Chapter 10
The champagne yeast arrived three days later, delivered by a Guild supplier who looked amused by my request. "Champagne yeast for a dwarf brewer Gosdrunli. That's a first. Most of us stick to ale strains."
"I'm trying something different." I said.
"So I've heard." He handed me the package. "This strain's finicky. Needs cooler temperatures than standard ale yeast, and it produces a lot of CO2. You'll want strong bottles or you'll be cleaning glass off your ceiling."
"Noted." I spent the afternoon preparing my first test batch: Dark Fizz, the cola-style drink.
The sweetroot infusion was straightforward. I steeped the dried root in hot water for an hour, creating a base liquid that was intensely sweet but smooth. The analysis had been right, it tasted nothing like sugar, but the sweetness was real and completely non-fermentable. Next came the flavourings.
I crushed cinnamon bark, vanilla pods, dried citrus peel, and winterberries into a fine powder. The smell was incredible, warm and complex, with layers that reminded me of winter holidays from my previous life. The powder went into the sweetroot infusion along with a tiny amount of honey for depth. I let it steep for another hour, then strained everything through fine muslin cloth. The result was a dark, aromatic liquid that smelled promising but tasted too sweet and too concentrated.
I added water, diluting it gradually until the sweetness felt balanced. Then came the tricky part. I measured out a precise amount of regular sugar, just enough for the champagne yeast to produce carbonation without creating significant alcohol. Too much and I'd have sparkling wine instead of soda. Too little and the drink would be flat. The yeast went in last. I pitched it carefully, watching it settle into the dark liquid. Now came the waiting.
I bottled the mixture in thick glass bottles I'd purchased specifically for this experiment, each one sealed with a cork and wax. The champagne yeast would consume the sugar over the next few days, producing CO2 that couldn't escape. The pressure would build, forcing carbonation into the liquid. If my calculations were right, I'd have fizzy Dark Fizz in about five days. If my calculations were wrong, I'd have exploding bottles and a mess to clean up.
I set the bottles aside and started on the next experiment: Citrus Sparkle.
---
Over the next week, I brewed all six fizzy drink prototypes. Each one followed the same basic process: create a flavoured base with non-fermentable sweetness, add minimal sugar, pitch champagne yeast, bottle carefully. The differences were in the flavourings.
Citrus Sparkle used lemon and lime peels with a touch of mint.
Ginger Snap was built around fresh ginger root with honey and a hint of vanilla.
Berry Burst combined five different berries into a tart, fruity base.
Mint Chill was aggressively minty with cooling properties from frost mint.
Root Blend used a combination of liquorice root, sassafras, wintergreen, and other aromatics to create something earthy and complex.
By the end of the week, I had thirty bottles lined up on my storage shelves, each one labeled with the recipe name and bottling date. They sat there like small bombs, pressure building inside them daily. I checked them obsessively, looking for signs of over-carbonation. A few showed worrying bulges in the cork, and I carefully released some pressure before re-sealing them.
On the fifth day, I judged the Dark Fizz ready for testing.
I grabbed Brakka.
---
"You want me to drink what now?"
Brakka stared at the bottle I'd uncorked, watching bubbles rise through the dark liquid. "Fizzy drink. Non-alcoholic, mostly. Sweet, flavoured with spices."
"That looks like... I don't even know what that looks like." He took the cup I poured for him, sniffing cautiously. "Smells good though. Like winter festivals."
"Just try it. Small sips."
He drank.
His eyes widened immediately. "It's fizzy! Really fizzy! And sweet! And..." He took another sip. "This is actually good. It's like drinking spiced bubbles."
Relief flooded through me. "No off flavours? Nothing wrong?"
"Bit too sweet maybe, but otherwise?" Brakka drained the cup. "I'd buy this. Especially on hot days. It's refreshing in a way ale isn't."
I poured myself a cup and tasted.
He was right about the sweetness, it was a touch too much. The carbonation level was perfect though, aggressive without being overwhelming. The flavours were well-balanced, warm spices mixing with the sweetness and carbonation to create something that wasn't quite cola but evoked the same feeling.
The system notification flared across my vision.
BREW ANALYSIS COMPLETE
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Dark Fizz - Apprentice Quality
Alcohol Content: 0.8%
Magical Infusion: None
Effects: Refreshing, mild energy boost, pleasant taste
Market Value: 5 silver per bottle
Brewing Experience Gained: 200 XP
Current Level: Journeyman Brewer (Level 5)
Progress: 5150/25000 XP
Five silver per bottle. Not as valuable as the Fire-Belch Ale, but these were far cheaper to produce and had broader appeal. This wasn't entertainment, it was a product people might buy weekly.
"Make more of this," Brakka said, reaching for the bottle to refill his cup. "I'm serious. This'll sell."
Over the next few days, I tested all six prototypes. The Citrus Sparkle was too tart. The Ginger Snap burned too much. The Berry Burst was perfect but expensive to produce. The Mint Chill was divisive, some loved it, some hated the intensity. The Root Blend was interesting but too complex for casual drinking.
The Dark Fizz remained the most successful, though I adjusted the recipe to reduce sweetness. I was documenting my results when a different idea struck me.
What if I could create something stronger? Not just fizzy drinks, but spirits?
I'd never tried distilling before. Not in this life, anyway. In my previous life, I'd toured distilleries, understood the basic concept. Ferment something alcoholic, then heat it to separate the alcohol from water based on different boiling points. Simple in theory. Dangerous in practice without proper equipment.
But the idea wouldn't leave me alone. What if I could recreate whiskey? Or something like Jack Daniels? The smooth, oaky burn of Tennessee whiskey had been a favourite in my previous life. Could I make something similar here? I started researching.
The Guild library had extensive records on distillation, mostly for making medicinal tinctures and cleaning agents. The process was well-understood, just rarely applied to drinking alcohol. Dwarves preferred their ale and mead, didn't see much point in concentrating it. But the equipment was available.
A simple pot still consisted of a heated vessel, a cooling coil, and a collection container. The liquid heated until alcohol vapour rose, traveled through the coil where it condensed back to liquid, then dripped into the collection container at much higher alcohol concentration. I could build something basic for maybe ten gold.
The question was whether I should. Distillation was legal but regulated. The Guild required licensing for spirits production, mainly to ensure proper safety measures. Improperly made spirits could contain dangerous levels of methanol or other compounds.
But I had Ingredient Analysis. I could check the composition of what I produced, make sure it was safe.
I pulled out my notebook and started planning.
Project: Whiskey-Style Spirit
Base: Barley ale, unhopped, high sugar content
Fermentation: Standard ale yeast, let it run to completion
Distillation: Single pot still, discard first runnings (methanol)
Aging: Oak barrels (quarter-cask, 3-6 months minimum)
Flavour additions: Charred oak, maybe some spice?
Target: Something resembling bourbon/whiskey
The base would be simple. Strong ale, minimal hops, fermented completely dry. Then distilled carefully, discarding the first bit that came off the still because that's where methanol concentrated.
The aging would transform it from harsh alcohol into something smooth and complex. Oak barrels imparted vanilla notes, caramel flavours, mellowed the burn. I had oak barrels. They were meant for aging beer, but they'd work for spirits too.
The more I thought about it, the more excited I became.
If the fizzy drinks were everyday products, spirits could be premium offerings. Special occasions. Expensive bottles that collectors would pay significant gold for.
But I needed to do it right. Get licensed, build proper equipment, test everything thoroughly.
I headed back to the Guild to talk to Thorgar.
---
"You want to do what now?"
Thorgar stared at me like I'd suggested setting the workshop on fire.
"I want to make whiskey-style spirits. I know it's regulated, but-"
"Regulated is putting it mildly, lad. Spirits production requires licensing from both the Guild and the clan council. Safety inspections. Regular testing." He leaned back in his chair. "Why in the Mountain Fathers' names would you want to complicate your life like that?"
"Because there's a market for it. Premium spirits, properly aged, high quality. Something beyond standard ale."
"There's already dwarven spirits. Firewater from the northern clans. That vile stuff the deep miners drink."
"But nothing refined. Nothing aged properly in oak with attention to flavour profile." I pulled out my notebook, showing him my plans. "I'm not talking about rotgut. I'm talking about premium spirits that could compete with elven wines for prestige."
Thorgar studied my notes, his expression shifting from sceptical to considering.
"You've thought this through."
"I have."
"Equipment costs?"
"Ten gold for a basic pot still. I already have aging barrels."
"Licensing fees are another five gold. Plus safety inspections every quarter." He tapped my notebook. "You're looking at fifteen gold minimum investment before you produce a single bottle."
That would leave me with about eleven gold in reserve. Tighter than I liked, but manageable.
"I can afford it."
"Afford it, aye. But can you handle the complexity? You're already brewin' Fire-Belch Ale and now fizzy drinks. Adding spirits production means managing three different product lines. That's a lot for someone so young."
He had a point. I was already stretching myself thin.
"What if I focus on getting the fizzy drinks stable first? Prove I can manage consistent production. Then add spirits later?"
Thorgar nodded slowly. "That's smarter. Build your foundation before adding complications. Get your fizzy drinks to market, establish regular income. Then expand into spirits when you've got the bandwidth."
It made sense. Much as I wanted to try everything at once, sustainable growth meant prioritizing.
"Alright. Fizzy drinks first, then spirits."
"Good lad. That's the kind of thinking that separates successful brewers from failed experiments." Thorgar stood. "Now, you mentioned you need to get the fizzy drinks stable. What's your plan for that?"
"Test the recipes more, adjust sweetness levels, figure out optimal carbonation. Then start producing for sale."
"How many varieties?"
"I was thinking all six, but that might be too much. Maybe start with three? The Dark Fizz, the Berry Burst, and one other."
"Three's manageable. Gives customers choice without overwhelming them." He walked me to the door. "Keep me updated on your progress. I'm curious to see how the market responds to fizzy drinks. Could be the next big thing. Could be a passing novelty. Won't know until you try."
---
I spent the next week refining my three flagship fizzy drinks.
Dark Fizz (reduced sweetness, adjusted spice ratios)
Berry Burst (optimized berry blend for cost vs. flavour)
Ginger Snap (tamed the burn, added more honey smoothness)
Each one went through multiple test batches, adjustments, more testing. By the end of the week, I had recipes I was confident in.
The system confirmed my progress with each successful batch.
BREW ANALYSIS COMPLETE
Dark Fizz - Journeyman Quality
Market Value: 7 silver per bottle
BREW ANALYSIS COMPLETE
Berry Burst - Journeyman Quality
Market Value: 8 silver per bottle
BREW ANALYSIS COMPLETE
Ginger Snap - Journeyman Quality
Market Value: 6 silver per bottle
The quality had improved. The market values had risen. And my experience was accumulating steadily.
Current Level: Journeyman Brewer (Level 5)
Progress: 7350/25000 XP
I was a third of the way to level six already. Now I just needed to see if dwarves would actually buy fizzy drinks in quantity. Time to talk to Dulric again.
As always friends more chapter on patreon, up to chapter 14 plus interlude.
