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whiskey yeast


bioviper

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Well, some people like pure corn whisky, so technically maybe it is no longer a bourbon, but I thought to ask the question here. Of course, you could sour mash, and avoid the yeast question altogether. But that would give you a different flavor profile, and so the choice of yeast might be important specifically in an all corn mash, since it would be the major contributor to the flavor profile from the ferment other than the corn?

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Well, some people like pure corn whisky, so technically maybe it is no longer a bourbon, but I thought to ask the question here. Of course, you could sour mash, and avoid the yeast question altogether. But that would give you a different flavor profile, and so the choice of yeast might be important specifically in an all corn mash, since it would be the major contributor to the flavor profile from the ferment other than the corn?

tuthilltowns baby bourbon is 100 % corn

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are you doing 100% corn .... ummm Do you want Wet or Dry .... Where are you from.

More info

im from washington opening my distillery in the next 6 months. my bourbons mash bill will only be 51% corn and im going to play around with the rest. probly dry yeast

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why would you use 100 percent corn?

I think the main reason a CRAFT DISTILLER would use 100% corn is because there are not many others using it.

Most craft distillers like to make something a little different from the main stream.

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Red Star/Lessafre has both Red Star Whiskey yeast and C70 Safdistill. In my experience the RSW produces more fusels which is good for an aged spirit, while the C70 is a bit lower on fusels and so a touch more neutral. I like the C70 for the lack of fusels as I think it adds other, more subtle flavors to the fermentation. I've had success in all corn and corn/wheat mashes.

The other major whiskey yeast I've used is Lallamand (can't remember the name), which I also like for subtle flavors.

Hope that helps.

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  • 2 years later...

What kinds of yeast are people using for bourbon and who do you buy from? I've heard from good things about White Labs but they are really expensive ($8.80 for enough to do 8 gallons). I would appreciate any suggestions for types of yeast and supplier!

For those that propagate, what techniques do you use?

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We propagate yeast from slant to pitchable volume, it is more work but it allows us to utilize yeasts that would otherwise not be available (in dry form) or too expensive at the volumes necessary for pitching. We personally feel that there is a somewhat substantial flavor contribution of the yeast, and that this process is worth the result. I know others do not share this opinion. We've done informal double blinds and differences are relatively easy to discern. I personally prefer a more complex fruit/estery aroma on the nose, and that is much easier to get with an ale style yeast than a standard distillery style yeast.

A single white labs vial is enough to inoculate thousands of slants - that $9 is a bargain. Haven't looked in a long while, but I thought pitchable volumes from White for 7bbl were something like $150-200 shipped - not bad for beer, very expensive for whiskey.

I have no formal microbiology training, only two semesters of micro in college, yet with good process and meticulous cleanliness I can achieve very consistent results. It is a considerable amount of work however, think of the yeast as having a few more kids to babysit.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Kudos to you for doing it in a craft way. Growing our yeast is a way to make your place more craft if you will. It is not hard to do, expands our possibilities and keeps costs down. I have a design for a yeast prop tank if anybody is interested.

What is the cost of your yeast making class? I would think that this would be extremely popular in order to create a signature taste profile, and maybe a few of us could get together somewhere to make this cost efficient.

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