Whew -- At Least Turbo-Yeast Was Not Involved
- posted by Jim Leitzel @ 11:25 PM

There was a bit of a prison riot in New Zealand after some 20 inmates apparently partied with some home brew. Two guards were injured, though the toll doesn't seem all that high when compared with a weekend at many bars in the outside world.

The officer said a 20-litre bucket was found. "We don't know how much had been in it, it was empty when we found it."

The brew must have been very strong but the officer did not believe it had been made with turbo-yeast – which can produce strong alcohol practically overnight from fruit juice, corn, molasses, barley, wheat, and potato waste – as speculated.

Well it is a good thing they didn't get a hold of some of that turbo-yeast. Now what exactly is turbo-yeast? Well, it is pretty robust stuff that allows quick fermentation, even in less-than-optimal circumstances, and to alcohol concentration levels of 17%. (The old normal yeast begins to give up the ghost around 14%.) Still unsure of how turbo-yeast works? I think the diagrams provided by this turbo-yeast supplier give all the necessary detail.

Labels: alcohol, New Zealand