Serial Repitching of Dried Lager Yeast

Abstract

To demonstrate the suitability of active dried yeast (ADY) for serial repitching, dried and wet yeast slurries derived from the same strain were analyzed for five consecutive fermentations (G0–G4). In each instance, cell viability was determined prior to pitching, while yeast performance was assessed by analyzing fermentation profiles and the characteristics of the final products. In addition, beers produced using wet and dried G0 and G4 yeast were analyzed and compared for their concentrations of esters and higher alcohols. Yeast obtained at the end of each fermentation was screened for the presence of respiratory-deficient mutants and flocculent variants. Yeast slurries recovered from G4 beer were examined for genetic changes, as characterized by movement of Ty elements and chromosome length polymorphisms. This study shows that serially repitched wet and dried yeasts perform in a similar fashion and that repitched cultures exhibit more typical fermentation and flavor profiles than fresh slurries. In addition, the study demonstrates that the accumulation of genetic and phenotypic variants is not associated with serial repitching of dried yeast cultures. Consequently, it is proposed that ADY can be reused in a similar fashion to wet yeast without any adverse effects on fermentation performance, yeast quality, or flavor production.