Whether you’re speaking with her directly or reading her words, Ruvani de Silva seems to emit an effortless effervescence that’s both passionate and genuine. Her enthusiasm for her adopted home state of Texas is obvious, and her curiosity about the people moving it forward is heartfelt, which leads her to reveal compelling truths about beer and beyond.
In her latest piece for Good Beer Hunting, titled “Capturing the Flavor of Texas — Community Cultures Yeast Lab in San Antonio, Texas,” which was published on December 15, 2021, Ruvani describes how an encounter with the duo behind the San Antonio-based yeast lab galvanized her to dive into the world of clean foraged yeast propagation and what it means for the future of Texas terroir. Calling it one of the hardest projects she’s ever undertaken, Ruvani’s story explores both the science and art of cultivating hyper-local yeast from the Lone Star State, and how Community Cultures is redefining Texas craft beer in real time.
Texans are fiercely proud of their land and people, and this story is no exception. If you read Ruvani’s feature and are now listening to this conversation about it, you might be surprised to find out that Texas ranks 47th in breweries per capita, according to the Brewers Association. (I know—I was surprised!) But as Ruvani describes it, the state of Texas craft beer is “dynamic, diverse, and inclusive,” which are powerful words for a growing industry. And, thanks to the work of Texans like Ruvani and Community Cultures, the craft community at large has front-row seats to what’s happening right now.