The effect of yeast strains used for fermentation on the congener concentration in distilled fruit brandies

The goal of this research was to demonstrate that different yeast strains produce varying amounts of flavor components when fermenting and distilling fruit to produce brandy. Five strains of yeast were used for fermentation of nine different fruits that are commonly grown in Michigan. The resulting distillates were analyzed using gas chromatography to identify ethanol, methanol, fusel alcohols, benzaldehyde, acetone, and acetaldehyde. Based on an objective ranking system, the five yeasts were compared to one another to determine which yeast was best for fermentation by analyzing the resulting distillates. These data will benefit distillers by increasing the predictability and quality of brandy production thus making the process more profitable.