example, they produce savory succinic acid,
and transform amino acids in the liquid into
“higher,” or longer-chain alcohols; they
combine alcohols with acids to make fruity-
smelling esters; they produce sulfur
compounds reminiscent of cooked vegetables,
coffee, and toast. And when a yeast cell dies,
its enzymatic machinery digests the cell and
releases its contents into the liquid, where
they continue to generate flavor. Because
growing yeast cells synthesize proteins and B
vitamins, they can actually make a fruit juice
or cereal mash more nutritious than it was
when fresh.
The Qualities of Alcohol
In chemistry, the term alcohol is applied to a
large family of substances with a similar
molecular structure. Our everyday word
alcohol refers to one particular member of
this family, which chemists call ethyl alcohol,