Mini-Review: The Role of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the Production of Gin and Vodka

[tiramisu]

https://pure.hw.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/po ... 013_2_.pdf

Chapter 2 starts off ok.

This seemed interesting:
Table 2. Commonly available commercial yeast strains for the production of spirits to be further
processed into gin or vodka

[Single Malt Yinzer]

Good article. Funny part for me here:

In addition, there are groups now developing synthetic yeast in the laboratory [68], where, eventually, the potable alcohol industry could utilize S. cerevisiae strains constructed to meet industry specific demands and the creation of a ‘perfect’ distilling yeast

[68] https://www.nature.com/articles/nature12771 (I don't have access)

This is another one of those "The big guys have something that they aren't sharing with everyone things". Understandable for business purposes but still sucks. Also not sure there is a "perfect" strain of yeast for everything though it can be optimized for specific purposes.

[tiramisu]

The big guys have a driving need for efficiency that we really don't.
Want to try 6% beers. Go ahead.
Expensive vodkas mash. ditto.

The big guys put stickers on GNS, compromise on cuts, and generally work to reduce costs everywhere in the process.
As hobbyists, I think our advantage is that we can explore slow ferments, low alcohol beers, cut to personal taste.

Excellent Vodka, Gin, Spirits, White Whiskey, and Rum are all within reach.

Where the big guys still seem to win out is nice big warehouses with kegs in the right climate.
Small kegs, bain maries, vibrators and wood chips help some
but making something to compete with a commercial 12-year-old single malt is no small task.

You probably need to start young if you are going to develop an excellent whiskey before you run out of time.