Ilaria Rosella Pagliaro Lager beers are about to undergo a revolution thanks to the introduction of new yeast strains from Patagonia that will allow the creation of beers with unique aromatic profiles
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Lager beers are famous for their refreshing and crisp flavor; they account for about 90% of all the different types of beers that are produced in the world. But here is something quite interesting that few people know: such uniformity in flavor in these beers can actually be accredited to the low genetic diversity of yeast used in its fermentation.
Most lagers rely on a single hybrid yeast, Saccharomyces pastorianus, between S. cerevisiae and S. eubayanus. This has introduced a degree of monotony into flavors, a uniformity such that all lagers would appear to have roughly the same accent.
But then, in 2011, things got real. Until that point, no one knew what had happened to S. eubayanus. When it resurfaced in the forests of Patagonia, it blew the whole field wide open. Since then hundreds of new strains have been isolated, providing brewers with the means to produce beers with a far greater diversity of flavor.
New strains, new lagers
Through constant research, new hybrids have been created by combining the wild-strain S. eubayanus with S. cerevisiae through experimental evolution in the laboratory. The result has been yeasts that ferment better and also give beers completely new aromas. Scientists have been testing these hybrids over generations; as a matter of fact, this results in more complex and distinct flavor profiles compared to traditional lagers.
With these yeasts, now brewers have the chance to experiment with a gamut of aromas from sweet and fruity to spicy and phenolic. These new strains are not developed by means of genetic engineering; hence, they are also acceptable to the purists in the brewing community, opening up new avenues for brewing. The result? Lagers that will please both traditionalists and those looking for something different.
Source: PLOS Genetics
