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Combining Yeasts for More Complex Spirits

Distiller’s yeast strains are efficient workhorses, but depth of flavor isn’t their specialty. By co-pitching characterful ale yeast strains with other trusted strains—and experimenting to achieve the desired outcomes—craft distillers can get the best of both worlds.

Daniel Stewart Sep 18, 2024 - 10 min read

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Photo: Ash Patino/Generic Brand Human

Tour a distillery anywhere in the world, and you’ll likely hear about what makes their product different—the shape of the stills, the quality of the grain, the type of barrels used to age the spirit, the climate of the barrelhouse, and more.

Yet for all those variables, yeast are rarely given a place in the spotlight. The tour guide might mention fermentation times or note a unique wooden washback, but the very important little creatures that make alcohol in the first place often remain hidden.

That concealment is partly due to an “ick” factor: Many consumers simply don’t want to be reminded that their favorite spirit begins with a teeming mass of microbes. It can also be difficult to explain to someone outside the industry exactly how different yeast strains influence the final product.

Another reason many producers don’t talk about yeast is that they’re simply using the same kind as everyone else. That is changing, however, as more craft distillers turn to unique yeast strains—and to unique combinations of them—to differentiate their spirits.

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Daniel Stewart is head distiller at Ology Distilling in Tallahassee, Florida, where he makes rum and whiskey. He is also a beekeeper and sourdough baker. He writes about whiskey and other spirits at slowdrams.com.

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