Yeast in Wine Making - Some Questions Answered

Why is it important to choose the right yeast for your wine?

People often focus on the more glamorous aspect of wine making - the crushing of grapes. However, this is only one basic aspect of winemaking. There is a lot more to wine making even if you are making wine from home.

If the crushed grapes are the body, the yeast is the soul. This is not an over exaggeration. Alcohol converts your grape juice mixture into wine. But it is the yeast that creates the alcohol. It does this by consuming the sugar present in the grape and converting the sugar to alcohol and carbon dioxide.

Choose the wrong yeast for your wine and you will not get the perfect flavor. This is one aspect of homemade wine making where you cannot afford to cut corners on. The yeast gives the right personality to your wine. Its importance cannot be over emphasized.

So what does one mean by different strains of yeast?

Just as no two human beings are similar, no two types of yeast are similar. Some strains are more suitable for wine making while others are best for other things, such as bread making. Yeast is very important and switching strains will always impact the taste, aroma and consistency of the wine.

Is wild yeast also a strain of yeast?

Wild yeast can be compared to weeds in a garden. They grow on their own and you have no control over them. They are unwanted and often steal essential nutrients and resources from other plants in the garden. Many people will argue that there is no need to include yeast in home made wine. The skin of the grapes contains yeast and this is considered sufficient to create alcohol. Theoretically, this is true. However, there is a risk that the wild yeast will adversely impact the taste of your wine. This is why opting for cultivated and processed strains of wheat is always a better option.

Where can one find out about more about the various strains of yeast?

The World Wide Web is one source of information on yeast and its various strains. There is plenty of information out there about yeast and the role it plays in wine making.

However, for a one-stop comprehensive guide on yeast, my ebook "Grape Growing & Wine Making: A Handbook for Beginners" is a must-have for all wine connoisseurs and novices looking to successfully make their own delicious wine.