🍷 Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is the main yeast species of wine, bread and beer. The name means roughly "sugar fungus of beer". It is a microscopic single-celled fungus.

Yeast feeds on sugar. In wine it turns the sugar of grape juice into alcohol and carbon dioxide. This is alcoholic fermentation. In bread the same species gives carbon dioxide that raises the dough, and in beer it works as in wine. Yeast can live on the skins of berries as wild yeast. But winemakers often add selected cultures so that fermentation proceeds predictably.

The yeast strain affects the taste of wine: different strains give different aromas. These yeasts tolerate a fairly high alcohol level, up to about 14-16%. When alcohol becomes too high or the sugar runs out, fermentation stops. Saccharomyces cerevisiae belongs to the general group of yeasts and is one of the most studied organisms in science. It is safe for people and has been used for thousands of years. Without it there would be no familiar wine, beer or bread.