B.C. Researchers Turn to Wild Yeast to Help Struggling Craft Breweries

A new research project from Langara College and the University of British Columbia is studying how wild yeast found across British Columbia could be used to brew beer.

Researchers believe the work could help B.C.’s brewing industry reduce costs while also creating new and unique beer flavours.

Wild Yeast Collected Across B.C.

The project is funded by Genome B.C.

Researchers and students collected wild yeast samples from different parts of British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest, including Prince George.

The goal is to discover yeast strains that could offer local breweries new fermentation options.

Why Yeast Matters in Brewing

Project lead Dr. Stephanie Cheung, an instructor at Langara College, said commercial brewing usually relies on a limited range of yeast.

Many people think yeast only creates alcohol during fermentation, but Cheung said yeast does much more.

She described yeast as a small biological factory with many metabolic processes that can influence flavour, aroma and the overall beer profile.

Helping Brewers Reduce Costs

Cheung said the project could help breweries that are facing rising costs.

Growing hops requires a lot of water, and recent drought conditions have made hop production more difficult.

Many brewers also depend on hops imported from the United States, where tariffs can increase expenses.

By using wild yeast strains that naturally create fruity or complex flavours, brewers may be able to reduce their reliance on hops.

Classroom Idea Becomes Brewing Research

Cheung said the project began with a colleague whose students were collecting samples for a botany class.

Conversations about beer helped connect classroom science with a real industry challenge.

Researchers then began exploring whether wild yeast collected locally could support brewers and inspire new beer styles.

Wild Yeast Can Create Fruity Flavours

Different wild yeast strains can produce different flavour profiles.

Cheung said researchers tested yeast with malt extract and did not add any hops.

Some colleagues tasted the result and thought it had mango or tropical fruit flavours.

Cheung said that response showed how yeast alone can create flavours often associated with hops.

Goal to Make Beer More Affordable

Researchers hope the work could eventually help reduce brewing costs.

If local yeast can provide flavour without requiring as many imported hops, breweries may have more affordable and flexible production options.

In the long term, Cheung said that could help make a pint of beer cheaper.

Local Breweries Support the Project

Two Lower Mainland breweries are supporting the research.

They include Parallel 49 in Vancouver and Barnside Brewing in Delta.

Both breweries have written letters supporting the researchers’ grant funding applications.

Barnside Brewing Focuses on Local Ingredients

Barnside Brewing already grows and uses its own hops and most of its own grain.

Co-founder and general manager Ken Malenstyn said the brewery has also captured its own wild yeast.

He said he wants more local breweries to have access to local ingredients because it supports business and creates a more unique flavour experience.

Local Flavour and Beer Terroir

Malenstyn compared beer to wine, saying terroir matters in both.

He said beer made with local ingredients can have a flavour that cannot be recreated elsewhere because other producers do not have access to the same ingredients.

This makes locally sourced yeast, hops and grain valuable for breweries trying to create distinctive products.

Wild Yeast Platform for Breweries

Cheung and her colleagues hope to build B.C.’s first platform for discovering and characterizing wild yeast for breweries.

A prototype of the platform is expected this year.

If successful, it could give local brewers access to new yeast strains and help strengthen the province’s craft beer sector.

The Langara College and UBC wild yeast project could open a new path for British Columbia’s brewing industry. By using locally foraged yeast, researchers hope to reduce reliance on imported hops, lower costs and create unique beer flavours tied to the province’s own environment. With support from local breweries, the project may help shape a more sustainable and locally focused future for B.C. beer.