Biotech Updates

Experts Confirm Origin of Yeasts that Make Cold Beer

May 21, 2014

Scientists from the University of Wisconsin-Madison confirmed that Saccharomyces eubayanus, the wandering parent of hybrid lager yeast discovered in 2011, is from Patagonia in South America. Their conclusion is based on the yeast's genetic sequence which revealed its closest affinity to one of two highly diverse Patagonian populations, confirming it was the cold-loving microbe that, 500 years ago, found its way to the caves and monastery cellars of Bavaria where lager beer was first concocted.

According to UW-Madison genetics professor Chris Hittinger, they conducted the study to find ways on how to tap into biodiversity and find the strains that ferment better and those strains, or their genes, can be plugged into industrial processes. The tools of modern biotechnology can potentially refine industrial fermentation by mixing and matching genes that lead to a better conversion of sugar to alcohol, he added.

Read more information at http://biotech.einnews.com/article/205298765/kDdteeZ6zz8A6E2g?n=1&code=hJrLQrZj9QAEpIxx