Yeast is a main ingredient in beer production, but the central question is how old it should be when used to brew beer. An experiment tests the limits of how old it should be, using an extracted 45-million-year-old yeast.
This experiment is not recent, but it’s a reminder of how much science can push the boundaries of modern products. It’s also interesting to learn about the results of what can only be described as a beer with pre-historic elements.
Before everything else, let’s first look at how yeast plays into this beverage’s brewing process.
How beer is made
The brewing process can be a lot more complicated than what we’ll mention; we’re providing a simplified step-by-step approach to understanding the importance of yeast in the process.
1. Malting
This process involves barley grans being soaked and germinated. This activates the barley enzymes and converts their starches into fermented sugars, and once finished, the malted barley is dried in a kiln.
2. Mashing
The dried malted barley, or malt, is then mashed into powder or grist and mixed with hot water to activate the enzymes. This then converts the remaining starches to sugar and is known to create a sugary liquid called wort.
3. Boiling and hopping
Wort is then transferred to a large kettle and boiled, where hops are added. The hops give it bitterness, flavor, and aroma. The timing of this process is essential since it affects the final taste and aroma.
4. Fermentation
Finally, when the hopped wort is cooled, the fermentation process as yeast is added to the cooled wort. The yeast eats the sugars and converts them to alcohol and carbon dioxide, one of the most critical processes that can take several days to a few weeks depending on the beer.
5. Packaging
Finally, the beer is packed, stored, and shipped under its respective brand. It is sealed in a container that locks in its flavor and carbonation, and if stored for an extended period under this stage, it turns stale.
45-million-year-old yeast used to make beer
Now that you know the brewing process, learning more about how a 45-million-year-old yeast was used is interesting. This happened in the early 1990s to a California professor who was able to revive the yeast to make beer with it.
The experiment happened at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and was performed by microbiologist Raul Cano. It became possible because of the discovery of spores in the gut of what they found to be an ancient bee trapped in amber.
Interestingly, the spores woke up, and once confirmed, Cano decided to experiment with them since they closely resembled brewer’s yeast. He decided to create a batch of beer, which he even served during his daughter’s wedding.
The Fossil Fuels Brewing Company
What’s interesting about the beer is that despite its intriguing and scientifically astonishing history, it couldn’t reach mainstream success. Although it started as an experiment, it tried its luck in the broader consumer market.
This was when Cano’s experiment led to the Fossil Fuels Brewing Company, established in 2008. The introductory product was a pale ale; according to those who tried it, the beer was good.
However, Fossil Fuels beer couldn’t make mainstream success, as its audience never really caught on. Despite that, Cano says he won’t give up, as the scientifically phenomenal beer is still being pushed to a broader market.
In summary
Although Fossil Fuels beer might have some scientifically advanced brewing methods, it might not be enough for the massive beer-drinking population. Although people would likely be willing to try it, it could be hard to capture a wider audience.
This is because beer drinkers often drink what is familiar to them, so gaining a new customer could be difficult. However, Cano’s determination and contribution to science through the experiment might still be able to turn their eyes.
It’s still too early to say if Fossil Fuels beer will ever really see wide success since not many beer drinkers know it exists. With more eyeballs, curiosity could help them add to their consumer base and might even help Fossil Fuels Brewing Company grow.
