Dr Greg Casey joins me this week to discuss the history of lager yeast, and its evolution in brewing.
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Topics in This Week’s Episode (50:07)
- This week I welcome back Dr Greg Casey. Greg has an extensive history in brewing at Annheuser-Bush, Red Star Yeast, Stroh, Coors, Molson and Millers. He has a PhD in Applied Microbiology and was President of the American Society of Brewing Chemists from 2005-2006.
- We start with a discussion of the status of Greg’s 5 volume set on the history of Adjunct Lager we discussed in episode 248. Greg has two volumes coming out as early as this Fall and is working on the third volume.
- We start with a discussion of what lager yeast is and how it is historically and fundamentally different than ale yeasts.
- Greg shares what he learned working for an entire career in many of the larger US lager breweries.
- We talk about the state of the art in lager yeast brewing back in 1979 when he started his career.
- I ask what’s changed in the last 44 years with regard to our understanding of lager yeast.
- Greg shares a bit about the genetic and historical origins of lager yeast.
- We discuss nature vs nurture and how both have played important roles in lager yeast evolution.
- Greg explains the differnce between the Carlsburg and Tubor lager yeasts and how both variations are still used in producing adjunct lagers.
- Greg discusses how the rapid gain in genetics and microbiology have shaped how we now look at lager yeast.
- We discuss how he’s incorporated much of what he learned into his five volume set on adjunct lagers.
- Greg shares his closing thoughts.
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Thanks to Dr Greg Casey for appearing on the show and also to you for listening!
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