Happy St. Patrick’s: The Biotech of Beer!

Happy St. Patrick’s: The Biotech of Beer!

In celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) has posted a blog on the biotech behind making beer. Below is a snapshot of the blog with a link to the complete piece:

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! The international day intended to honor the eponymous patron saint of Ireland is now also regarded as a day to hang out with friends and drink beer! Many drink on St. Patrick’s Day because traditionally Catholics would lift lent restrictions on food and alcohol to celebrate—and so it became and remains a day of indulgence.

This St. Patrick’s Day, as you take your first swig, thank biotech. Beer is biotechnology in one of its simplest forms. To make the alcohol, first you release the sugars from your grain of choice through soaking. Many companies like Dogfish, Blue Moon, and Stella Artois use wheat for some varieties of their beer. Then the sugars are added to hops and the two are brewed together. Then yeast is added to do its magic and begin the process of fermentation; this can take weeks. After that, the beer is flavored to taste and ready to drink….”

Read the entire blog here.

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