Week three Wee-hee

This week starts off all about yeast and microbiology. WEEEEE!

Actually, all the classmates are really into this one. What's eye opening to me is the amount of potential spoiling bacteria in wort. The teacher mentioned an article published by Dr. Michael Lewis at UC Davis claiming that the traditional protein rest employed may have more to do with the bacteria present in the malt producing protases than the barley producing other proteolytic enzymes. I couldn't find this article so send me a link if you can.

I also learned that vice-president of Siebel, Mr. Keith "Lemy" Lemcke has found my blog so no more dark, mysterious, ultra-top brewing secrets will be released via this blog. For a guy that's composed of mainly ears and nose, Keith's a really nice guy. My favorite job he has is "official keg-swapper".

One of our yeast teachers Graeme, from Scotland, informed us that the yeast make their own CO2 and it's that CO2, among other things, that make finished beer so free from microorganisms. Some brewers he exclaimed inject CO2 into their beer and, with a despicable face, "That's not real ale!"

We decided as a class not to let him know that Scotland's not a real country.

Well, we killed the Sierra Nevada Pale and the Goose 312 yesterday. That's five kegs in a little over two weeks. John Maier's insists his class killed six kegs a week. I think it's a fabrication but a good goal nonetheless.