Some thoughts about yeast
By Darrell Leavitt

Darrell Leavitt sent the following post to the HBD with some thoughts about yeast. Why did George immediately come to mind?

 

Date: Fri, 19 Oct 2001 09:12:53 -0400
From: Darrell.Leavitt@esc.edu
Subject: Some thoughts about yeast

I think a lot about yeast:

          What type is best for what style?
          What temperatures do they prefer?
          What nutrients do they prefer?
          When are they ready for more food?
                        When are they happy?
          What makes them sad?

Perhaps more for those of us who try to re-use yeast, we think about yeast
A LOT!

Now, I am not complaining just making an observation.

Have you ever seen a real small person walking a HUGE dog and have
 you ever wondered  :
who is walking who?

Well that is how I am now thinking about yeast.  I find that my brewing
schedule is
 largely determined by the needs of the yeast, and much of my waking day is
determined by their selfish needs!  If the primary ready to go to
secondary,
 and if the yeast still viable, it should therefore be re-used, then,
 I NEED TO BREW!

That is how it works for me
So, (now I am getting to the point of this treatise) am I using the yeast,
 or is it using me?  I suppose that many might say that it is symbiotic;
 the yeast needs me, and I need them.
 But that is the easy way out, isn't it?

I suggest that the yeast are using us and we need liberation from the yoke
 of their never ending demands!

Now, one solution: don't buy yeast.

But then we are just pretending that we don't want them,
inwardly we still need them, we need to feed them,
we need to harvest their products,
we need to see them bubbling away in the corner,
happily eating up all of the sugars that they have demanded for their use.

I contend that we are slaves of the yeast.
 We are fundamentally UNABLE to not feed them.
 We are unable to not pay attention to the temperature,and if,
by chance we do slip up, what happens?
We feel guilty as hell that we have not served them well!

So where am I going with all this?
What shall one do?
Is there any choice?
 Who was the dude who said that knowing our chains
was freedom (Lennin?)

Does this mean that if we clearly see our place,
that we are then free?  I am not sure.

Am I free if I stop feeding the yeast?
 Am I free if I continue to feed them, but am aware of it?
 What does it mean to be aware of oneself in the process of feeding yeast?

I need a homebrew!
 ....Darrelll

Back to November 2001 front page