Yeast's Impact on Whisky

Yeast is one of the three main ingredients in whisky, along with
grain and water. While we understand what grain and water
contribute to the taste of a whisky, yeast's contributions are
far more mysterious. In fact, people were distilling whisky from
fermented mash hundreds of years before scientists even figured
out that yeast exists, let alone how it works. After our deep
dive into the science of oak trees last month, we had requests to
do something similar with yeast - and Indiana University
biochemistry professor Matt Bochman joins us this week to help.
His laboratory research involves studying yeast cells to unlock
keys that may help us fight cancer and other diseases, but his
informal research focuses on home brewing. He's also a consultant
to brewers and distillers on fermentation issues, and shares his
expertise with us on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Great
Britain and the European Union are at odds over Brexit again.
We'll also look at two new programs aimed at improving diversity
in the whisky industry, and on Behind the Label, we'll have proof
that not everything you may see about whisky on the Internet is
true!