Hops: The invisible beer hero
Have you ever wondered what makes every sip of beer a trip of flavors? Of course, there is malt, water and yeast, but the true protagonist is hops. This incredible little is not only the star of the party, but its variety and the way in which it is added during the elaboration open a universe of possibilities.
The secrets hidden in hops
The compounds in the hops, such as the farnene and the Mirceno, are responsible for the flavors that many brewers adore. However, these natural wonders have a dilemma: their cultivation is a game of numbers, since genetics and climate affect their quality. Thus, achieving a consistent beer from one year to another becomes an almost impossible mission.
Flavor Engineering: An innovative turn
To a dog’s face, a group of scientists led by Charles M. Denby has decided that the challenge was too tasty to let it pass. With metabolic engineering techniques, they managed to create a yeast capable of producing hop compounds by itself. That is what I call teamwork!
Beer without hops? Yes please!
They made magic when introducing enzymes that came from plants such as mint and basil in yeast. Opening new routes (or streets, as scientists like) for the synthesis of Linalool and Geraniol, these compounds make the hops so tasty. It turned out that with a few modifications, yeast could become an aroma factory.
The taste of innovation: new generation beer
Throughout their research, scientists not only played with test tubes and tubes; They launched to create small -scale beers. The result? An American Pale Ale who was tasty and approved by demanding palates, demonstrating that the taste of hops can be obtained without a single flower.
Unraveling the complete taste
While Linalool and Geraniol are the protagonists, the hops has an extensive cast of compounds that create a unique flavor profile. So, although in science everything is possible, it still seems distant on the day that a yeast can replicate all those charms.
The future of beer: reflections and surprises
This new yeast strain marks a milestone, opening the door to future investigations. If we can tame the hops, what will happen to other flavors? The possibilities are quite intriguing. The only thing to do is a toast and expect more innovations to reach our vessels. To that beer!
