THE PRODUCTION OF CRAFT BEER WITH KVEIK YEAST

6–8 minutos

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THE PRODUCTION OF CRAFT BEER WITH KVEIK YEAST

Understand the advantages that this specific group of yeasts can bring to the production of craft beer

brewer production handmade It is a market that grows more and more every year.

Given this constant growth in the beer market, there is a clear demand for quality ingredients that can bring the best experience to the consumer. One of the most important elements in beer production is the yeast , a microorganism used in the fermentation process that is considered the soul of beer, and can influence aspects such as color , clarity It is aroma drink, among others.

Therefore, in this text we will talk about a specific group of yeasts, the leveduras Switch on , and what are the advantages of using them during beer making.

ORIGIN AND IMPORTANCE OF KVEIK YEAST

The use of this type of yeast arose from an ancient practice existing in Nordic countries in Europe, such as Estonia, Norway, Finland and Lithuania, in which local farmers use ingredients such as malt and some herbs to produce beer. on small family farms. This traditional practice still exists today and the beer produced is called Farmhouse ale .

Due to the remote location of these farms, until recently it was impossible for farmers to exchange inputs, forcing them to develop their own recipes and culture. fermenting organisms (so-called yeasts). These organisms were stored dry in rings of straw, linen or pieces of wood with holes, allowing their survival and preventing contamination by bacteria.

These yeasts were called turned on , which itself means “yeast” or “agricultural yeast”, although in the Norwegian language the term used for “yeast” is “gjaer”.

THE ROLE OF YEAST IN BEER PRODUCTION

As mentioned above, yeast is an extremely important ingredient in beer production, because, although other ingredients can be substituted, without yeast there is no way to produce a quality beer.

Yeasts act by consuming the glucose contained in malt and producing alcohol and carbon dioxide, so removing them from the process would be a big mistake. It is from its metabolism that most of the sensory attributes present in beer are generated, such as smell It is flavor , in addition to helping to form other characteristics:

• Foam : generated by the production of carbon dioxide by yeast;
• color : is altered by yeast fermentation, becoming clearer;
• aroma : the formation of esters produces fruity and sweeter aromas.

During the process, the producer must be careful, as poorly prepared fermentation can cause a bad taste in the drink , due to stress on the yeast.

LOW FERMENTATION

It’s a type of slower fermentation which can last up to a month, as it is carried out at lower temperatures, between 7 and 15 degrees Celsius. The main yeast species used in this method are Saccharomyces grapes It is Saccharomyces pastoriarus.  

Furthermore, the process receives this name because, during fermentation, the yeasts descend to the bottom of the fermenter, giving the beer lighter characteristics and a greater amount of foam.

HIGH FERMENTATION

Unlike previous processing, here the temperatures at which the process is carried out can vary between 15 and 25ºC, with the most used species being Saccharomyces cerevisiae . During fermentation, the yeasts rise to the surface and form small clusters.

In top fermentation, more alcoholic It is dense , with a darker and stronger tone. Furthermore, fruity aromas and they are ale .

Within the scope of top fermentation, there is yet another traditional fermentation process, in which wild yeast and bacteria from the environment, so that the fermentation reaction occurs naturally. As a result, this method can take more than a year to complete.

CHARACTERISTICS OF KVEIK YEAST

Contrary to what it may seem, Kveik yeasts are not limited to a single type of organism. In fact, they are a large group which comprises several different yeast species, the most used throughout the world. According to a recent study , as yeast Quayk are a genetically distinct group of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, with each culture containing up to nine different strains of the same species.

Due to the domestication of these yeasts that has occurred over the years for traditional brewing practices, the Kveik group has some particularities that are not found in common yeasts. Thanks to this, these microorganisms have a wide potential for use, and can be used to produce a wide range of beers .

One of the main characteristics of these yeasts is the possibility of being worked at high temperatures, even by the standards of common top-fermenting yeasts, can ferment at around 25 to 30ºC . This peculiarity is probably due to an adaptation resulting from an inoculation step in the must, in which the yeasts are placed in a mixture of water and cereals at a temperature of 28º to 40ºC.

Another characteristic present in this group is that some strains of the Kveik culture are capable of fermenting some sugars that common yeasts cannot, such as maltotriose , for example. This makes it possible to produce a pure It is alcoholic .

ADVANTAGES OF USING KVEIK YEAST

Due to the many years of tradition and adaptation in the use of kveik yeasts, several advantages have been discovered in its use in relation to common yeasts. Besides being very adaptable and being able to generate several different brewing results, this type of yeast has a certain fermentation speed , as they are worked at higher temperatures.

Furthermore, Kveik yeast, when in wort, is capable of consuming high concentrations of glucose (sugars) in a small fraction of time, which makes it possible to enjoy the beer produced. within two days after the end of fermentation .

Unlike processes in which more common yeasts are used, in which the beer can take weeks to years to be ready, the speed with which beers produced with kveik yeast are ready means great ease for the producer. , both in logistics as in productivity .

Another advantage of using these yeasts, which greatly impacts the quality of the beer, is that kveik yeasts are highly alcohol tolerant , not spoiling when in high concentrations, allowing a beer with a higher alcohol content, but maintaining a good flavor, aroma and color.