I'm Not A Real Microbiologist, I Just Play One On TV.

Before six years ago, I had never (intentionally) fermented anything. Once, while in college, I found a long forgotten bottle of apple juice in my closet that with the lightest touch - BOOM - exploded its cap directly into my eye. I felt that one for a week. I had the faintest notion that what had occurred in that fateful bottle was fermentation, but I hadn't the foggiest as to how.

Many ill-spent, but fun, years went by until I had become obsessed with and then enslaved by my life-long lover, wine. My education was one by fire as I had to go out and sell the stuff that, at the time, I had no clue about. I learned quickly - very quickly. My desire to learn did not stop with how to sell it or with AOCs and DOCGs. I was determined to learn every aspect from production to service. And I did.

I am certainly not saying that I have in any way satisfied my interest in the fermented beverage. The reason for this posting is to explore and illustrate my current interests in this matter. And that is bugs and fungi. Shit, those little critters are making me crazy!

For starters, I have the glorious job of being yeast babysitter for a bunch of cider. Just as I would likely be a crappy babysitter for kids, I neglect my yeasty charges with the excuse of "letting nature take its course." I haven't gotten to the point of chaining them to a radiator with a bucket of fish heads within reach, but I'm close.

Seriously, though, they are pretty easy to maintain when they have a clean place to live, tons of good food, and comfy warmth. The challenge is the cat-herding that is keeping bacteria in line. Darn those crazy critters! It's sort of a teacher's pet situation: encouraging the good bacteria and keeping the bad ones at bay. There are all sorts of neat-o fermented beverages like Kombucha, fermented milk products like kefir and yogurt, and fermented corn (chicha), even fermented coca!

I've been having fun making Kombucha at home. It's easy to make and can be a really tasty drink if you add the right juices and sugars.

I suppose that what I'm driving at is that I find this stuff fascinating especially since so many products I enjoy are the product of fermentation of some sort. Next time you have a hearty mug of Kvass, think about all the critters that made it happen.