Microbiological Chemistry

2/07/2011

Earlier on in all this I called brewing Microbiological Chemistry. I would like to take a moment to quantify this.

Microbiology: the study of microorganisms, which are unicellular or cell-cluster microscopic organisms. This includes eukaryotes such as fungi and protists, and prokaryotes.

Now to make this work let's look at brewer's yeast.

Brewer's Yeast: Single-celled pure cultures essential to the fermentation process. Although wild yeasts are still used in some traditional beers, cultured brewers yeasts provide consistency and go a long way toward providing unique character to modern beers. ...

Now we have the study of unicellular organisms and you have yeast that is a single, or unicellular, organism. There is the microbiology aspect put into perspective. I love it at times when I over think something like this.

Now in chemistry we would add chemicals together to make something entirely different. Bored the hell out of me! Sorry Miss. Reed. You put me to sleep every day and that is why I failed. Now that I look back on those days too bored, I can look at brewing and see that I am taking fruit, sugar, and yeast to make something entirely different. The fruit is basically used for flavor. Oh sure, I use the sugar naturally in the fruit but I also have to add sugar. So much sugar that the fruit sugar is really less that 50% of the sugar content. Now, I take the yeast and add it. There is a reaction with the sugar and yeast. What is that reaction? Yeast eat sugar like a fat kid eats cake. They might as well be born with straws to suck it down like Fat Albert sucked down cheese burgers. They take that sugar and convert it into two things CO² and alcohol. I use the CO² to add to the bull shit global warming. Yes it just floats off into the air to add to the green house gasses. No, I don't freaking care either. The alcohol is what we are after. That and the flavor form the fruit. You get the mix right and you have a spiritual experience. Now in chemistry we would go for a reaction when adding the chemicals. The yeast eating the sugar and pooping CO² and peeing the alcohol is that reaction. Chemisrty!

There you have it! Microbiological Chemistry in my office. Little one gallon test tubes making three separate things and turning them into what will hopefully be a very good wine. :)

Keep it bubbling!
Chuck