No technical innovation was more on brewers’ lips in 2023 than thiol-boosting yeast strains, and no researcher was more responsible for U.S. brewers’ understanding of them than Laura Burns. As Omega Yeast’s director of research and development, Burns worked hand-in-hand with brewers to harness and refine these yeast strains’ aroma- and flavor-enhancing powers. These products, which increase the expression of tropical fruit- and sauvignon blanc-like notes in beer, generated a level of creative excitement sorely needed during a difficult business year. The strains can also save breweries money by increasing yields and reducing the amount of hops required in certain recipes.
“I see the industry is having some challenging times. We’re in it to provide some fun still, and inspire people to do some cool things,” Burns says. “We’re in it to make things more exciting and make [brewers] feel their passion again.”
As brewers enthusiastically experimented with thiol-boosting yeast strains, Burns was a constant source of information. She and DraughtLab’s Lindsay Barr led a hands-on sensory presentation about thiols at Craft Brewers Conference, which brought the topic to a wide audience. Additionally, Omega Yeast’s thiol-boosting strains helped breweries win medals at this year’s Great American Beer Festival. Brewers appreciate their collaborative relationship with Burns: Her yeast research aids in their brewing, and the results of their real-world brew days inform her ongoing investigations.
“It’s been a ton of work, trying to dig into the biology behind what we are seeing,” Burns says. “Some of the highlights of this year for sure were being able to get out in front of people, hear their feedback, talk about the applications of this science.”
Words,Kate Bernot