Welcome to the World of Fermentation!
All alcoholic beverages start with fermentation, which is the transformation of sugars into alcohol. Once this initial alcohol is present, the fermented liquid can be sold as beer, wine, chicha, etc., depending on the source of the original sugars.
However, if the fermented liquid is distilled, then the basic alcoholic beverage becomes a distilled spirit such as brandy, whiskey, rum, etc., with a much higher alcohol content and, often times, with the additional flavors and characteristics derived from aging in barrels.
This series focuses on the first part only: the transformation of sugars into alcohol. The contents of this series first appeared in “Got Rum?” magazine, published as monthly installments between January and December of 2019.
Many readers asked us to republish the material as a single document, available in printed format on glossy paper, ideal for long-term reference when an internet connection or an electronic device are not ideal.
The series is intended to illustrate and inform about the numerous areas involved in properly designing and carrying out a fermentation program. We encourage serious readers to explore each area of interest in more detail, as the space in these pages do not allow for a deep dive of every single aspect of fermentation.
Very often, problems found in retail beverage bottles (just fermented or fermented and distilled) can be traced to failures during fermentation. Thankfully, these can usually be solved quickly once the problem has been identified properly. Whether you are a producer or a consumer, proper understanding of fermentation is key to the enjoyment of the final product.
Click HERE to order your printed copy now.
Rum Runner Press, Inc.
Fermentation Primer
The contents of this series first appeared in “Got Rum?” magazine, published as monthly installments between January and December of 2019.