Page 68 of The Estate
“Wild yeast is just that. Yeast cultivated from the surrounding environment.” Cal glanced around and saw the same blank looks Rachel was seeing. Furrowing his brow, he said, “Okay, a little background on distilling. An important component in any distilling is yeast.”
“Like yeast as in what you use for bread?” Lisa asked.
“Different variety, but basically,” Cal answered. “Most distillers buy commercially available yeast. Nothing wrong with it. Solid choice. Dependable and consistent. It’s what I’d probably use for most everything.
“White Hall Estate has always been a special place. What I’d love to do is create a spirit that captures theflavorof White Hall using wild yeast. To do that, I’d need to work with a lab and experiment with local vegetation like grasses, fruits, bark, even the air from in and around the grounds to ascertain if there was anything we could use.
“The provenance of the spirit would capture the true flavor and reflect the place.”
“Kind of like with wine,” Jake said. “The soil, climate, and elevation influences the flavor to create a unique fingerprint of flavor.”
“Exactly,” Cal said. “Of course, what I laid out is a supremely simplistic overview, but yes, the resulting spirit would have a unique White Hall’s fingerprint.”
Rachel watched Cal’s eyes light up as he talked. It was written all over his face that this is what he was meant to do. How couldCal’s parents refuse him? Did they not see how invested and animated he was every time he talked about it? She’d examined the numbers. Opening a distillery could be a solid part of a good financial plan.
Her heart broke at how difficult this entire consulting project must be for him. She wondered again at her role in what would be the ultimate demise of Cal’s dreams. Would he be capable of forgiving her for doing her job? Would she manage to forgive herself?
“That’s fascinating,” Lisa said. “I wasn’t aware of how much went into creating liquor.”
“Oh,” Cal laughed. “That’s just one tiny example of the complexity of distilling. But as I said, that’s a long way off, if ever.
“Even before I dive into wild yeast, I want to offer a bourbon which would need at least a two-year aging time. Add on to that the variables in the aging process which can get downright crazy.”
“How so?” Adam said.
“Well, bourbon is aged in oak barrels. The makeup of the wood, the char and even the how the barrel is made can all have an effect on the outcome. Not to mention the sheer location of the barrel in the rackhouse can dramatically affect the aging time, proof and taste.”
“A rackhouse?” Alex questioned.
“Sorry. Basically, a warehouse where they store the barrels,” he answered. “Think of… like a three-floor house. Because of temperature and humidity, the barrels on the top floor age faster and have a higher proof than the ones on the first floor. The barrels toward the outside age differently from those toward thecenter of the building. Sun exposure and even air flow all affect the process.”
“That is intriguing,” Jake mumbled, his head tilted as if in thought.
“What are you thinking?” Lisa asked, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “He has that creative shenanigans look in his eye,” she explained to everyone else.
Jake smirked over at her, his look filled with mischief and no small amount of heat. “Not exactly shenanigans, but I was thinking,” he directed his attention to Cal. “My friend Joel is doing the catering for the gala at your estate next weekend.”
“Is he?” Cal asked. “I didn’t realize. I haven’t gotten a chance to meet him. My event planner, Trace has been handling most of the details.”
“I’m just wondering,” Jake continued. “Maybe Joel should add some local spirits into the gala’s food offerings.”
“Yum,” Lisa hummed appreciatively.
“Exactly,” Jake responded. “Since the event is so big, I’m helping him out. The menu’s already done, but maybe there’s some wiggle room on an appetizer or something. It would make such a good story for the food. I bet the Historical Society folks would love that. Good for the catering company and good for the local distillers too.”
“That’s a great marketing approach,” Adam said. “Even if it’s only one dish or offering, that would still have an impact and reflect well on everyone evolved. Very farm to table, but even more than that, being keyed into the local industry of the state.”
“Oooh,” Lottie said. “Kind of like what Cal talked about with the wild yeast. Local distillers help bring the taste of the state to the event.”
“I’ll definitely bring it up with Joel. Maybe I’ll brainstorm some recipes,” Jake added, his eye shooting over to find Lisa’s. It didn’t leave anyone in the dark as to whose help he’d be seeking for that.
Rachel bit her lips to keep from smiling. If Lisa caught her, there would be hell to pay.
As if he knew he was treading on thin ice, Jake looked at Cal and said, “Joel mentioned going out to view the setup. He must be doing that this week. I’ll have to tag along. I’d love to see the place. At least more than the kitchen I’ll be tied to during the event.”
“Your friend hasn’t visited to look at the kitchen setup yet?” Cal asked pointedly.
Rachel sensed the anxiety in his voice. She doubted if it was noticeable to anyone else, but she’d been spending so much time with Cal, she could hear his concern.
