Recommended Yeast For Tequila

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Yeast used in Tequila Fermenta-tions should be equipped for effi-cient fermentation and contrib-ute properly to isoamyl alcohol and isobutanol. The yeasts below are recommended for fermenta-tion of Tequila. • K1 Lallemand • 71B Lallemand

Pure liquid yeast sized for approxi-

mately 200 gallons.

Tequila

Associated with Mexico, tequila is a distilled beverage made from the fermented juice of the agave plant, specifically Agave tequilana. Two types of the tequila can be made. The first is known as 100 % agave if only Agave tequilana is used as a carbohydrate source. The second is mixed tequila which should have at least 51 % of Agave tequilana, the remaining 49 % coming from other sugar sources. Cane sugar, Piloncillo (crystallized cane juice), cane molasses and acid or enzyme hydrolyzed corn syrup are generally used.

Pure Yeast and Fermentation

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R&D Laboratory

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Fermentation and Sugar Source

Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Leuconostoc, and Pediococcus are the more common bacteria, while Brettanomyces is also commonly encoun-tered. A key point is the amounts of these organ-isms present. Fermentations over run by bacteria will lower alcohol yields and produce com-pounds, when at elevated levels, are considered off flavors.

Higher alcohols are closely associated with Te-quila fermentations. Yeast strain, carbon:nitrogen ratio (higher ratios enhance higher alcohol pro-duction) and temperature are the biggest factors.

The pine or head of the Agave tequilana plant is highly rich in carbohydrates, specifically inulin. Inulin is an oligosaccharide of fructose with a terminal glucose that belongs to the

fructans - the most abundant non-structural polysac-charide found in nature after starch. Adjunct sugars used in tequila wort formulation are analyzed for solids content, reducing and fermentable sugar content. The amount of or-

ganoleptic compounds produced is higher in slow fermentations compared to more rapid fermentations. The rate of fermentation de-pends mainly on the yeast strain used, the medium composition (levels of fermentable sugars and yeast nutrients) and the tempera-ture of fermentation. Significant losses in al-cohol levels may occur if open fermenters are used. Tequila fermentations are by no means classi-fied as “fermentations carried out by pure yeast cultures”. Bacteria and wild yeast are also play an active role in fermentation. Low levels of bacteria are welcomed as they tend to produce positive organoleptic properties and are attributed to an overall complexity in the final product. The amount and variety are factors of the abundance of organisms intro-duced by the raw materials and the overall hygiene standards of the distillery

Fermentation targets

Recommended enzyme • Inulinase if desired but not widely

practiced Recommended nutrient • Fermaid K @ 2 lbs / 1000 gal @ 1/3 depletion of sugar • Urea, ammonium sulfate, ammonium phosphate or magnesium sulfate (optional) Pitching rates • 2 lbs Active Dried Yeast / 500 gallons • 4 Liters Liquid Yeast / 500 gallons

Content Created for White Labs Inc by Clayton Cone & Christopher Bird

Gravity Start End

Agave Juice 20% w/v 0.5% w/v pH 4.0-4.5 3.9

Duration 72 hours, may be as long as 10 days.

Alcohol by Volume 4-12 %

100% 4-11% w/v 0.5% w/v

Agave + 8-16% w/v 0.5% w/v

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