We use White Labs any time we need liquid yeast and are always trying to understand the magic a little better. Chris White, the President of White Labs, wrote a great article on the life cycle of yeast that sums up the whole process nicely and he has allowed us to repost it here.
"What is yeast doing during beer fermentation? It is consuming wort sugars, and turning that sugar into new yeast cells, ethanol, CO2, and flavor compounds. Brewers are primarily concerned about flavor compounds. In order to maximize the correct flavor compounds, it is helpful to know how yeast ferments beer.
Ale fermentation of brewers wort follows three phases: lag phase for 3-15 hours, exponential growth phase for 1-4 days, and stationary phase of yeast growth for 3-10 days. Each of these phases will be described in terms of yeast behavior." [Read More]
"What is yeast doing during beer fermentation? It is consuming wort sugars, and turning that sugar into new yeast cells, ethanol, CO2, and flavor compounds. Brewers are primarily concerned about flavor compounds. In order to maximize the correct flavor compounds, it is helpful to know how yeast ferments beer.
Ale fermentation of brewers wort follows three phases: lag phase for 3-15 hours, exponential growth phase for 1-4 days, and stationary phase of yeast growth for 3-10 days. Each of these phases will be described in terms of yeast behavior." [Read More]