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45-Million-Year-Old Microorganism Creates Tasty Beer

by Leila Brillson on August 4, 2009 at 08:01 AM

In the early '80s, amber was all the rage with scientists, who realized that the hardened tree sap could contain specimens and creatures with perfectly intact DNA. Extract the sample, clone the DNA. This was the premise that inspired Michael Crichton to write 'Jurassic Park.' Unfortunately, the cloning part was (and still is) a long way into the future, and the notion died.

Partially died, that is, until Raul Cano tried to revive a simpler organism. Instead of insects or larvae, the microbiologist from California Polytechnic State University focused on bacteria, cutting open the frozen species and then extracting their stomach contents. The microorganisms, Cano theorized, might just be laying dormant. He placed them in growth medium and nourished the little bacteria, and suddenly, they began to grow.

Brief fame, scientific glory, and attention turned to Cano, who hypothesized that the 25-45 million year old strains could help create new antibiotics - as they are resistant to virtually any modern ills. As he continued to bring new organisms back to life, he found what appeared to resemble Saccharomyces, familiarly known as brewer's or baker's yeast. Unfortunately, none of the species Cano revived had any medicinal use, so funding dried up and he was forced to put his "yeasty beasties" (as he affectionately refers to them) on hold.

Enter Peter Hackett, a Northern California brewer intrigued by Cano's ancient yeast. Cano knew, theoretically, how to turn his findings into an ale -- but in order to make it delicious, he would need a brewer's help.

So Hackett took the 45-million year old Saccharomyces and started experimenting, finding the hearty little strain unpredictable. "It ferments violently at the start," he tells Wired.com. "then it falls out of suspension and the beer becomes almost clear." The moody microorganism yielded a unique and refreshing brew.

Hackett and Cano got together and opened Fossil Fuels Brewing Co., touting itself as having the only 45-million year old beer around. For now, the libation is only available at Hackett's Stumptown Brewery in California, but the company is looking to roll out the Fossil Fuels' offerings stateside this fall. Million-year old suds aren't really where we pictured the science of amber extraction heading, but still, it's better than blood-thirsty (and clever) velociraptors. [From: Wired.com]

Tags: beer, brewing, main, microorganisms, news, science, top, yeast

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