Ducateon Drinks
Ale and Mead are made in a special process that is kept well guarded and paid for at a premium price. The flavors, effects, and sight of the products made are all unique to Ducateon culture, and found nowhere else. In addition to their mead, their fermented specialties range mostly in stouts, porters, browns, as well as amber ales. Its unique character pairs perfectly with roasted and caramel malts.
The Yeast
Cultivated in different lots, stored and managed both above and below ground. The secret, like everything else, is the UV light the Ducateon radiate from the glands in their cheeks. This is actually used to manage the processing and development of the yeast in novel ways.
The Malt
In every Holt has a series of Malt Caves. The Ducateon using and manipulate light and ventilation to carefully control the germination for flavors and variety. Because of this, malting operates year round – and provides for a great deal of the Ducateon diet and down time. Every member of a Holt participates in the malting – not just the Worker Caste. It is one of the few cultural prides of the Ducateon, and everyone is required to be close to the operation because it brings in so much revenue (trade goods, not so much coin itself) to every single Holt that has dealings with outsiders. Working a day in the Malt Caves roasteries gives much of the Ducateon the unique “Ducateon smell” that outsiders know them for.
The Honey
Also exposed to the UV light the Ducateon radiate, helping to fine tune processes, and keep things sterile without losing any flavor. The apiaries of the Ducateon located in the Out-Holts of the settlements are legendary. The Ducateon plant a variety of species and can monitor the pollination and attractiveness to the bees using their own UV vision.
The Water
Using their ability to use sound to carve stone, the Ducateon use left over mineral materials to add to various underground storage tanks to change the PH and flavor of the water. There are filtration and additive processes that their stone working methods are well suited for. Materials that might normally be cast aside as more useful metals are mined for get used in the various fermentation processes through controlling the content of the water. The water composition is also used to help flavor the massive Cave Mana fungus farms underground for their species.