Which yeast to use for fermentation of alcohol base?

Alcohol base to make alcoholic beverages is mostly produced from sugar. Sugar have no nutrients what so ever and a high alcohol fermentation and a pure fermentation must have both micro and macro nutrients. This is best meet by using a Turbo Yeast.

The first Turbo Yeast was invented by Gert Strand about 25 years ago. The Turbos that Gert Strand supplies today is still the best – there is nothing better.  There is 3 of those that is suited for fermenting alcohol base.

Alco Base Turbo Yeast 20%

Alco Base Turbo Yeast 20% is the best turbo for alcohol base because no other yeast can ferment a glucose based alcohol base to 20% ABV or a sucrose based to 19%. In fact, it ferments to 22% but this result is unreliable – it sometimes drops to 20% so Gert Strand only claims 20%. What is needed is temperature control, max 25-26C, no stirring needed. Higher temperature will result in a stuck fermentation or a lot of off smell and off taste produced – or both.

As described on alcobase.com, adsorbents can be added from start of fermentation to make the alcohol base even purer.

Alco Base Turbo Yeast 20% dosage is 5.4 gram per liter for 16-20% ABV (alcohol by volume) and 3.6 gram per liter for alcohol base up to 15% ABV.

Puraferm Alco Base Turbo Yeast 16%

Puraferm Alco Base Turbo Yeast 16% is designed to produce an ultra-clean wash up to 15% but is not capable of reaching higher than 16% ABV. The low congener producing strain used  would produce a superior wash to Alco Base Turbo Yeast 20% at 15% ABV, but again this limits the applications compared to 20% ABV. But with post-treatments with adsorbents like activated carbon powder type A and activated carbon powder type B, bentonite and activated silicon dioxide  the Alco Base Turbo Yeast 20% fermented alcohol base could be brought more in line with this in terms of quality.

For production of vodka spirit Puraferm Alco Base Turbo Yeast 16% produce the purest mash possible for premium luxury vodkas.

TT Turbo Yeast 25 kg Sacks

TT Turbo Yeast 25 kg Sacks is Gert Strands temperature tolerant distillery Turbo Yeast. It is also sold in consumer sachets as “Black label Turbo Yeast” to hobby distillers.

TT Turbo is designed to produce a clean wash up to 15% ABV – it can be used to ferment up to 17 or 18% ABV at its maximum recommended dosage 3.6 gram/liter, but there would be an over-kill of nutrient compared to Alco Base Turbo Yeast 20%; this would be ok for distillation, but for an alcohol base the quality would be a bit lower than with Alco Base Turbo Yeast 20% . There would be no benefit in using TT Turbo for alcobase at 15% ABV given this will limit the applications compared to 20% ABV. But still, TT Turbo is widely used also for alcohol base so it is also a matter of taste at the distillery.

TT Turbo yeast is is mostly used for distillation and it works great for all feed stocks, fruit and molasses included.

All 3 turbo yeasts can be used together with other alcohol base ingredients like Activated Carbon Type A for alcobase fermentation, Activated Carbon Type B for alcobase fermentation, Activated Silicon Dioxide, Bentonite – Low tasting bentonite absorbent and Chitosan Fining.