Learning about the genetic origins of microorganisms would typically lull most non-science types off to sleep. Some recent findings about a certain strain of yeast might just give the working man reason to stay focussed and read-on.

In a study published online this week in Genome Research,
Stanford University researchers have identified the genomic origins of
the yeast species used for cold temperature fermentation in lager beer
brewing. For much of beer's existence, ale-type beers, brewed in the
summer months, reigned supreme - due in large part to the fact that the
yeast used in the fermentation process (Saccharomyces cerevisiae,
aka brewer's or baker's yeast) only worked at higher temperatures.
Early Bavarian brewers played the role of pioneering geneticists when
they became dissatisfied with the quality of 'summer beer' and decided
to cross the ale yeast with another strain - producing a cold
fermenting yeast that could be used in the winter. Their lager brewing
yeast, now known as Saccharomyces pastorianus, is actually a "hybrid"
of two yeast species, Saccharomyces bayanus and S. cerevisiae.
With this new yeast species, and the advent of refrigeration in the
late 1800's, cold lager fermentations could be performed year round and
lager beer popularity expanded around the globe.

It was always thought that the contributions of both 'parent' yeast
species resulted in an organism better suited for the cold temperature
fermentation used in lager brewing. Using lager yeast samples collected
from breweries around the world (tough job, I'm sure), Dr. Gavin Sherlock,
assistant professor of geneticts, and Dr. Barbara Dunn, a senior
research associate, have measured the genetic contribution of each
parent strain and found something surprising. The "lager yeasts
isolated from different breweries each seem to have a unique genomic
make-up [and] may indicate that the yeasts are adapting to the
conditions specific to each brewery,” said Dr. Dunn.

Dunn went on to say that “our discovery that unique genomic
structures may be characteristic to each brewery and/or beer type could
lead to insights on how to directly control flavor and aroma in beer."
In the future, these and other findings may allow brewers to better
control the brewing process - which in my opinion, is reason to
celebrate!

Read more from the Stanford press release.