This may seem like a weird question, but are Wyeast/White Labs yeast packs "organic" ? I can't seem to find any information about this online, but I am really curious as to the answer. It seems you can easily do the whole brewing process in an organic fashion, except for the yeast. I know the yeast are just little fungi, but what about the process of making them? What was fed to them? What is really in that smack-pack? etc. I would think someone would have addressed this. The only thing I can find on Wyeast's website is some info about their Mead yeast, which has an organic pear juice smack pack inside. Does anyone know anything about the beer yeasts? They don't have a USDA organic stamp on them, as far as I can tell.
Here is the quote from the Wyeast site:
Here is the quote from the Wyeast site:
13. Dear Sir or Madam, I just read that your products are produced without animal ingredients in your FAQs. That is great. Now, I would like to know if your product #4184 Sweet Mead is produced with any products which are derived from grapes (e.g. wine, grape juice, seeds, tartaric acid, grapes, rosins). I am asking because I would like to use your mead and it would be more kosher if so. It would be nearly 100% kosher if it never came in contact with animal, grapes, and grape products; if it would have not been cooked, and if it was cooked, not in equipment that contained animal, grapes, and grape products or cooked only in thoroughly cleansed equipment. I am looking forward to your answer. Yours sincerely, Albert
Albert, Good news! None of our products contain animal products or grape products. Our media pack for the wine strains contains organic pear juice. Please let me know if you have other questions or concerns. Jess