Vegemite

Using the amber fluid in cooking, and pairing beer with food.

Vegemite

Postby Cookie » Tuesday May 13, 2008 8:47 pm

I've heard it is made from the sludge left at the bottom of the fermenter. I can see how this connection would be made due to the taste, smell and colour. Is the truth to this myth?

If so, has anyone made their own vegemite from the sludge? How?
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Re: Vegemite

Postby Lachy » Wednesday May 21, 2008 8:03 pm

From what I understand, vegemite is made from dead, autolysed yeast. So, I suppose if you were to rinse your yeast cake of any residual hops and other junk, and then kill it by starving it of nutrients so that it cannibalises itself, you would have a starting point. Then, I suppose you'd make an extract from this, add salt... and very probably have something that's pretty much inedible.

It's an interesting exercise in theory, however I can't really see how the end product would be worth it.
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Re: Vegemite

Postby James L » Thursday May 22, 2008 10:40 am

I remember quite well in the middle of last summer, ne had just moved into our new house, and the laundry drain wasnt draining too well. After i had bottled my brew, i poured the old yeast trub down that drain only to find that it had blocked. It took me about 2 days to get my act together and get all the tools and stuff necessary to unblock the drain.

The minute i managed to get the inspection port open, and everything pourd out, all i could smell was vegemite... It was awesome...
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Re: Vegemite

Postby rwh » Thursday May 22, 2008 10:42 am

Gotta love wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yeast_extract
The general method for making yeast extract for food products such as Vegemite and Marmite on a commercial scale is to add salt to a suspension of yeast making the solution hypertonic, which leads to the cells shrivelling up; this triggers autolysis, in which the yeast self-destructs. The dying yeast cells are then heated to complete their breakdown, after which the husks (yeast with thick cell walls which wouldn't do the texture much good) are separated.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegemite
Vegemite is made from leftover brewers' yeast extract, a by-product of beer manufacture, and various vegetable and spice additives.
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Re: Vegemite

Postby matr » Tuesday May 27, 2008 10:55 pm

haha how Aussie is this?

"The name Vegemite was selected out of a hat by Fred Walker's daughter, Sheilah"
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