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Which yeast species is commonly used to ferment grain mashes for distilled spirits?

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distilled spirit The fermentation and distillation process for producing whiskey. The production of whiskey begins with grinding grain into a meal, which is cooked. Malt is introduced to the meal, which results in mash that is cooled and pumped into a fermenter, where yeast is added. The fermented mixture is heated in a still, where the heat vaporizes the alcohol. The alcohol vapours are caught, cooled, condensed, and drawn off as clean, new whiskey. This liquid is stored in a cistern room, and water is added to lower the proof (absolute alcohol content) before the whiskey is placed in new charred oak barrels for aging and later bottling.

The yeast species commonly used to ferment grain mashes for the production of distilled spirits is Saccharomyces cerevisiae.12

While there are more than 8,000 classified strains of yeast, approximately nine or ten pure strains—all belonging to the type Saccharomyces cerevisiae—are utilized for fermenting grain mashes. Each specific strain possesses unique characteristics that impart distinct properties to the final distillate. These same strains are also employed in the production of beer, rum, and tequila.1