New Lager Brewery Strains Obtained by Crossing Techniques Using Cachaça (Brazilian Spirit) Yeasts

Abstract

The development of hybrids has been an effective approach to generate novel yeast strains with optimal technological profile for use in beer production. This study describes the generation of a new yeast strain for lager beer production by direct mating between two Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains isolated from cachaça distilleries: one that was strongly flocculent, and the other with higher production of acetate esters. The first step in this procedure was to analyze the sporulation ability and reproductive cycle of strains belonging to a specific collection of yeasts isolated from cachaça fermentation vats. Most strains showed high rates of sporulation, spore viability, and homothallic behavior. In order to obtain new yeast strains with desirable properties useful for lager beer production, we compare haploid-to-haploid and diploid-to-diploid mating procedures. Moreover, an assessment of parental phenotype traits showed that the segregant diploid C2-1d generated from a diploid-to-diploid mating experiment showed good fermentation performance at low temperature, high flocculation capacity, and desirable production of acetate esters that was significantly better than that of one type lager strain. Therefore, strain C2-1d might be an important candidate for the production of lager beer, with distinct fruit traces and originating using a non-genetically modified organism (GMO) approach.IMPORTANCE Recent work has suggested the utilization of hybridization techniques for the generation of novel non-genetically modified brewing yeast strains with combined properties not commonly found in a unique yeast strain. We have observed remarkable traits, especially low temperature tolerance, maltotriose utilization, flocculation ability, and production of volatile aroma compounds, among a collection of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains isolated from cachaça distilleries, which allow their utilization in the production of beer. The significance of our research is in the use of breeding/hybridization techniques to generate yeast strains that would be appropriate for producing new lager beers by exploring the capacity of cachaça yeast strains to flocculate and to ferment maltose at low temperature, with the concomitant production of flavoring compounds.KEYWORDS aroma volatile compounds, beer, flocculation, hybrid, mating type A lcoholic fermentation is a crucial step in the production of different beverages, including beer, wine, and spirits; in all these examples, it is carried out mainly by yeast. There is quite a large variety of different yeast species that are able to ferment

Bioprospecting for brewers: Exploiting natural diversity for naturally diverse beers

“…Araújo et al () isolated two strains from cachaça distilleries that had suitable characteristics to produce lager and ale beer styles, such as capacity to ferment maltose and maltotriose, ability to grow at low temperatures, low H 2 S production, and appropriate flocculation profile. Furthermore, a new diploid hybrid yeast strain generated by direct mating with two native S. cerevisiae yeast strains from cachaça distilleries showed interesting characteristics for lager beer production (low temperature fermentation, high flocculation capacity, and desirable acetate esters production); nevertheless, POF character and their inability to ferment maltotriose should be also considered (Figueiredo et al, ).…”

Sourdough derived strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and their potential for farmhouse ale brewing

“…The use of sourdough strains in wort fermentations has been demonstrated previously and this approach is consistent with a growing interest in the potential value of non‐conventional yeasts in brewing . For example, strains of S. cerevisiae that have been re‐purposed for brewing include the probiotic strain S. cerevisiae var S. boulardii , an Andean chicha strain , and Brazilian cachaça strains . The use of baking or sourdough yeasts in beer production may be seen as appropriate given the similarity of the baking and brewing systems, i.e.…”

Hybridization of <em>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</em> Sourdough Strains with Cryotolerant <em>Saccharomyces bayanus</em> NBRC1948 as a Strategy to Increase Diversity of Strains Available for Lager Beer Fermentation

“…Here, we found that all sourdough strains gave a pattern of meiotic segregants compatible with a HO/ho genotype. Despite homothallism representing the most common life cycle in S. cerevisiae [53,68], heterothallic strains are frequently found in nature [69,70], while heterozygous HO/ho strains were also isolated in industrial environments for Brazilian spirit production [71]. The extent of loss of function in HO gene from natural sourdough strains deserves further investigations in future.…”