Mash Fermentation

Fermentation of mash (Ukrainian zbrodzhuvannia brahy) is a process of alcoholic fermentation in which yeast processes the sugars present in a liquid wort or mash, turning them into ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide. It is a fundamental biochemical process underlying the making of many drinks — from bread kvass and mash to wine, beer, and the base for spirits.

The essence of the process is this: to a sugar-bearing liquid (a sugar solution, fruit juice, grain mash, or honey) yeast is added, and it is left in the warmth without access to air. The yeast fungi feed on the sugars and as a result of their activity release alcohol and carbon dioxide, from which the liquid actively “plays”, bubbles, and foams. The speed and completeness of the fermentation depend on the temperature, the kind of yeast, and the amount of sugar. When all the available sugar is processed (or the alcohol concentration becomes too high for the yeast), the fermentation ceases. The fermented liquid (mash) obtained is then used directly as a low-alcohol drink or as a raw material for further distillation. Fermentation of mash is one of humanity's oldest biotechnologies, closely related to fermentation in general, which has given the world countless traditional drinks.