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Wine yeast for moonshine. Alcoholic yeast from A to Z - selection criteria and examples of use

The most important component of the mash is yeast. It is thanks to them that the fermentation process (biochemical reaction) is carried out, as a result of which sugar is processed into alcohol. Also, the quality of the finished product (moonshine) and its output in terms of volume depend on them. In addition to baker's yeast, there are special ones that are designed for the manufacture of alcohol. Below we will consider the advantages and disadvantages of specialized yeast intended for the production of alcoholic beverages, and you will decide for yourself which mash yeast is best for you.

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Alcohol yeast

Such yeast is intended for the manufacture of alcohol on an industrial scale. Also, they are pretty good, they are suitable for making homemade mash. The following indicators stand out as their main advantages:

  • Resistant to a high percentage of alcohol in the wash. The strength of the mash wort can reach 18 degrees, and at the same time, the yeast will do its job properly. Thanks to this, the yield of the finished product naturally increases.
  • The fermentation process is much faster than with conventional baker's yeast. So, with a correctly selected temperature regime, readiness sugar mash comes in three, four days, and the grain version of the mash wort will cook even faster. Usually, fruit-based mash is prepared for the longest time, but if alcohol yeast is used in the product, the process will be reduced to seven days.
  • There is no increased foaming, so the container can be filled almost completely, leaving a small gap.
  • They are stored for a long time and do not require special conditions.
  • They do not have a yeast odor, which affects the final result.

Like any product, alcoholic yeast also has disadvantages:

  • The sale of such yeast is carried out only in specialized stores, which is why their availability to the majority of the population is limited. Alternatively, you can use the services of online stores.
  • The price for alcoholic tremors is much higher than for bakery ones, therefore even a rather high percentage of the yield of an alcohol-containing drink does not cover the costs.

Turbo yeast for mash

Turbo yeast is an alcohol product with improved properties. It is believed that this is the most suitable option for making mash. This is due to the following advantages:

  • Increased alcohol resistance. Thanks to their use, you can get mash with twenty percent alcohol content.
  • Fermentation speed. Subject to the technological process, the wash will be ready for further distillation after two days.
  • There is no need to add top dressing, since all the required substances are already included in the product.
  • No irritation required. Yeast is simply poured into the mash.
  • Low foaming, makes it possible to use the container with maximum efficiency.
  • Various variants of turbo yeast, can effectively work both with low temperatures(up to +10 degrees) and at high (up to +33 degrees).
  • Braga is obtained with a minimum amount of harmful fusel oils, this is due to the speed of fermentation.
  • Turbo yeast does not change the taste of the finished drink, and therefore, it can be successfully used for grain or fruit and vegetable mash.

Analyzing the advantages of such yeast, one can answer the question "Which yeast is better for mash?" Turbo yeast - perfect option for home brew, unless, of course, some negative points are taken into account:

  • Much high price, which makes the final product quite expensive.
  • Available only in specialized stores.
  • During the ripening of the wash, a large volume of carbon dioxide is released and when using a glove, instead of a shutter, it can simply be ripped off, which will increase the cooking period of the product.

Wine yeast for moonshine

A breeding ground for wild strains of wine yeast is grapes. In areas where viticulture is practiced, they are used to make traditional chacha. The industry offers dry grape yeast, which can also be successfully added to homemade mash... Their advantages are the following indicators:

  • They are a purified product, unlike strains taken from berries.
  • With their help, you can get mash with an alcohol content of 17 percent.
  • Braga, like the resulting alcohol-containing drink, does not have a smell characteristic of yeast.
  • Enhance taste qualities grape mash.
  • They are the most suitable option for making chacha or brandy drink. Grain mash they get the same excellent quality.
  • Stored for a long time.

As a disadvantage of wine yeast, the slow processing of sugar stands out, which is why it is not recommended to use them for making sugar mash wort.

You can make a wild version of wine yeast yourself using one of the recipes:

  • Two glasses of hops are poured with four glasses of water, the container is put on fire until the volume is halved. After that, two tablespoons of sugar and six tablespoons of flour are added. Everything is mixed and left in a warm place for fermentation for three days.
  • One and a half cups of ground malt, half a cup of flour, a quarter cup of sugar and two and a half cups of water are thoroughly mixed. The mixture is boiled for 60 minutes and sent for fermentation in a warm place for two days.
  • Unwashed raspberries and rose hips, one hundred grams of sugar and a glass of water are mixed. The resulting composition is placed in a warm place for three days.

Home wine yeast can be poured into mash wort in a ratio of 100 milliliters of yeast per liter of water.

By picking up the best way yeast for mash should be based on your taste preferences and ease of preparation of the drink.

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

Fermentation and yeast types

Fermentation or fermentation is a biological process whereby yeast converts sugars like 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 is also a fermentation product, strong alcoholic beverages are obtained, such as vodka, whiskey, cognac, calvados, rum, etc.

There are many types of yeast that can produce alcohol as a by-product of anaerobic (oxygen-free) fermentation. However, today the most studied and widespread yeast is Saccharomyces cerevisiae, different strains of which are used by home brewers, winemakers and distillers to obtain alcoholic beverages... And although the yeast is the same, on the market today you can find several of their groups, which are usually divided into:

  • Baker's yeast- usually used to prepare baked yeast bread and various baked goods as a baking powder. Here, too, fermentation appears, only the formed alcohol evaporates during heat treatment, and carbon dioxide provides bread with the spongy structure we are used 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 yield of alcohol. However, even some eminent producers of Scotch whiskey do not deny that they use conventional baker's yeast.
  • Brewer's yeast- are used for making beer, as well as for making mash for whiskey and other grain mash. Often this is the same baker's yeast, only more suitable strains that provide slower fermentation and higher alcohol yield. In practice, brewer's yeast, if we talk about home brewing, allows you to get good mash for whiskey, but with a noticeable loss of alcohol.
  • Wine yeast- are used to obtain 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 (a combination of taste and aromatic qualities). In home brewing, 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 for making moonshine is the so-called alcohol yeast or turbo yeast, the intricacies of the choice and use of which we are talking about in this material.

What is alcohol yeast?

Alcohol yeast(turbo yeast) Is a ready-made mixture of dry yeast and nutrients designed for more efficient fermentation of the mash before further distillation. In such mixtures, the most powerful strains of yeast fungi are used, which have a high tolerance to alcohol, guarantee fast and stable fermentation, and, under certain conditions, provide better organoleptic properties than ordinary baker's yeast. The nutrients that are part of the turbo yeast serve to maintain the optimal level of nitrogen, vitamins and trace elements in the mash, which yeast needs at different stages of alcohol fermentation, contributing to the creation of the same ideal conditions to get drinks with good taste and aromatics.

In addition to yeast and nutrients, alcoholic yeast for moonshine often includes a pH regulator (the acidity of the wort), as well as a defoamer, which is indispensable for fast and intense fermentation, which is usually accompanied by abundant foaming. To obtain a cleaner mash, some turbo yeast contain sorbents. There are also specialized alcoholic yeast created to produce a certain class of beverages, in particular from cereals and fruit brews. They are known as yeast for whiskey, calvados, vodka, etc. The composition of such turbo-yeast is formulated in such a way as to ensure stable fermentation of this or that type of mash, as well as to preserve the original organoleptic properties of the raw material. For example, rum yeast, 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 characteristic of alcoholic yeast, which is not so much a list of their advantages as a description of the differences from other types of yeast:

  1. Reduced fermentation time ... The average time for complete fermentation of mash with baker's, brewer's and wine yeast is from 7 to 60 days or more (in practice, only bakers can provide a weekly fermentation period for sugar mash, grain and fruit mash wander usually longer). Alcoholic yeast, subject to certain conditions, allows you to obtain mash for distillation in just 48 hours (there is a turbo yeast that will allow you to get mash in an incredible 24 hours), usually in 3-7 days.
  2. Increased alcohol tolerance ... When a certain level of alcohol in the mash is reached, the yeast dies due to the toxicity of ethanol. For bakery and brewer's yeast it is about 12-14% alcohol, for wine yeast - about 15%. Strains of alcoholic yeast are able to withstand up to 20% alcohol in the mash (today the maximum is 23%). At the same time, the distiller can independently influence the final strength of the mash by regulating the amount of yeast, sugars and temperature conditions.
  3. High fermentation rate of sugars ... Yeast is not able to consume certain sugars, for example, the dextrins found in molasses and starchy raw materials. So, in beer there are always residual sugars, which affects its density and taste. The composition of alcoholic yeast often contains enzymes that break down non-fermentable sugars, thereby providing a greater yield of alcohol. Alcohol tolerance also contributes to higher yields.
  4. Acceptable organoleptic properties and "purity" of the drink ... Experienced moonshiners usually criticize alcohol yeast, operating on the fact 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 organoleptic properties. This is partly true, but in recent years, manufacturers of alcoholic yeast have advanced far in this area and the composition of turbo yeast, especially specialized ones, is gradually approaching the ideal. In addition, today a distiller himself can influence the quality of his product obtained with the use of alcoholic yeast - reduce their concentration for a more restrained fermentation, maintain the correct temperature regime, wort pH and other parameters of the mash.

How to choose alcohol yeast

Before proceeding with the choice, it should be understood that yeast not only produces alcohol, but also affects the taste and aromatic qualities of the drink, because in addition to ethanol and carbon dioxide, they produce 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 beverage profile, flavor and aroma. This is important to consider when choosing yeast for a particular type of raw material for fermentation. Namely:

Fit: all universal alcohol yeast Bragman, Still Spirits, Pathfinder, Alcotec, especially,

Fit: alcohol yeast

Yeasts are unicellular microorganisms and today there are more than 1.5 thousand of their varieties in nature. But not all of them are used by us, only some races (this concept is comparable to plant varieties bred by breeding) are suitable for making bread and drinks.

There are yeasts for (alcoholic), baking, brewing, wine, as well as "wild" that live on the skin of fruits and berries.

Thus, without yeast, we would not have been able to get bread in the form we love it, wine, etc. Yeast is living organisms that actively multiply in a nutrient medium and suitable conditions, in the process of life they release carbon dioxide, which "raises" the bread and forms foam on liquids.

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

Yeast strains are pure crops, "Processed" by a human in sterile laboratory conditions so that they are best suited for the intended purposes. In addition, for various purposes are used and different types:

  • Bakery- view Saccharomyces cerevisiae... Best suited for baking. In addition to raising the dough, this species actively converts sugar into alcohol. In the process of baking the bread, alcohol evaporates; moreover, in the dough it does not have time to "grow" in large quantities in an hour or two.
  • Wine- species Hanseniaspora uvarum, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Saccharomyces beticus. The last type is sherry, which are 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 intended for fast food bakery products or mash for moonshine. Their feature is the presence of a large number of "dressings" that contribute to the fastest reproduction of yeast fungi.
  • Alcohol. The basis is taken from bakery, but enriched with special salts for the nutrition of 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 ° of the strength of the mash, as in baking, but at 17-20 °. And the quality of raw alcohol is much higher than that prepared at bakeries.


What is the best yeast for moonshine?

Brewer's yeast is completely unsuitable for home brewing. The rest of the types can be used. But consider the specifics.

  1. Wild. A good choice if you are preparing a grape or fruit distillate (chacha, plum brandy, etc.).
  2. Wine strains also suitable for high-quality moonshine. But they are rarely used due to the high cost.
  3. Bakery. In the old days (we read - in Soviet and perestroika), baker's yeast was most often used. Mash was put on them, resulting in moonshine, the quality of which largely depended on the skill of the distiller and the apparatus. What they do not suit us today:
  • unsatisfactory possibilities regarding the strength of the mash (10-12 °). Which is natural: the stronger the mash, the more we get the finished product;
  • 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 the moonshine too.

  • the presence of an unpleasant yeast taste and aroma in the finished product.
  1. 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. Alcohol is accumulated, but the organoleptic does not have time, that is, in the moonshine, that peculiar spirit and taste, which should depend on the raw materials used, is faintly felt. Therefore, it is most advisable to use alcoholic turbo yeast if you need moonshine in a couple of days. Although, on the other hand, many strive to minimize the "moonshine" smell.
  2. Alcoholic raw or dry yeast... If you have time to create a cool homemade spirits, it is better to use spirit yeast. Moreover, if you follow the technology, you will need no more than a week. But aldehydes, fusel oils and methanol in the finished wash will be much less than from bakery.


Popular manufacturers

Least "invoices" for the buyer with quite decent quality:

  • "Intoxicating"- dry, modestly position themselves "For the production of drinks." Produced in Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. Inexpensive, but popular for good alcohol yield and fast fermentation.
  • Belarusian. This is where opinions differ. Mostly praised raw and not satisfied with dry.
  • Pakmaya Cristal - dry... They work quickly, give good quality mash.

In addition, many types of pressed alcohol yeast are produced in Russia today, which will not hit your pocket, but will allow you to get a decent moonshine with a good yield.

High quality, but also at a more substantial price, is represented in 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 spirit yeast has a number of advantages:

  1. Braga is ready for distillation in less than a week.
  2. Much less foam is formed, which saves the mash from escaping, and moonshine from splashing.
  3. High activity of fungi that die only when the alcohol concentration in the brew is 16-17%, which means a high yield of moonshine.
  4. Less "accumulation" of harmful impurities.
  5. Alcoholic yeast does not need additional mineral feeding, it is already contained in their composition.

How to make yeast for moonshine with your own hands?

There are many home distillers who consider purchased alcoholic yeast "suspiciously chemical" and therefore prefer to prepare this invariable component of the mash on their own. And I must say that this is not so difficult process.

Probably, the question of how to make yeast for moonshine on their own is of interest to many, and we will try to give an exhaustive answer to it as possible.

Homemade yeast can be used in the same way as purchased, and it will cost you almost nothing.

Alcoholic (that is, the most suitable for making strong homemade alcohol), they become due to the excellent nutrient medium, increasing the ability of yeast fungi to survive in a concentrated alcoholic environment. As a rule, created with their own hands, they work up to 16-17 ° in the wash.

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

First try hydronic module 1: 4 (1 kg sugar and 4 liters of water), then 1: 5. Alcoholics have to deal with it.


Rye alcohol 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 care 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:

  • enameled or stainless steel pan with a volume 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 harvest your buds is late August - early September, when they are ripe but not disintegrating. Dried in the shade in a draft. Store in canvas bags.

  • rye malt in the amount of 4 cups. To prepare it, you need to rinse and germinate 4 cups of rye. Then grind and use. Either buy ready-made;
  • wheat flour - 4 cups;
  • liquid baking yeast - 1 glass. If there are none, then you need to dissolve 200 g of pressed in a glass of water;
  • water - 6 liters.

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

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

In the broth cooled to a lukewarm "paired" state, add flour, malt, yeast 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 cans and cork.

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

Yeast on beer for moonshine

This recipe is designed for making "beer sourdough" 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 we mix warm water with flour and leave for 6 hours. Then we add sugar and beer, leave it warm until a frothy head is formed. After that, you can either immediately put 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 making homemade spirit yeast. First, grind 0.5 kg of rye bread (with your hands or with a knife). Stir it with 2 cups of warm water and 3 tbsp of sugar. We leave it warm for 24 hours. We filter, squeeze the bread thoroughly.

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

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

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

Yeast is an essential ingredient for fermentation. Therefore, choose them carefully or cook yourself from quality products. If you carefully follow the technology, then the home ones will fully replace the purchased ones, and your homemade alcohol will not only replace the store one, but also surpass it in quality and pleasant taste.

Any alcoholic yeast, including bakery yeast, is based on unicellular microorganisms, the so-called "marsupial mushrooms" (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), intended for the fermentation of sugars in a specially prepared carbohydrate sugar syrup or fruit wort.

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

Basically, for the preparation of homemade alcoholic beverages, several types of yeast are used:

  • alcohol and turbo yeast;
  • pressed bakery;
  • dry bakery;
  • homemade.

Let's analyze their features and properties in more detail. We will also try to make a rating of the best yeast for moonshine.

In the video you can watch comparisons of different yeast for mash:

Alcohol and turbo for moonshine

Alcoholic yeast is used for the production of spirits: moonshine, alcohol, whiskey, rum. The proportion of alcohol in the resulting mash:

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

The use of specialized alcohol yeast instead of conventional baking yeast can shorten the fermentation period to 4-7 days and reduce the production of foam. In turbo yeast, the maturation period of the mash is from 2 to 10 days, the duration depends only on the desire to get a stronger product. They do not need 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 products and metabolism among all other types of yeast. This has a positive effect on the purity and taste of the resulting drink, allows it to be stored longer and maintain its original quality. Also, alcoholic yeast allows you to get the final product with a minimum content of fusel oils and harmful impurities.

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

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

Also, one should not forget about the saturation of 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 its own.

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

Pressed bakery

Pressed yeast in everyday life is used as a baking powder on a biological basis, as well as for the production of classic mash, which is then distilled into spirits (moonshine) by distillation. Not everyone can use "as is" such mash to taste due to its specific pungent smell and taste.

The pressed yeast has a grayish or pinkish tint, a dense consistency and a pleasant, slightly mousy odor. In cooking, they are used as a leavening agent to increase the volume of the dough. 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 thick crust with a pleasant smell.

  • Braga, obtained using pressed yeast, turns out to be less strong than alcohol yeast, in the region of 8-10% of the mass fraction of alcohol.
  • The fermentation process takes an average of 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 yet been processed by microorganisms and the fermentation process is not completely completed.
  • The 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, the yeast bacteria die.
  • The optimum acidity of the medium for the fermentation process using baker's pressed yeast is pH 5.1-5.2.
  • The fermentation process occurs with abundant foaming and the release of carbon dioxide. Compressed yeast does not require prior fermentation (activation).

The main breeding ground for pressed bread yeast is sugar or molasses. Also, professionals in their field recommend adding raisins, dried fruits, potatoes or a crust of bread. This increases the nutritional and mineral value for the life of the yeast bacteria and has a positive effect on the taste of the finished product.

Related videos:

Dry bakery

The main difference between dry baker's yeast and pressed yeast is only that they are pre-crushed and dried using a special technology, due to which their shelf life is increased to two years, and they take up 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 appearance, but also the way to use them:


Temperature and acidic indicators of the medium for the successful development of yeast cultures of dry and instant yeast practically do not differ from the same indicators for pressed ones. But with all this, dry yeast cultures are considered cleaner 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 making yeast, such as:

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

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

A distinctive feature of homemade yeast is its ecological purity, economic benefit and a truly unique "home" taste of the resulting drink or baked goods.

They are also ideal for mash, read about them in a separate article!


So which is better to buy?

There is no unequivocal opinion on this question. It all depends on the size of your wallet and your preferences for a particular product. Someone prefers natural products and the ecological purity of the drink, therefore, prefers homemade yeast. Someone is accustomed to cooking "the old fashioned way" on pressed bread yeast or instant. Someone, out of desire to get the result faster and with a guarantee, chooses alcohol or turbo yeast.

Alcoholic and turbo yeast:

Compressed yeast:

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

Dry (instant) yeast:

  • easy to buy, affordable price;
  • short fermentation time;
  • ease of manufacturing a nutrient medium;
  • small amount of harmful impurities;
  • cons - increased foaming, specific smell, weaker end product.

Homemade yeast:

  • convenient to use, low consumption;
  • easily dissolve, do not require preliminary dilution;
  • lack of unpleasant odors;
  • the output of a sufficiently strong end product;
  • minus - longer fermentation time.
  • profitability, can be prepared from what is at hand;
  • environmentally friendly product;
  • a huge field for creativity, your own unique taste of the drink;
  • minus - low strength of the final product.

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

Video review from a popular moonshiner.

Making moonshine is a delicate process that requires careful attention to every little thing. The strength of the final product, its quantity, and taste depend on how high-quality the mash will be.

Yeast types, choice for mash

The brewing process is based on the fermentation process. In the course of it, the sugar is converted from the product into alcohols. In home brewing, yeast cultures are used for this, namely:

  • Baker's yeast. They are dry and pressed. Baker's yeast is not the best option for making moonshine; it gives a lot of foam and a small yield of moonshine.
  • Wine and brewer's yeast, as the name suggests, is suitable for wine and beer, not for making spirits.
  • Alcohol yeast is the best option for making mash. When using them, sugars are processed as much as possible, which gives an excellent wort strength and a greater yield of high-quality moonshine.
  • Wild yeast is used if it is not possible to use other types. You can get them yourself, but the result is extremely unpredictable. Instead of moonshine, vinegar, acetone and their various combinations with alcohol can come out.

Let us consider in more detail the use of the listed types of yeast for making mash.

Bakery dry and compressed yeast

As the name suggests, this yeast is more suitable for baking, dough and baked goods. But if there was nothing else at hand, then baker's yeast can be used for mash. Only they need to be prepared in advance.

  1. Take warm water and dissolve dry yeast powder or wet cake in it. Approximately 2 tablespoons per liter of water.
  2. Add 2 tablespoons each granulated sugar and flour.
  3. Pour in a couple of glasses of vodka (100 milliliters).
  4. Leave the mixture in a warm place for 24 hours, stirring occasionally.

Experienced distillers in this way carry out a kind of selection of yeast fungi, removing unwanted strains. The presence of vodka helps to get rid of alcohol-phobic species, allowing those yeasts that are resistant to alcohol to develop. If we neglect this, then with a slight increase in the degree of alcohol in the mash, the fermentation process will stop and some of the sugars are not used. As a result, a low yield of moonshine with a minimum strength and an abundance of fusel oils and residual fermentation products.

Wine yeast

Making moonshine using this type of yeast is gradually gaining popularity. Wine yeast lives on overripe bunches of grapes, ripe berries and fruits. Can be purchased today finished concentrate these cultures. For example, Belarusian wine yeast from the collection of our online store. According to the reviews of experienced distillers, when using these yeast cultures, a good yield of a quality product is obtained. Moreover, it does not have a pungent fusel odor and does not need additional distillation and purification.

Brewer's yeast

Brewer's yeast is classified into top-fermented and bottom-fermented strains. They are not at all suitable for moonshine, but they have proven themselves to be excellent for brewing beer. Brewer's yeast does not give a high degree of wort and die as soon as it exceeds the 5 degree mark. But during fermentation, a lot of dense, elastic foam is released, which is especially appreciated by beer lovers.

Alcoholic and turbo yeast

The best option for quick production of high quality moonshine. When using them, the mash rapidly gains strength, which allows you to get the maximum yield of the finished product. And the price of alcoholic yeast is quite affordable even for novice distillers. Alcoholic yeast allows you to avoid abundant foam during fermentation, the strength of the wort can reach 20 degrees, and the moonshine is clean, without impurities and unpleasant odors.


In turbo yeast, the maturation period of the mash is from 2 to 10 days, the duration depends only on the desire to get a stronger product. They do not need fermentation (activation), unlike ordinary alcohol.

"Wild" yeast for moonshine

You can make yeast for home brew yourself. There are many technologies for producing moonshine using "artisanal" starter cultures. They are also made on rye bread, and on old jam, and on hops, and on potatoes. The only advantage is cheapness, but there are a whole bunch of disadvantages:

  • How do you know which strains are multiplying in the sourdough, and what will they do in the mash?
  • How much of the "wild" mixture should be added and how much sugar, water, top dressing should be added to it?
  • How long will fermentation take and what kind of moonshine yield will it turn out?

If we use "artisanal" leavens, then it is impossible to know the answers to these questions in advance, just as it is impossible to predict what we will get at the exit from moonshine still... Producers of ready-made yeast have already selected the most suitable strains and calculated the optimal mash recipe.

What is the best yeast to choose?

On the issue of choosing yeast for moonshine, the opinions of distillers differ. Someone prefers bakery, and someone, as they put on the old great-grandfather's footcloth, will do it. It is best for beginners to use alcohol. They will ensure consistent success and are easy to use.

Conditions for the "work" of yeast

Do not think that it is enough to pour in water, add sugar and sourdough, and you will immediately get a "clean as a tear" moonshine. For yeast cultures to work, it is required to create comfortable conditions, monitor their growth, development and take care of the mash.

Top dressing

Like all living organisms, yeast needs a balanced diet for full growth and active work. Their diet is based on sugars, it is their yeast that is processed into alcohol. But they also need:

  • Ammonia and its salts,
  • A set of trace elements,
  • A complex of vitamins, especially B vitamins.

To do this, you need to prepare a special top dressing. For her, you can use nettle ( most valuable source B vitamins), phosphates and ammonium salts, trace element complexes. The most popular self-fertilizing is made from a mixture rye flour, steamed peas, nettle leaves, malt and raisins. You can also buy a ready-made mixture that contains the right proportions everything you need for the growth and development of yeast.

Water and its temperature

Just as in the famous ad “not all yoghurts are created equal,” not all tap liquids are suitable for the life of yeast. Highly chlorinated water will simply kill most yeast cultures, a lot of foam will form in soft water, and hard sugars will not be fully processed. It is optimal to use the "golden mean" - moderately hard water with a neutral reaction. In it, yeast fungi feel comfortable, actively feed and reproduce.


Yeast, like other mushrooms, does not like heat, cold or light. Therefore, the mash should be kept in a warm, dark place. The optimum water temperature should be within 20-22 degrees, without sharp jumps... Any stress negatively affects the final product, reducing the degree, quantity and quality of the finished moonshine.

Fermentation tank

To prepare the mash, you need a clean container with a water seal, for example, this one. Previously, milk flasks were especially popular, but today containers made of food-grade plastic or containers made of food or medical steel, as well as glass, are increasingly used. Rubber, iron and galvanized steel are categorically not suitable, and aluminum is also not worth taking.

Even brand new containers should be thoroughly rinsed with hot water detergent to avoid getting harmful substances and mold into the wash.