Low-alcohol beer could lead to high spirits for UCC researchers

UCC researchers have developed a taste-retaining low alcohol beer, and caught the attention of the interest of one of Europe’s leading brewers.

Microbiologists John Morrissey and Rob Karreman and their colleagues have developed a novel strain of yeast that produces less alcohol than yeasts normally used in brewing. The new yeast model imitates certain aspects of non-alcohol producing yeasts.

Their yeast-led approach to low-alcohol brewing retains the taste while avoiding the processing costs incurred in reducing alcohol levels as an add-on process. This may lead to a new low-alcohol bottled beer reaching consumers within three years.

“A big European brewer is looking to see the results of this study,” said Dr Morrissey. “There is increasing interest in diversifying beers, and a lot of big brewers are looking at niche and craft beers. There is also a very definite industry interest out there for a good, low-alcohol beer.

“Some low-alcohol beers end up diluting the ingredients in the original product, giving an insipid taste. Others remove the alcohol afterwards, but there is a cost attached to that, and it is also hard to remove alcohol that way without also taking away some of the flavour.

“With our novel strain of yeast, our focus has been on looking at the alcohol levels, without impacting upon the taste. We think we have achieved that. We are now at the proof-of-concept stage, and hope to move to the next phase by the end of spring.”

Only possible thanks to recent developments in genomic research, this breakthrough brings together new expertise from microbiology, genomics and computational technology.

Backed by NPD funding as part of the Department of Agriculture’s FIRM project, the study also makes use of UCC’s pilot scale breweries and groundbreaking fermentation technology.

Brewery interest has also been excited by the study’s cost savings in technical areas of fermentation such as rootlet formation and bacteria management via natural preservation methods.

“We have used modern genomic techniques,” said Dr Morrissey. “The innovative aspect is in linking computational methods with wet lab biology. We have compared yeasts that make alcohol with those that don’t.

“We identified the key genetic elements in the strain. We have adapted the metabolism in the yeast that produces alcohol to resemble the yeast that doesn’t. We looked at the entire genetic sequence in one go. That has only been possible in recent years.”

Most of the commercial interest in this project is focused on the level of taste retention. With safety authorities all over the world seeking to reduce drivers’ blood-alcohol levels, the model has global consumer potential.

The yeast strains are being evaluated for protection under patent. Companies interested in exploiting this innovation can contact the UCC technology transfer office or email Dr Morrissey at [e-mail].