Yeasts in the Beverage Industry: Patagonia Gets Wild

Abstract

Yeasts are intimately involved in the production of fermented alcoholic beverages being the most popular examples of beer, cider and wine. The present chapter reviews the impact of yeasts in the production of these three fermented beverages and focuses on recent innovation trends regarding the use of nonconventional yeasts for the increase of flavour complexity and/or the development of novel special products that better meet current customer’s demands. The granting of regional identity by using locally sourced yeast strains is also revised, and the experience gathered in the region of Andean Patagonia (Argentina) related to the isolation, screening, selection, improvement (in some cases) and all the way to the industrial application is described. North-western Patagonia natural forests harbour yeasts species of great scientific and fundamental relevance, among which the cryotolerant species Saccharomyces uvarum and Saccharomyces eubayanus are the most important for this chapter. The successful cases reviewed here of the study and application of Patagonian cold-adapted wild Saccharomyces yeasts for beer, cider, and wine innovation demonstrate that the laborious journey from nature to industry application is feasible and advantageous.