Scientific Publications
- Note: this page is no longer actively maintained. See the references at the bottom of pages such as Brettanomyces and Spontaneous Fermentation for more up to date science publications.
A listing of peer reviewed scientific publications and non-peer reviewed scientific studies that focus on subject material that is relevant to sour brewing. Some good journals to keep an eye on for new publications about sour and funky beers include Cerevisia, The Journal of the Institute of Brewing, The International Journal of Food Microbiology, and Applied and Environmental Microbiology.
Some of the papers are freely accessible and others require journal subscriptions for access.
Contents
Brettanomyces
Much of the scientific research done to date on Brettanomyces approaches the yeast from the viewpoint of wine production and treating the yeast as a spoilage organism. These papers can still be useful to brewers interested in using Brett while recognizing the possible preconceptions, motivations, and biases that this viewpoint might contribute. Other groups, notably those led by a couple of Belgian researchers as well as Chad Yakobson's masters work, have studied Brett from the viewpoint of a desired component in certain beer fermentations.
Other Yeast/Bacteria
Title | Authors | Date | Note |
---|---|---|---|
A re-evaluation of diastatic Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains and their role in brewing | Kristoffer Krogerus and Brian Gibson | 2020 | Review paper; open access. |
Bioprospecting for brewers: Exploiting natural diversity for naturally diverse beers | F.A. Cubillos, B. Gibson, N. Grijalva‐Vallejos, K. Krogerus, J. Nikulin | 2019 | Review paper; not open access, but may become open. |
How to Brew with Kveik | Lars Marius Garshol and Richard Preiss | 2018 | Not open access (MBAA membership required); not peer-reviewed nor an actual scientific publication. |
Traditional Norwegian Kveik Are a Genetically Distinct Group of Domesticated Saccharomyces cerevisiae Brewing Yeasts | Richard Preiss, Caroline Tyrawa, Kristoffer Krogerus, Lars Marius Garshol, and George van der Merwe | 2018 | Open access. A paper about the family tree of Kveik. |
Two Novel Strains of Torulaspora delbrueckii Isolated from the Honey Bee Microbiome and Their Use in Honey Fermentation | Joseph P. Barry, Mindy S. Metz, Justin Hughey, Adam Quirk, and Matthew L. Bochman | 2018 | Open access. See also the associated MTF thread. |
The Impact of Simple Phenolic Compounds on Beer Aroma and Flavor | Michael Lentz | 2018 | Open access. See also MTF thread. |
Traditional Norwegian Kveik Yeasts: Underexplored Domesticated Saccharomyces cerevisiae Yeasts | Richard Preiss, Caroline Tyrawa, George van der Merwe | 2017 | Open access. |
Distinct Domestication Trajectories in Top-Fermenting Beer Yeasts and Wine Yeasts. | Margarida Gonçalves, Ana Pontes, Pedro Almeida, Raquel Barbosa, Marta Serra, Diego Libkind, Mathias Hutzler, Paula Gonçalves, José Paulo Sampaio5,'Correspondence information about the author José Paulo Sampaio | 2016 | Open access. See also history of yeast domestication. |
Domestication and Divergence of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Beer Yeasts | Brigida Gallone, Jan Steensels, Troels Prahl, Leah Soriaga, Veerle Saels, Beatriz Herrera-Malaver, Adriaan Merlevede, Miguel Roncoroni, Karin Voordeckers, Loren Miraglia, Clotilde Teiling, Brian Steffy, Maryann Taylor, Ariel Schwartz, Toby Richardson, Christopher White, Guy Baele, Steven Maere, Kevin J. Verstrepen | 2016 | Open access. See also history of yeast domestication. |
Characterization of genotype and beer fermentation properties of Norwegian Farmhouse Ale Yeasts | Rasmussen, Truls C. | 2016 | Master thesis on Kveik yeast identification. |
Independent Origins of Yeast Associated with Coffee and Cacao Fermentation | Catherine L. Ludlow, Gareth A. Cromie, Cecilia Garmendia-Torres, Amy Sirr, Michelle Hays, Colburn Field, Eric W. Jeffery, Justin C. Fay, Aimée M. Dudley | 2016 | Studied isolating wild S. cerevisiae from coffee beans. Open access. |
Screening for new brewing yeasts in the non-Saccharomyces sector with Torulaspora delbrueckii as model | Maximilian Michel, Jana Kopecká, Tim Meier-Dörnberg, Martin Zarnkow, Fritz Jacob and Mathias Hutzler | 2016 | Not open access. |
Torulaspora delbrueckii in the brewing process: A new approach to enhance bioflavour and to reduce ethanol content | Laura Canonico, Alice Agarbati, Francesca Comitini, Maurizio Ciani | 2016 | Not open access. |
Terminal acidic shock inhibits sour beer bottle conditioning by Saccharomyces cerevisiae | Cody M. Rogers, Devon Veatch, Adam Covey, Caleb Staton, Matthew L. Bochman | 2016 | Describes a method to "train" S. cerevisiae to be more pH tolerant. Not open access. |
Social wasps are a Saccharomyces mating nest | Irene Stefaninia, Leonardo Dapporto, Luisa Berná, Mario Polsinelli, Stefano Turillazzid, and Duccio Cavalieria | 2015 | Found that S. cerevisiae not only breeds inside the guts of wasps that eat grapes, but also breeds with other species of yeast to create hybrids that survive better in the guts of the wasps. |
Saccharomyces cerevisiae: a nomadic yeast with no niche? | Matthew R. Goddard, and Duncan Greig | 2015 | Proposes new hypothesis that S. cerevisiae is a generalized and nomadic microbe rather than a fruit-loving microbe based on the "neutral theory of ecology". Open access. |
Regional microbial signatures positively correlate with differential wine phenotypes: evidence for a microbial aspect to terroir | Knight, Sarah and Klaere, Steffen and Fedrizzi, Bruno and Goddard, Matthew | 2015 | Open access. This is the first quantitative demonstration of a microbial component of terroir. |
Alcohol-brewing properties of acid- and bile-tolerant yeasts co-cultured with lactic acid bacteria isolated from traditional handmade domestic dairy products from Inner Mongolia | Takashi Kuda Sarengaole, Hajime Takahashi, Bon Kimura | 2015 | Not open access. |
Pyrosequencing reveals regional differences in fruit-associated fungal communities | Michael W. Taylor, Peter Tsai, Nicole Anfang, Howard A. Ross, and Matthew R. Goddard | 2015 | Open access. Showed that yeast diversity on wine grapes differs by region; Saccharomyces made up only 0.00005% of the total readings. |
Genetic and physiological characterization of yeast isolated from ripe fruit and analysis of fermentation and brewing potential | Michael Lentz, Travis Putzke, Rick Hessler, and Eric Luman | 2014 | Open access. |
Microbial biogeography of wine grapes is conditioned by cultivar, vintage, and climate | Bokulich NA, Thorngate JH, Richardson PM, Mills DA. | 2014 | Suggests link between microbial terroir and vineyard environmental conditions. |
Monitoring Seasonal Changes in Winery-Resident Microbiota | Nicholas A. Bokulich, Moe Ohta, Paul M. Richardson, David A. Mills | 2013 | |
Geographic delineations of yeast communities and populations associated with vines and wines in New Zealand | Velimir Gayevskiy and Matthew R Goddard | 2012 | Study leading up to the 2015 Goddard study above focusing on regional genetic differences in S. cerevisae. |
Biotechnological potential of non-Saccharomyces yeasts isolated during spontaneous fermentations of Malvar (Vitis vinifera cv. L.) | Cordero-Bueso, Esteve Zarzoso, Cabellos, Gil-Díaz | 2012 | Open access. Records secondary metabolites produced by various wild yeasts in mono-culture fermentations of wine must. |
Studies on growth and metabolism of Oenococcus oeni on sugars and sugar mixtures | D.-S. Zhang and R.W. Lovitt | 2005 | |
A history of research on yeasts 9: regulation of sugar metabolism | James A. Barnett and Karl-Dieter Entian | 2005 | Covers Pasteur effect, Custers effect, glucose repression, etc. |
Evidence for Domesticated and Wild Populations of Saccharomyces cerevisiae | Justin C Fay, Joseph A Benavides | 2005 | Open access. |
Lactic Acid Bacteria
Lambic, Spontaneous Fermentation, and other Mixed Fermentation beers
Historical
These studies focus on historical beer analysis.
Title | Authors | Date | Note |
---|---|---|---|
Domestication and Divergence of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Beer Yeasts | Brigida Gallone1, Jan Steensels1, Troels Prahl, Leah Soriaga, Veerle Saels, Beatriz Herrera-Malaver, Adriaan Merlevede, Miguel Roncoroni, Karin Voordeckers, Loren Miraglia, Clotilde Teiling, Brian Steffy, Maryann Taylor, Ariel Schwartz, Toby Richardson, Christopher White, Guy Baele, Steven Maere, Kevin J. Verstrepen. | 2016-09 | Open Access. See also Popular Mechanics overview. |
Brettanomyces – hero or villain? | Ron Pattenson, Shut Up About Barclay Perkins | 2015-05 | Ron's analysis of a study on Brettanomyces beers in the Journal of the Institute of Brewing, Volume 67, Issue 3, May-June 1961. |
Analysis of Beers from an 1840s’ Shipwreck | John Londesborough, Michael Dresel, Brian Gibson, Riikka Juvonen, Ulla Holopainen, Atte Mikkelson, Tuulikki Seppänen-Laakso, Kaarina Viljanen, Hannele Virtanen, Arvi Wilpola, Thomas Hofmann, and Annika Wilhelmson | 2015-02 | Chemical analysis of historical beers found to have bacteria in them. Press conference that says 4 live species of Lactobacillus were found. Open access. |
Misc Topics
Title | Authors | Date | Note |
---|---|---|---|
Journal of Ethnic Foods | NA | NA | Open access. |
The Microbiology of Malting and Brewing | Nicholas A. Bokulicha and Charles W. Bamforth | 2013, June | Open access. |
Use of beta-glucosidase activity for flavour enhancement in specialty beers | Luk Daenen | 2012 (presentation) | Open access. |
Effects of pH Adjustment and Sodium Ions on Sour Taste Intensity of Organic Acids | E.R.D. Neta, S.D. Johanningsmeier, M.A.Drake | 2009 | Open access. |
Release of hydroxycinnamic acids and formation of flavour-active volatile phenols during the beer production process | Nele Vanbeneden | 2007 | PhD thesis. Open access. Study on 4VG/4VP, ferulic acid, p-coumaric acid, etc. English sections available. |
Ferulic acid release and 4-vinylguaiacol formation during brewing and fermentation: indications for feruloyl esterase activity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. | Coghe S, Benoot K, Delvaux F, Vanderhaegen B, Delvaux FR. | 2004 | Not open access. Studied production of ferulic acid and 4VG production in barley and wheat based beers, fermented with S. cerevisiae. |
Organic Acids and Glycerol in Beer. | Klopper, Angelino, Tuning, and Vermeire | 1986 | |
Changes in resin Composition and Brewing Behaviour of Hops During Storage. | A. L. Whitear | 1965 |
Other resources
These studies, presentations, or discussions aren't peer reviewed but they do contain useful info for brewing sour and funky beers. Also a list of database resources.
Title | Authors | Date | Note |
---|---|---|---|
National Collect of Yeast Cultures | Yeast bank. | ||
ATCC | Yeast bank. | ||
Straininfo | Database of strains. | ||
Mycobank | Database of classified species. | ||
Measurement of Oxygen Transfer Rates for Carboy Closures and Air Locks | Gibbs | 2011, November 10 | Study performed by Better Bottle. Open access. |
How to Make Sour Ale: an inquiry | Apte | 2004 | contains Apte's charts for oxygen permeability and other notable references. Open access. |
Pickled beer: Concepts of Sour Ale | Raj Apte | 2004 | A presentation about sour beer. Open access. |
Lactic Acid Beverages: sour beer, (milk), & soda | Raj Apte | A presentation about sour beer and other lactic fermentations. | |
Horse of a Different Color | Nate Sampson, Michael Tonsmeire, Steve Gale, Tomme Arthur, Al Buck, Cisco ?, Sean Paxton | Round table tasting and discussion of brett primary beers. The author of the transcript is not listed. Open access. | |
Methods of Creating and Maintaining 'Wild' House Cultures | Kyle Kohlmorgan | 2013 | Presentation at NHC 2013. Notes available here. Audio available from the AHA website past presentations section (must be an AHA member for access). |
The Mystery of Lambic Beer | Jacques De Keersmaecker | 1996 | Article in Scientific American. Open access. |
Microbiology and Biochemistry of Lambic Beer Overattenuation | H. M. Chandana Shantha Kumara | 1990 | Dissertation; not open access. See also Hors Categorie blog. |