Yeast

Yeast is a unicellular fungi commonly found on fruits and vegetables. The uses of yeast are varied and range from a leavening agent in breads and other foods to creation of low-concentration alcohols from sugars. In turn, distillation of the alcohols can yield to higher concentrations, which can be used as a disinfectant. Selective breeding can yield a yeast that has a heightened production of certain traits, such as a yeast that produces more carbon dioxide, useful for leavening, or a yeast that produces more ethanol.

Yeast starters

A yeast starter is a solution of yeast, sugar, and minerals that can keep a yeast culture alive for a prolonged period of time. Yeast starters are needed to spark the fermentation process of different foods and drinks. They must be fed sugars and minerals, usually in the form of flour and sugar, every couple of weeks in order to survive, or if the supply of the starter is running low. It needs to be kept moist and runny and water might need to be added too.

Materials needed (Yeast starter)

• Fruit, flour, honey (Any of them)
• Water
• (Relative) Warmth

Crafting instructions (Yeast starter)

Add the foodstuffs (fruit, flour, honey) to water at a relatively high concentration and must be mashed and mixed to form a relatively homogenous substance. Keep covered in a room-temperature dark area for a couple of days, when opened, bubbles should have formed and it should not smell foul.

Other ways to harvest yeast

In the process of wine making and mead making, no yeast starter is needed. The yeasts on the fruits themselves will ferment the sugars into alcohols. A bubbly layer on the top or a silty layer on the bottom may form and can be used as a yeast starter as well.