Presentation of methods | Vitality of yeast is a major issue for every brewer. This applies to both yeasts propagated from professional yeast management as well as to fresh rehydrated dry yeasts. Modern brewers can choose between several methods for determining vitality of their yeast cells. One of these methods is the Acidification Power Test which can be carried out quickly and cost-effectively.

Curtailing the brewing process | Over the decades and centuries of the many advances in brewing technology, there have only been two primary objectives for any of the countless inventors, technicians and brewers: To improve quality and/or reduce costs. In the 18th installment of the Giants of Brewing History, Günther Thömmes introduces readers to a man whose work was characterized by significantly reducing the duration of the beer production process – in other words, he cut costs without sacrificing quality: Dr. Leopold Nathan.

Underestimated potential | Up until the end of the 19th century, the variety of microorganisms used as starter cultures to make beer was enormous. Their number is now totally inestimable. It was thus important to introduce pure yeast cultures to keep products clean and stable; this also meant, however, that the formerly broad spectrum of yeasts was narrowed down to comparatively few strains. This article, based on a talk given at the 11th Yeast and Microbiology Seminar 2024 in Weihenstephan, Germany, shows just what yeast can do given the chance.

Feral Yeast | New results have led the authors of this review to reassess the significance of diastatic yeast and have raised fundamental questions about the nature of brewing yeasts.

Resurrected yeast | According to Hutzler et al., in 1952 and 1953, environmental conditions and variable barley characteristics led to unsustainable brewing practices with a formerly popular Frohberg-type Saccharomyces pastorianus yeast [1]. Now identified as TUM 35, the once-extinct yeast was resurrected and made commercially available in 2019. In November of 2019, Schilling Beer Company of Littleton New Hampshire, USA, imported TUM 35 from Forschungszentrum Weihenstephan with a keen interest in the history of the yeast.

Low fermentation power | Non-alcoholic beers continue to enjoy great and increasing popularity among consumers. One production method employs low fermentation yeasts. The Spanish brewery Cervezas Gran Vía S.L. in Seville investigated the fermentation behavior of such a yeast – Pichia kluyveri – on an industrial scale.

Crystal clear | Colloidal stability of beer is a key attribute, and its control is of high importance, since beer may start off clear, but it contains all the precursors that can lead to haze formation during the shelf life.

Key aroma compounds | Non-alcoholic beers continue to be very popular with consumers in Germany. A variety of methods are available for their production. Each method has inherent advantages and disadvantages with regard to the aroma profile of the resultant beers. As part of a diploma thesis, an approach for producing non-alcoholic Bavarian Weissbier using maltose-negative yeast strains was investigated at the Weihenstephan Research Center for Brewing and Food Quality at the Technical University of Munich.

New barrel flavors | The Infusion Spiral® provides solutions for brewers in a variety of ways: Made from staves of wood in a unique cutting process and toasted if desired, it brings new barrel flavors but can also simply provide more body and balance, especially for nonalcoholic beers, while saving storage space, energy, time, and costs.

Unique experience | More often than not, breweries are now viewed as places for customers to have a unique culinary experience, one to be savored and enjoyed. For brewers around the world, this serves as strong motivation to showcase their production processes for their consumers. For this reason, some have devoted their efforts to rethinking the concept of open fermentation.

Higher flexibility | Consistent yeast propagations are a challenge in production environments with changing brewing schedules, downtimes, and delays. Propagation protocols that run based on a timer are not flexible. It requires additional external lab samples and labor to correct or adjust the propagation protocol. A solution is the use of inline sensors that provide accurate and reliable data to control and run the propagation according to the specifications. The Boston Beer Company (BBC) propagates various yeast strains with a “Pitch & Pull” strategy, where the propagators do not receive a CIP after multiple pitches until switching to another strain. Under these circumstances and after trialing multiple sensors, BBC successfully tested an extract sensor from Anton Paar that met all expectations and decided to move forward with the installation of these sensors for all BBC locations.