AB Biotek’s Pinnacle Brand Introduces Lachancea Yeast Strain from a Wasp

ST. LOUIS – AB Biotek – a global business division of AB Mauri – announced the expansion of its dry yeast portfolio for industrial and craft brewers, under the premium Pinnacle brand, with a new yeast originally isolated from a wasp, in partnership with Lachancea LLC. Pinnacle Crisp Sour yeast is available beginning today through its exclusive North America distributor Country Malt Group.

“Pun intended, we are excited about the buzz surrounding this remarkable Lachancea thermotolerans yeast that is now part of AB Biotek’s Pinnacle product portfolio for today’s brewers,” said Greg Strauss, senior vice president, AB Biotek North America. “The team at Lachancea LLC, while initially conducting research at North Carolina State University, patented this non-GMO yeast strain with a unique biology that allows for the brewing of flavorful and scalable sour beers and ciders, without bacteria.”

This Lachancea strain delivers several unique flavors that consumers prefer in beer, such as lactic acid for a soft tartness, glycerol for enhanced mouthfeel, and tropical, fruity and citrus aromas, without undesired off-flavors. Remarkably, some of the desirable flavors produced by this yeast strain may be due to a millennia-old evolutionary partnership between wasps and yeasts. 

Additional benefits of new Pinnacle Crisp Sour brewers yeast include robust ethanol production, good flocculation for greater beer clarity and an easy cleaning process—in contrast to the contamination risks presented by other souring yeasts and bacteria. While this Lachancea thermotolerans strain was initially found naturally associated with wasps, the strain has been grown away from wasps for years and does not include any wasp parts in its production or makeup.

“With new Crisp Sour, we have answered the challenge facing industrial and craft brewers around the globe – growing demand by new and existing beer drinkers for quality ingredients, new flavors, and exciting innovation,” said Anne A. Madden, PhD, co-inventor and chief scientific officer, Lachancea LLC. “’Lachancea’ roughly translates to ‘lucky,’ and this strain we found from a wasp luckily produces a smooth and refreshing tartness with the ease you’d expect from working with a more traditional ale yeast. We’re excited to see how brewers use this ancient yeast technology and innovative brewing tool to create new beers.” 

Pinnacle Crisp Sour yeast joins a range of premium Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast solutions for producing popular beer styles including English-style ale, traditional Pilsner and American-style ale. All strains are available in 500g bricks and 10kg packs directly through AB Biotek for industrial brewers and its North America distributor, Country Malt Group, for craft brewers. A zinc-based beer nutrient under the BrewBoost brand is also available to assist brewers in working with each yeast strain.

The new Pinnacle Crisp Sour product is also available for sale in Asia, Europe, and both Central and South America. Additional solutions in the Pinnacle Brewers Yeast portfolio will be unveiled later in the year.

About AB Biotek

AB Biotek contributes to the success of customers through the delivery of customized fermentation-based, sustainable solutions containing proprietary and/or purposefully sourced microorganisms to created differentiated food, beverage, health & nutrition business opportunities. Science and advanced microorganism fermentation technology are core enablers. AB Biotek has commercial scale production and research development facilities located around the world.

About Lachancea LLC

Researchers at Lachancea LLC, while initially working at North Carolina State University, discovered and commercialized the first lactic acid yeast for beer brewing in 2016 after sniffing out a secret relationship between wild yeasts and wasps. In 2021, these original yeast strains were patented. Building off of its proprietary research platform, Lachancea LLC continues to expand its portfolio of yeast—harnessing millions of years of evolution with a proprietary research pipeline to deliver yeasts that help fermenters produce better, innovative products. 

About Country Malt Group

Country Malt Group humbly began in 1995 as North Country Malt. Now, it operates 13 distribution centers located strategically across North America to ensure the products brewers and distillers need are just a truck ride away. They’re committed to being a one-stop-shop for the best everyday supplies and ingredients, partnering with vendors that share the same values in quality. As part of a global family of brands, their staff have centuries of combined experience to support their customers with the resources they need to succeed.