Alcoholic fermentation
Japanese: アルコール発酵
The reaction in which yeast breaks down sugar under anaerobic conditions to produce ethanol and carbon dioxide. Essential for making alcoholic beverages and bread.
Alcoholic fermentation is the reaction in which yeast breaks down sugar to produce ethanol and carbon dioxide. It proceeds in the absence of oxygen, classifying it as anaerobic fermentation.
Without this reaction, sake, beer, and wine would not exist. Bread rises thanks to the carbon dioxide generated by yeast within the dough.
The chemical equation—C₆H₁₂O₆ → 2C₂H₅OH + 2CO₂—appears simple, but inside the yeast cell, more than ten sequential enzymatic reactions are occurring. Along the way, aromatic compounds like esters emerge as byproducts, shaping the character of each beverage.