SC - Grapes

[Magdalena]

Hauviette wrote:

> >I was told by the wine specialist that the sugars are converted into a
> fairly
> >high alcohol content (14.8)

Puck replied:

> This seems like a very high alcohol content to me.  AFAIK, the only yeasts
> that can survive in this intense an alcohol environment are the champagne
> yeasts, yet you do not mention this.  Is this a lack of knowledge on my
> part?

   Actually, that's not true.  My favorite strain of burgundy tops out around
14-15, and I could get it higher if I wanted to for some strange reason.  Also,
I see no reason to believe that period yeast strains were particularly less
alcohol tolerant than modern strains.  There is a process called "feeding" your
yeast that you can do to get higher levels of alcohol where you add your sugars
gradually.  As the alcohol level rises, the less tolerant strains die out and
the more tolerant beasties live on to breed.  Add just enough sugar for the
yeast to eat and the alcohol level to go up a trifle, and the more tolerant next
generation will breed and the rest die out.  (I accidentally took a champagne to
23%, and if I dilute with fruit juice I get sparklies cause the yeast _won't_
die.)  To get a more tolerant strain of yeast, just harvest from a current batch
that you have fed.  Tadgh tells me that an ale yeast can be bred to be about 18%
tolerant.   One period technique for starting a new batch involves harvesting
yeast from a "new" wine or ale.  Do that often and you'd have a very tolerant
strain going.

    BTW, is there a period recipe for Roman raisin wine floating around out
there?  I know a few cooks who'd love me forever...   ;>

- -Magdalena


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