Berkeley Yeast

Berkeley Yeast uses bioengineering to change the biochemistry inside of yeast on a reaction-by-reaction basis. By adding or subtracting specific biochemical reactions and tuning them with exacting precision, we create strains with entirely new capabilities. Because yeast fermentation is already essential to the brewing process, brewers can benefit from our tech by simply switching out their current yeast.

With precise bioengineering you can get purely the flavors you want without the ones you don’t want. For instance, our Tropics line creates intense passionfruit and guava notes reminiscent of the finest southern Hemisphere hops, but without bringing along undesirable flavors and astringency that you might get from an over-the-top hop charge. How do we do it? We take the biochemistry from natural sources—like hops, fruits and other edible plants—and put it into yeast, without any extra baggage. With more flavor coming from yeast and less from agricultural inputs, not only can you make a better beer, but you can save on ingredients and make a more consistent and sustainable product.

Our NA strains are the only ones that are bioengineered to make non-alc beer that tastes like beer. To achieve authentic beer flavor, we’ve engineered the yeast to produce less alcohol during fermentation and also to produce key flavor compounds at the right levels. So the beer actually tastes like beer and not like partially fermented wort. No mechanical dealcoholization required.

Our strains remove the off-flavors that ordinary strains produce. Our Fresh line of yeast keep diacetyl ultra-low, which provides a blank canvas for you to create the beer you want to make. No distractions or muted flavors. While it’s easy to make a yeast that keeps diacetyl low, it’s difficult to make one that holds up to industrial brewing conditions. We dialed these strains so they are more robust than other yeast. This technology is also more reliable than adding ALDC enzyme.

Whether you’re seeking to enhance an existing product, improve the consistency and scalability, or reduce your reliance on expensive and inconsistent ingredients, we can custom build a yeast to your preferences and needs. The resulting strains are protected by our broad patent portfolio so you get best-in-class technology that is one-of-a-kind.

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