
• calcium prevents the development of osteoporosis, provides bone strength;
• iodine - supports the immune system, the functioning of the thyroid gland, has a calming effect. First of all, yeast with iodine is needed for those who suffer from constant stress;
• potassium - improves the supply of oxygen to the brain, lowers blood pressure, ensures the functioning of muscles (including the heart).

Brewer's yeast in cosmetology

In order to strengthen hair, cleanse the skin of acne and blackheads, you should not only take brewer's yeast, but also make face and hair masks with them.

Facial masks with brewer's yeast

For rashes, acne, skin peeling, age spots, it is recommended to dilute 2 teaspoons of dry brewer's yeast or 2 tablespoons of live kefir. The mixture should be infused for an hour and a half. The thickened mass is applied to the face and neck, and after 15 minutes it is washed off with warm boiled water. The mask is designed to cleanse normal and oily skin, whiten it and smooth out fine wrinkles.

For mature and dry skin, you should replace kefir with warm milk, infuse the mixture for an hour and keep it on your face for 20 minutes. The mask perfectly rejuvenates. It is recommended to apply 5-7 days in a row, then you should take a break for 2-3 weeks.

Masks with brewer's yeast for hair

Hair masks are done no more than once a week (three weeks in a row, then a break for 7-14 days):

• for dry hair, mix half a glass of kefir with 10 g of dry yeast and a teaspoon of honey. The mass is infused for half an hour, after which it is applied to the hair, the head is warmly wrapped and the mixture is washed off after an hour;
• for oily hair, a mask is made from 10 g of dry brewer's yeast, a tablespoon of water and a raw chicken egg. Within an hour, the mixture ferments and swells in a warm place, after which it is put on the head and wrapped in a towel, held for an hour and washed off with warm water.

The role of yeast in brewing can hardly be overestimated. Without barley malt, like us, you can make foamy (there is, after all, wheat or rye malt, they also make beer from rice, for that matter). Hops cannot be called a key component either, because even now beer is brewed without its participation (Finnish “sahti”, for example). What is the role of yeast?

Perhaps everyone knows that yeast, in the course of its life, converts sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide, being an indispensable building block in the preparation of not only beer, but also other alcoholic beverages. But when you gain some experience in brewing and start tweaking existing recipes or developing your own, this formulation is no longer enough. The bottom line is that yeast has a direct impact on the taste and aroma, as well as other characteristics of the beer. By understanding some of the nuances of choosing yeast strains, you will be able to influence the characteristics of your beer and overcome various difficult brewing situations.

Definition of brewer's yeast and their main types

Brewer's yeast is a single-celled fungus, predominantly of the class Saccharomyces cerevisiae. When they enter a favorable environment, which in our case is beer wort, they consume oxygen and nutrients for reproduction. When oxygen is depleted, the yeast begins to "eat" simple sugars, such as glucose, obtained from the enzymes' saccharification of starch malt, converting them into alcohol, carbon dioxide, and other by-products of life. This process is known to us as fermentation and it is the basis for obtaining any alcoholic beverage.

The nature of fermentation was first described by Louis Pasteur, and later, in the 80s of the 19th century, Emil Hansen, a Danish mycohol from the Carlsberg laboratory, developed the technology for propagating pure yeast colonies, which formed the basis for the cultivation of yeast strains (mutations of certain types of yeast).

Depending on the behavior of brewer's yeast during fermentation and the temperature at which it takes place, brewer's yeast is divided into two main types: riding(warm) and grassroots(cold) fermentation. This division, by the way, was also introduced by Hansen, who isolated a separate cell of bottom-fermenting yeast.

Top fermenting yeast (ale)

Ale yeast, also known as Saccharomyces cerevisae, ferments beer at the top of the wort, forming a thick head of foam on the surface. They perform better at higher ambient temperatures: 10 to 25°C. This produces more fermentation by-products (mainly esters and phenols) that impart fruity or spicy flavors and aromas to the beer. Due to the comfortable temperature conditions, top-fermenting yeast is more often used by homebrewers, since additional refrigeration equipment is not needed for fermentation.

: ales, porters, stouts, seasonal, wheat and many others.

Bottom-fermenting yeast (lager)

Lager yeast, formally known as Saccharomyces uvarum (also Saccharomyces carlsbergensis, Saccharomyces pastorianus), ferments the beer at the bottom of the wort. For their normal life activity, a fairly low temperature is required, from 1 to 15 ° C. As a result of "cold" fermentation, much less side "taste" components are formed as a result of "cold" fermentation, so lagers have a cleaner flavor profile, which is more dependent on malt and hops .

: sides, pilsners, march, etc.

Of course, the differences between ale and lager yeasts described above are rather arbitrary. There are strains of top-fermenting yeast that can efficiently ferment beer wort at "lager" temperatures while producing fewer by-products and providing a cleaner flavor profile. In turn, during the fermentation of beer with lager yeast at room temperature, a fruity-spicy taste and aroma typical of ales is formed. Many strains of ale and lager yeasts overlap, allowing beers to be brewed with characteristics that are not typical of either type of yeast.

Other types of yeast are also used in brewing, for example, Bavarian wheat yeast (Torulaspora delbrueckii or Saccharomyces delbrueckii), which is used to make some varieties of German wheat beer (there are banana-specific esters and onion-specific phenols), or wild yeast for fermentation Belgian lambics (mostly yeast belonging to the genus Brettanomyces).

Beer yeast selection options

The choice of yeast for a particular style of beer is quite complex and does not limit the division of strains into "top" and "bottom". There are a number of parameters that are usually indicated by the manufacturer, which should be taken into account and, based on these parameters, select a strain for a particular case. These parameters typically include: degree of attenuation, flocculation characteristics, alcohol tolerance, and the flavor profile that the yeast imparts to the beer.

Degree of fermentation

Fermentation indicates what percentage of sugar the yeast consumes during the fermentation process. Typically, this figure varies from 65% to 85%. The smaller it is, the more sugars remain in the beer after fermentation. The degree of attenuation desired is partly a matter of style and partly personal preference. Many styles of beer require residual sweetness, and one way to achieve this is to choose the right strain of yeast, with medium (73-77%) or low (up to 72%) attenuation. Usually manufacturers of various yeast strains indicate the range of their degree of fermentation, but it should be understood that this indicator depends not only on the yeast, but also on the fermentation conditions: temperature, wort density, etc.

Flocculation is the readiness with which the yeast cells stick together after the end of fermentation and, having reached a critical mass, sink to the bottom of the fermenter, forming a dense yeast sediment. Each yeast strain flocculates to a different degree. Some do it well, sinking completely to the bottom of the fermenter, leaving a completely clear beer behind. Others, on the contrary, flocculate poorly, leaving a loose, fluffy mass of yeast throughout the fermented wort.

Ale yeasts can have low, medium or high flocculation, while lager yeasts are usually classified as medium flocculating. On the one hand, the remaining yeast makes the beer cloudy and gives it a yeasty flavor that is not always desired, and on the other hand, some styles need it. Too high flocculation can reduce attenuation and also increase some of the by-products that are the last to be taken up by the yeast (eg diacetyl).

alcohol tolerance

Alcohol tolerance describes how much ethanol a yeast strain can tolerate before it stops working. Not many strains can handle more than 8% ethanol in their wort, but for most beer styles, that's more than enough. If you are going to brew strong beer (Doppelbock, Eisbock, Baltic Porter, Russian Imperial Stout, etc.) or, for example, you decide to use brewer's yeast to make whiskey mash, you definitely need yeast with a high alcohol tolerance.

Contribution to flavor profile

Each strain of yeast creates a specific flavor profile that suits a particular style of beer and is usually described by the manufacturer of that yeast. All strains, without exception, produce during the fermentation process a different amount of fermentation by-products, among which the most significant and influencing taste and aroma, with the exception of carbon dioxide and ethyl alcohol, are esters, phenols, aldehydes and higher alcohols.

The ester compounds bring a fruity character to the drink, which is typical for most ales and wheat varieties. Phenols are associated with spices. Higher alcohols (fusel oil) are involved in the formation of esters. Before buying a particular strain of yeast, be sure to check the specifications, which usually indicate which of the flavor compounds it produces the most (usually this is the case with ale yeasts).

Dry or liquid yeast?

Brewer's yeast can be purchased in liquid and dry form:

• – cultured yeast strains stored in a liquid medium. This type of yeast tends to be of higher purity and quality than comparable dry yeasts and is a favorite with experienced brewers. In addition, liquid yeast is more diverse, as not all strains are dehydratable (drying). They are supplied in two types of packaging: bottles (test tubes) and sealed bags (Smack Pack). In vials, yeast is stored directly in liquid suspension. A more modern Smack Pack is a hermetically sealed bag divided into two parts. The first segment of the bag contains liquid yeast, the second contains the activator, a mixture of nutrients that promote yeast growth. When pressed on such a bag, both segments are destroyed and their contents are mixed, thereby starting the growth of yeast before being introduced into the wort. Liquid yeast must be stored in the refrigerator, as it quickly loses its activity.

• – cultured and dehydrated yeast cells of a certain strain. Supplied in a vacuum sealed package in the form of dry granules. The range of dry yeast is noticeably smaller, so choosing the right strain for a certain style can be problematic, but this is offset by ease of storage and transportation. Liquid yeast loses about 20% of living cells per month, so their shelf life, even under ideal storage conditions, is only 6 months. They also require special transportation conditions. Dry yeast, on the other hand, loses only 2% of viable cells during storage, which is less demanding, so their shelf life can be up to 2 years. It should also be noted that dry yeast does not need a starter (we will talk about this a little later), they are cheaper and have greatly added to the variety in recent years, especially when the New Zealand company Mangrove Jack`s took up the cultivation of strains.

Yeast preparation before use

Before use, brewer's yeast must be prepared without fail. However, the recommended preparation for dry and liquid yeast is different. Dry yeast can be simply poured into the wort, but it is better and more efficient to rehydrate it. With liquid yeast, things are a little more complicated. Manufacturers usually list a recommended amount of yeast to ferment a given volume of wort. Most often, this is one standard bag of dry or one bottle of liquid yeast for 20-25 liters of wort. However, storage conditions may not always be ideal, as well as transport conditions. As a result, there may be too few active yeast cells to quickly start the fermentation process, which, ultimately, will lead to must contamination and other troubles.

It should also be noted that the pitching rate (the amount of active yeast needed to start fermentation, usually measured in millions of yeast cells/ml of wort) can vary greatly, depending on other conditions such as must gravity, fermentation temperature, bitterness, etc. Usually, a standard bottle of liquid yeast is enough to ferment only low-gravity beers. Lagers and strong ales need more active yeast cells at the start of fermentation. Of course, you can add a few vials of liquid yeast and forget about this problem. But this is expensive and impractical. It will be cheaper and more correct to prepare yeast sourdough, which is called a starter.

Under this scientific term lies a fairly simple procedure, which consists in moisturizing dry yeast to activate it and increase the survival of yeast cells. In addition, rehydration reduces the delay time (the time between adding yeast to the must and the activation of visible fermentation). During rehydration, it is important to observe the temperature regime for a particular yeast strain. So, for top-fermenting yeast, it is recommended to use water at a temperature of 25-29 ° C, and for lager yeast - 21-25 ° C.

The procedure itself is extremely simple: dry yeast granules must be poured with 10 times the amount of water of the desired temperature, gently mixed and wait 30 minutes. As a result of rehydration, a creamy mass of active yeast is obtained, which can be immediately added to the wort. It should be noted that dry yeast prepared in this way can also be used to prepare a starter.

Preparation of yeast starter (starter)

A starter is a small amount of wort that is used to grow the yeast before adding it to the main wort to ensure an optimal inoculation rate. It is recommended to prepare the starter at least 1 day before brewing beer. To prepare it you will need:

• dry malt extract (DME);
• glass container (usually a growler bottle);
• saucepan for cooking extract;
• aluminium foil;
• disinfectant;
• yeast culture;
• water.

Before preparing the starter, dry yeast must be rehydrated, and liquid yeast must be removed from the refrigerator so that its temperature approaches room temperature (Smack Pack must be flattened in advance so that the contents of both segments of the package mix). Disinfect all equipment. Prepare wort from DME: mix 1 part extract with 10 parts water, bring to a boil, boil for 10 minutes, remove from heat and quickly cool to the temperature recommended for the yeast from which the starter will be prepared (for this, the pan can be placed in cold water with ice). Pour the chilled wort into a glass container, add the yeast and cover with sterile foil. After that, the container must be left in a place where the temperature is optimal for fermentation. Periodically, the starter must be stirred (usually a magnetic stirrer is used for this). Starter is ready!

After preparing the starter, it can be added to the wort after 24-48 hours. But it should be remembered that the amount of starter that needs to be added to the wort also depends on many parameters and the sowing rate plays an equally important role here. There are a huge number of calculators on the Internet that will help you calculate not only the sowing rate, but also the amount of starter needed to ferment a certain volume of wort with certain parameters.

Choosing and buying yeast for beer

The world leaders in the production of yeast strains are Wyeast (liquid yeast in Smack Pack) and White Labs (liquid yeast in vials). However, the transportation difficulties mentioned above, as well as the high prices of strains, make them the best choice for only a limited number of brewers, mainly in the West. In the CIS, dry yeast manufacturers such as Fermentis, Mangrove Jacks and Muntons rule the roost. The products of the domestic company BeerVingem also deserve special attention, in the assortment of which there is liquid yeast in vials.

Yeast Fermentis (France)

Fermentis is a world-class French manufacturer of brewer's yeast, whose products are used not only by beer enthusiasts, but also by large commercial breweries. The basis of the assortment is dry yeast, both for ales ( , etc.) and lagers ( , ). There is also a separate line of dry yeast for unique beer styles (Safbrew series), such as wheat ales (), abbey beers (), trappist beers () etc. Also in the assortment there is a strain specially designed for making cider (). Reliable supplier of high quality yeast for all occasions.

Yeast Mangrove Jacks (New Zealand)

Mangrove Jacks is a progressive New Zealand based dry yeast company. Thanks to the products of New Zealanders, brewers around the world have had the opportunity to try their hand at making truly unique beers. The range includes strains for ales (, Belgian Ale M27, etc.), lagers (, etc.), wheat beer (), cider () and mead (). A good help for pumping your brewing skills. Recommended!

Yeast Muntons (England)

Muntons is a well-known English manufacturer of beer ingredients (in particular, malt extracts), among which there are also a couple of interesting strains of brewer's yeast, which are presented in the assortment of our store. First of all, it is ale - a universal brewer's yeast with a high tolerance to alcohol. They provide consistent fermentation and a clean flavor profile by releasing moderate amounts of fermentation by-products. Another prominent representative of this brand are universal ales, which are able to ferment complex sugars and have a high flocculation rate.

Yeast White Labs (USA)

White Labs is the leader in liquid yeast production in the USA. It features a large assortment, which features unique strains for a wide variety of beers. Here is a strain for strong Belgian ales (), and German heffenweisen (), and Walloon seasonal beer (), and even an unparalleled strain for a Belgian triplet (). In general, there is where to roam. The company is also constantly engaged in research and releases every year about 3 different new strains, which, with great demand, become a permanent product line. these strains from White Labs can be found in our online store at the best price in Russia!

The quality and taste of beer is greatly influenced by the yeast strains involved in fermentation. The importance of these single-celled organisms for brewing is due to the fact that they are able to convert various substrates (environments in which they live and reproduce) into ethanol and secondary metabolites. In winemaking and brewing, wine or beer must acts as a substrate. To make a delicious beer, the brewer must use a quality yeast culture. At the same time, you need to make sure that wild yeasts, other fungi and bacteria do not get into the wort. Extraneous microflora, as a rule, spoils the taste of beer. Although wild yeast is still used today to make peasant lambics and other sours, not to mention exotic modern varieties fermented with wild yeast from the beard or navel of the brewer.

The diversity of yeast even in nature is enormous: there are about 1500 different species. Even more species and subspecies can be obtained artificially with the help of modern biotechnology. The best studied unicellular fungi Saccharomyces cerevisiae- baker's yeast, which is most often used for top-fermentation in the production of ales (above). For bottom fermentation, in most cases, use Saccharomyces pastorianus- a hybrid of baker's yeast and wine yeast Saccharomyces bayanus. The genome of these and several dozen other fungi is now fully understood. Thanks to this, modern microbiologists can "fix" and improve the properties of yeast that are important for the beer industry.
Beer is a waste product of yeast. Therefore, its taste and aroma depend not only on malt and hops, but also on how the yeast processes the substances contained in the wort. Some styles of beer - hefeweizen, most of the Belgian styles, English bitters - get their unique taste from the yeast used. Now laboratories are creating and testing genetically modified yeast, which can purposefully change the taste of beer.

Brewer's yeast: thousands of years of use and a century and a half of study

Approximately 10,000 years ago, people switched from hunting and gathering to agriculture. This is one of the main steps in the development of human civilization: it still determines our way of life. People began to grow crops and mastered two of the oldest food technologies - baking and brewing. The role of brewing for early agricultural civilizations can hardly be overestimated: beer is not only intoxicating, but also nutritious, relatively safe drink.
Both baking and brewing are impossible without unicellular yeast fungi. So yeast is one of the earliest domesticated species of living organisms. Chemical tests of ancient ceramic vessels from China have shown that the intoxicating drink from barley and millet was made using fermentation as early as 7000 BC. Similar drinks made from rice, honey, and fruit are described in the earliest texts of the Shang and Zhou dynasties (1200–200 BC). Beer has also been brewed in Mesopotamia since about 3500 BC. e., but in Europe it appeared no earlier than the 1st century AD. e.
In the middle of the 17th century, Anthony van Leeuwenhoek, the founder of microbiology, was able to see yeast cells through a microscope for the first time in history. The importance of yeast for the food and beverage industry was not truly realized until 200 years later, in the second half of the 19th century. The discoveries of scientists such as Louis Pasteur, Hermann Emil Fischer and Emil Christian Hansen have greatly influenced the modern brewing industry.
The French chemist and microbiologist Louis Pasteur (1822–1895) unraveled the mysteries of many diseases and developed the first vaccines to prevent them. He invented pasteurization - short-term heating of products to disinfect and increase shelf life. Louis Pasteur also discovered that fermentation is the result of the vital activity of microorganisms. This discovery gave impetus to the scientific study of winemaking and brewing.
The German chemist Emil Fischer (1852–1919) became the founder of carbohydrate chemistry and won the Nobel Prize (1902). His father had a brewery in Dortmund, where Fischer, as a young man, made his first experiments with brewer's yeast to ferment various sugars. Like Louis Pasteur, he noticed that yeast feeds on only one of two optical forms of sugar. But Fisher also made another important discovery: different yeasts fermented different sugars! He came to the conclusion that the leaven and its corresponding substrate should fit together like a key to a lock...
The Danish biologist Emil Christian Hansen (1842–1909) worked in the laboratories of the famous Carlsberg brewing company in Copenhagen. Here they used special yeast, not like ordinary top-fermenting yeast ... This yeast did not accumulate at the top, but near the bottom of the container and fermented at a lower temperature. It is believed that grassroots yeast first appeared about 300 years ago in Bavarian monasteries as a hybrid of ordinary brewer's yeast with wine Saccharomyces bayanus, which was used to make wine and cider. Around the middle of the 19th century, lager yeast came to Czech brewers and glorified the city of Pilsen throughout Europe. One of the owners of Carlsberg stole this yeast - according to legend, he took it to Denmark right under his hat. Either his head was not too clean, or from the very beginning the yeast was not ideal - one way or another, they did not give a stable quality of beer. Hansen had to deal with this problem.
In 1881, Hansen was able to isolate pure monocultures and learned how to breed them. Thanks to this, he also described a number of new types of yeast. Hansen developed a standard procedure for using yeast clones in the production of bottom-fermented beer. A specially bred clone called Unterhefe Nr. I ("Grassroots Yeast No. 1") produced a predictable good result when brewing beer. This yeast became known as Saccharomyces carlsbergensis. The next strain Unterhefe Nr. II received the Latin name Saccharomyces monacensis. In the mid-1980s, genetic studies showed that the difference between the strains was negligible, and the terms S. Carlsbergensis and S. monacensis were declared synonymous. In fact, the entire group of closely related grassroots yeast strains is the result of multiple hybridization. Therefore, they eventually returned to the former common name Saccharomyces pastorianus. which is currently used in the scientific literature.

Initially, beer was made by spontaneous fermentation. The wort was fermented by itself in open containers, the microflora was sown directly from the air or from the brewing equipment. Today we know that wild yeasts and extraneous bacteria do not form strong foams and therefore mostly remain in the fermenting wort. In addition, most of them die from ethyl alcohol and other metabolic products. The frothy head that comes from traditional top-fermenting contains healthy yeast. In the old days, if the beer turned out good, the yeast head was harvested to use a good mix of yeast in the next brew. This is how the selection of yeast suitable for brewing was carried out: they multiplied and adapted to the conditions of the brewing industry.
This simple method gave impressive results. As scientists from the Belgian Flanders Institute of Biotechnology (Ghent) found out, 157 types of industrial yeast used today for baking bread, brewing and winemaking were cultivated as early as the 16th century, about 100 years before Leeuwenhoek first saw and described bacteria and yeast.
Brewers are still trying to improve beer, coming up with new varieties with different flavors, improving color and foam. To do this, you have to experiment with all the ingredients, including yeast. A lot of scientific research is being carried out to improve already used strains and search for new ones. Many improved strains have been obtained through selective breeding and genetic engineering, although not all of them are yet officially approved for use. In a number of countries, legislation does not allow the use of genetically modified yeast in brewing. The brewers themselves, not wanting to abandon traditional ingredients and technologies, prefer conventional hybrids or all sorts of experiments with wild yeast.

Yeast biodiversity

Yeasts are unicellular fungi that can be divided into two groups according to their structure and reproduction: ascomycetes (they include all saccharomycetes, including brewer's yeast) and basidiomycetes. These two evolutionary branches diverged supposedly over a billion years ago.
The modern scientific classification of yeast is based on the gene sequence of ribosomal DNA (rDNA). It is believed that intraspecific differences in fungi are determined by 0–3 nucleotides in the rDNA chain for every 600 (0–0.5%). If a strain differs by more than 6 nucleotides (1%), it is considered a separate species. Intermediate steps over time, with the accumulation of changes in the genome, can also become independent species. This classification system has led to an increase in the number of officially recognized fungal species. In particular, the number of yeast species has doubled. Although over 1,000 species of ascomycetes and over 30,000 species of basidiomycetes have already been described, it is possible that this is only the tip of the iceberg. It is estimated that less than 1% of naturally occurring yeasts have been studied.

The baker's yeast S. cerevisiae has been very well studied. Their genome was completely deciphered back in 1996, along with the genomes of their closest relatives from among the Saccharomycetes. They formed a distinct group called Saccharomyces sensu stricto. This group includes the three most important yeast species for the beer industry: S. cerevisiae, S. bayanus and their hybrid S. pastorianus. Within the group, gene transfer and hybridization are possible, which leads to the emergence of new variations. Due to the general complication of yeast classification, many subspecies were renamed in the mid-2000s. In 2006, the genomes of several varieties of Saccharomyces sensu stricto were deciphered: S. paradoxus, S. mikatae, S. bayanus and S. kudriavzevii. Comparison of genomes not only makes it possible to study the evolution of yeast, it provides the basis for targeted manipulation of the properties of different yeast cultures.

The main types of yeast used in brewing

During fermentation, yeast flocculates, that is, they group and form agglomerates. Traditionally, ale and lager yeasts have been distinguished by their ability to ferment the disaccharide melibiose, and by whether they accumulate after primary fermentation at the top or bottom of the container (see infographic on the left). Lager yeast produces the extracellular enzyme melibiase (alpha-galactosidase), which becomes a catalyst for the breakdown of melibiose into galactose and glucose. As a result, lager yeast can process melibiose while ale yeast cannot. Yeast cultures for making ale are mainly S. cerevisiae. Lager brewer's yeast is a hybrid of S. cerevisiae and other Saccharomycetes. As already mentioned, they are usually called Saccharomyces pastorianus. When flocculated, they sink to the bottom, hence the term bottom fermentation.
Ales ferment at 15-23°C. Lagers go through a primary fermentation at 7-12°C and a long re-fermentation at 4-7°C. This additional fermentation is the maturation stage during which the beer is refined and softened. Aging makes the lagers taste stronger and cleaner. But just such a “clean”, understandable taste and aroma without additional shades has led to the fact that lagers are usually not interesting for craft lovers. Despite occasional reminders that craft brewers grossly underestimate the potential of lagers, craft brewing is now dominated by ales.
It is curious that in the 21st century we are seeing not only a massive interest in the Middle Ages and antiquity, but also the return of many old varieties and recipes. It can be said that the yeast S. cerevisiae has taken revenge after a century of humiliation. What if our tastes are just a war of two species of fungus for world domination and a place in our stomachs? 4 961

What is Live Brewer's Yeast? What is useful in them?

Brewer's yeast is 60% protein, being one of its most valuable natural sources. They contain a uniquely high content of B vitamins (choline, thiamine, pyridoxine, pantothenic acid, folic acid), E, ​​PP, H and essential fatty acids (oleic, arachidonic and linolenic), macro and microelements including calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese , zinc and others.

How long does Live Brewer's Yeast last?

Live brewer's yeast is stored for 7-8 days. The residue must then be disposed of.

In what dosage should I take Live Brewer's Yeast?

Children under 6 years of age - consult your doctor for dosage

Children from 7 to 12 years old - 1 teaspoon 3 times a day. Take 15-30 minutes before meals

Children from 12 to 16 years old - one tablespoon 3 times a day. Take 15-30 minutes before meals

Adults over 16 years old. 3 times a day, 2-3 tablespoons. Take 15-30 minutes before meals

Before use, you should consult a doctor

How much is needed per person per week?

For 1 person, you need 1 liter of live brewer's yeast per week. But each case is individual. For example, people leading a sports lifestyle can take up to 100g at a time. Live brewer's yeast. A high protein content is simply necessary for the muscles of an athlete.

What diseases does Live Brewer's Yeast help with?

Live Brewer's Yeast is used in the treatment of the following diseases:

Furunculosis

Acne, Acne, Dermatosis, Eczema, Psoriasis

Anemia, Polyneuritis, Neuralgia

B-hypovitaminosis

You can read more about diseases and treatment in the section Treatment and prevention of diseases with live brewer's yeast

Are there any contraindications when using Live Brewer's Yeast?

What is the minimal order?

The minimum order is 0.250 l.

How can I know that Live Brewer's Yeast is high quality and fresh?

Yeast suitability is determined in the laboratory by a specialist. Before brewing beer, Live Brewer's Yeast goes through several stages of selection for quality analysis. After each selection, their maturity, activity, suitability, and other properties characterizing their quality are determined. Before buying, you can always taste and evaluate the quality of Live Brewer's Yeast.

Expired yeast has an unpleasant odor, which sharply gives into the nose. Fresh yeast is slightly frothy and smells good, although it tastes a bit bitter due to the hops.

Dear customers, we are interested in long-term cooperation with you, so it is not profitable for us to bring bad and low-quality goods!

Why is Live Brewer's Yeast bitter and how can the bitterness be reduced?

Live brewer's yeast is a complex product that, according to its technological parameters, ferments, infuses and releases the decay product - water and hops. Bitterness cannot be avoided, but it can be reduced by more frequent (2-3 times a day) removal of decay products and the addition of pure raw water. However, when adding pure water, remember that you are reducing the concentration of yeast and beneficial bacteria.

How long does it take to take Live Brewer's Yeast to see results?

Each case is individual. You will feel general changes in the body (in particular, the digestive system) after a week of taking. Compliance with the intake of live brewer's yeast is required!

How to store Live Brewer's Yeast at home?

1. Put the closed bottle in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

2. Then remove the bottle from the refrigerator and keep at room temperature for 10 minutes

3. Pour the brewer's yeast from the bottle into a clean glass jar. (WARNING: OPEN THE BOTTLE GRADUALLY, HIGH PRESSURE IS GENERATED DURING THE FERMENTATION). The volume of the glass jar should exceed the volume of the yeast bottle by 0.5 l. (Pour 1 liter of liquid yeast into a 1.5 liter jar, etc.).

4. In the process of fermentation, a mixture of water and hops (decomposition product) is formed in the top layer of the jar. Bottom-fermenting yeast settles down the can. The mixture of water and hops must be drained every morning and pour clean raw water at your discretion. The process of adding water reduces the bitterness of the yeast. But remember that in this case you are reducing the concentration of yeast!

5. Before taking brewer's yeast, it is necessary to mix the consistency of the yeast in the jar with a clean spoon.

6. It is necessary to store Live brewer's yeast only in a refrigerator at a temperature of +2+4 t.

7. The container (Jar) in which Brewer's yeast is stored must be covered with a lid, but not tightly! You can cover the jar with gauze.

8. Use Live Brewer's Yeast within 7-8 days. Then the leftovers can only be used to make face masks.

9. When children use brewer's yeast, honey, sugar or fructose can be added to create a pleasant taste. You can drink water.

10. It is necessary to take Live Brewer's Yeast after draining the water and hops, after mixing the liquid brewer's yeast with a clean spoon.

11. Do not heat Live Brewer's Yeast!

The use of cultural strains of yeast for brewing your favorite drink does not even have two centuries. Before that, there was no idea that there could be beer yeast, which is enough to add to the wort to start fermentation.

Without yeast, the wort will not be able to turn into a foamy intoxicating drink familiar to everyone. Even if they are not added on purpose, they get into the future beer from the air. By the way, even now Belgian lambrics are produced in this way.

However, it is impossible to predict exactly how "wild" yeast will behave. Predictable and guaranteed results when used correctly were the already mentioned Saccharomyces carlsbergensis, which their inventor Hansen called grassroots No. 1.

They have the best effect on beer at low enough temperatures(6-10°C), "working" not on the surface of the drink, but in the depths, and then settling at the bottom with a dense sediment.

There is a division of yeast according to the type of fermentation into top and bottom.

Ales, porters, stouts are created with the help of horses. These are beers with a sharper taste, aroma, and bitterness.

Lagers, which today account for 80% of the world's beer production, are made using bottom-fermenting yeast.

It should not be thought that the division is so strict that deviation from the rules will lead to irreparable consequences. Beer can also be fermented as an ale type (that is, at room conditions) with bottom strains, as well as using top strains, putting the beer to ferment in the cellar.

But the taste will differ from the standard for a particular type of foam. And not necessarily for the worse. Experienced brewers experiment, and sometimes very successfully. This is how new varieties are born.

Some strains are suitable for both types of fermentation (bottom and top).

Important. To obtain beer with a strength above 10 °, not only beer, but also other races of yeast are used, since beer yeast does not process sugar after reaching the specified strength.

Therefore, the beer has a residual sweetness that is clearly felt by our taste buds. Why do we love this drink?

Reuse

Having once properly prepared beer from purchased brewer's yeast, you can provide yourself with yeast for six months in advance. The so-called flushing is used:

• after draining the fermented wort for further aging, the remaining sediment is poured with a liter of clean water from the filter (bottled) and shaken;
• allow the turbidity to settle and carefully drain the water;
• cover the jar with foil or a steamed lid and put it in the refrigerator for an hour;
• sediment is formed at the bottom again. Drain the liquid without touching the bottom layer. The active strains are in this liquid;
• put it back in the fridge for an hour. If the turbidity settles again, it is drained again.

Carefully. It is necessary to ensure the maximum sterility of the dishes and all the devices with which you will work, so as not to introduce foreign fungi into the starter.

It is necessary to store in the refrigerator, it is better - under a water seal so that the yeast does not suffocate, and foreign bacteria do not get into the liquid.

What yeast to choose for brewing beer?

Yeast affects the aroma and taste of the drink, its bitterness, so it is important to properly prepare and ferment the wort, as well as to choose the right types and suppliers.

For home brewing more commonly used dry. They are convenient in terms of transportation and storage. In addition, it is easier to accurately measure the dose for the amount of wort.

Reference. When dry yeast is directly poured into the boiled wort, no more than 60% of the strains survive.

If you first dilute the right amount in warm (24-28 ° C) water, let it stand for a while, and only then add it to the wort, up to 90% will survive. This means that they will be more active in fermentation.

Liquid brewer's yeast has a significant disadvantage - they are not easy to transport and store.

Therefore, they may arrive to the consumer already unusable. However, it is liquid ones that provide a rich aroma and natural beer taste.

If you are confident in the quality of the product, this is the best choice. But still, I want to warn beginner brewers: start with dry ones, and with experience, look for inspiration in liquid ones.

Each type of beer has its own yeast

Leading brewers at the best breweries in the world experiment, look for new strains, determine which ones come out the best. Therefore, it is a sin not to take advantage of their developments.

When choosing a yeast culture, decide what kind of foam you want to produce in your own kitchen, and feel free to buy “under the grade”.

For brewing lager varieties

Specially designed for home breweries, products from Fermentis, Mangrove Jacks are supplied to the market in small packaging. A feature of these brands is the careful selection of yeast races and species, taking into account the expected result.

Therefore, the beer succeeds well, if the malt is correctly selected and the proportions and technology requirements are observed.

The name necessarily contains the word Lag or Lager, as an indication of the destination.

There are also more "tempting" inexpensive offers on the market. However, before placing an order, think about whether you really want to make beer cheaply or tasty. And in order not to miscalculate, chat on the forums, read the reviews.

For brewing weizens (wheat varieties)

To brew a classic wheat beer, top species are used that interact best with wheat malt. Try dry Safbrew WB-06 or Bavarian Wheat White Labs. A lot of people like the WLP300 - it's a liquid look.

For ales

Classic British and American ales are usually aged in oak barrels, where they are clarified, forming a dense sediment at the bottom. It is for these purposes that dry Safale S-04 or M07 are adapted. Liquid WLP002 perform well.

Belgian ales

If you want to replicate the quadrupel from Belgian brewers at home, order Safbrew T-58 or Mangrove Jacks - M27. For a Belgian witbier, the WLP400 is an excellent choice.

Universal

There is also a class of all-purpose brewer's yeast that can be used to make several varieties. These include Mangrove Jacks - M29, Fermentis 33. Although they are most suitable for ales. When buying, also pay attention to what type of yeast belongs to: top or bottom fermenting.

Good luck and happy beer! Write comments, recommend the article in social networks.