N is for Nutrients

N is for Nutrients

Nutrients. You have to feed the yeast.

Now you’re thinking, isn’t that what all the malt is for?

Not entirely. The malt provides the sugar needed for metabolic processes. However, an organism isn’t made only of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen. There are other nutrients needed for an organism to grow.

For example, we, as humans, need protein to grow and survive. For yeast to grow and carry on fermenting the sugars, they also need protein. Other nutrients are also needed. Much like we need vitamins and minerals to be healthy, so does yeast.

In many cases, sufficient nutrients come from the grains and hops and other added herbs and spices for yeast to be successful. But sometimes there isn’t enough, and we must add nutrients to the brew to help. For example, when brewing mead, nutrients almost always have to be added.

This material is cleverly marketed as ‘yeast nutrient.’ You add a teaspoon to your mix, and fermentation takes off again because the yeast is healthy and can grow.

And we reap the flavorful results!

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I’m participating in the April A to Z Blogging Challenge. The goal is to write a post prompted by a letter of the alphabet on each day of April (except Sunday). My theme this year is brewing. Visit my other A to Z posts by clicking here.