glossary

Jul 6, 2016

The active brewer yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is responsible for converting fermentable sugars into alcohol and other by-products. The yeast slurry also called the barm is a major component of beer. It is collected directly from the fermenter and usually has the consistency of a thin cream. Once passed through a sieve and pressed, the brewers yeast is then dried by heat. This thermal process will inactivate the yeast enzymes and will cause the yeast to lose its fermentation power.

Brewer yeast being generally very bitter, some manufacturers use an additional process to produce what is called debittered brewer yeast.  This process helps remove the water soluble flavour compounds (hops) responsible for the bitter taste.

Available in a powder, flake or in tablets, brewers yeast is generally used as a nutrient supplement. Nutritionists will recommend its use because it is a rich source of B-complex vitamins and minerals including chromium, selenium, zinc, phosphorus and magnesium. It is also a good source of protein and dietary fibres. It may also contain nutrients that have yet to be discovered.

For centuries, people have been taking it on a daily basis, one tablespoon of brewers yeast, mixed with water, rice, tomato juice, etc. It is often used to stimulate appetite and milk production during lactation. Some people use it as a supplement for chronic acne, furunculosis, and treatment of acute diarrhea and prevention of diarrhea during travel. It is an excellent, low-cost food supplement for aging adults, and for growing and developing children.

Brewers yeast is frequently confused with nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast is a primary grown food crop, which means it is cultivated specifically for use as a nutritional supplement.