Screening of Isolation and Enumeration Media for Brettanomyces Yeasts

Introducing Brettanomyces yeast into a brewery creates the potential for cross contamination of products. This is the case for any yeast introduced into a brewery for fermentation which is not the main house strain. The risk with Brettanomyces yeast is slightly greater as the potential to alter the aroma and flavor profile of a beer exists. In order for Brettanomyces spp. to be used in primary fermentation it is crucial for a QA/QC laboratory to implement proper culture and detection methods to ensure thorough clean in place techniques. Throughout the study various media agar recommended for use in detecting wild yeasts were evaluated for their ability to culture each strain as well as observing giant colony morphologies. The following links detail the methods employed during the study and the subsequent results.

Brettanomyces Identification Methods

Methods used throughout the study to culture, isolate and enumerate Brettanomyces strains on various media agar.

Evaluation of Yeast Cultureablity

Results from five strains of Brettanomyces and their ability to culture on various media agar.

Morphological Traits of Brettanomyces Yeasts

Strain specific descriptions of five Brettanomyces spp. and their giant colony morphologies.