The Brewers Association (BA) and Master Brewers Association of the Americas (MBAA) have teamed up to cover the basics of genetic engineering (GE), including the current research in hops, malt, and yeast, regulatory considerations, and the implications for our industry.

Genetic engineering is becoming less of an unfamiliar term to the brewer and beer consumer. Craft brewers are benefiting by using yeast strains and enzymes that are now possible with GE technology. With the clear impact GE technology is already having, it is important to understand some fundamentals and the current state of biotechnology in the brewing industry.

This seminar discusses the status of GE in barley, hops, and yeast, and what brewers can expect in the future. To set the stage, we start with a brief presentation on Biotechnology 101: GE Basics and Important Terminology. From there we learn how GE is impacting each raw material sector from industry experts in hops, barley, and yeast. We conclude with a review of the regulatory considerations and how these tools may offer potential solutions for the brewing industry.

Learning Objectives

• Listen to an overview of terminology and regulatory considerations for GE technology
• Review the current state of biotechnology in barley, hops, and yeast and hear about future developments
• Leave with a better understanding of the status of biotechnology in the brewing industry

About the Speakers

Molly Browning, Technical Support Manager & Japan Technical Sales Manager

Lallemand Brewing

Molly Browning (she/her) is the technical support manager and Japan technical sales manager for Lallemand Brewing. She started her brewing career in 2006 at Baird Brewing in Japan and worked at Jolly Pumpkin and New Holland Brewing before becoming the barrel program manager for Brooklyn Brewery in 2013. In 2016 she returned to the South for some proper tea and BBQ to be the operations manager for Trophy Brewing. She joined Lallemand Brewing in 2018 and lives in Raleigh, North Carolina. Molly has her master's in brewing and distilling from Heriot-Watt University and is also a graduate of the American Brewers Guild. She is the current vice president of the Master Brewers Association of the Americas (MBAA) and was the founding president of MBAA District Carolinas.

Laura Burns, Director of Research and Development

Omega Yeast

Laura Burns (she/her), Ph.D. is the director of research and development at Omega Yeast. After studying stress responses in Saccharomyces cerevisiae for her graduate thesis at Vanderbilt University, she decided the best place to apply this knowledge was in brewing. She worked in production brewing for five years as head brewer and director of quality assurance before heading back to the bench at Omega Yeast. Her undeniable curiosity drives her to tackle difficult questions that brewers face daily. Laura is also chair of the Master Brewers Association of the Americas (MBAA) Technical Committee.

Glen Fox, Anheuser-Busch Endowed Professor, Malting & Brewing Science

University of California, Davis

Professor Glen Fox (he/him) was appointed the Anheuser-Busch Endowed Professor of Malting and Brewing Science in July 2019. Glen's areas of research are barley, malt, and brewing quality, having conducted research in Australia and South Africa. His current research focus is on starch and protein structure, their interactions, and the impacts on wort and beer quality. Another research interest is using 'omics platforms to understand the complex biochemical changes during malting and brewing and the final compositional profile of beer. In 2018, he was made a Fellow of the Institute of Brewing. Glen has been on several methods committees for the American Society of Brewing Chemists (ASBC). He has a recent publication with Charlie Bamforth, Scientific Principles of Malting and Brewing (2nd Ed), was senior editor of Achieving Sustainable Cultivation of Barley (Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing), has written numerous book chapters and more than 100 peer-reviewed journal articles, and is associate editor for the Master Brewers Association of the Americas (MBAA) Technical Quarterly, Journal of the ASBC, and the Journal for the Science of Food and Agriculture. Also, he is an instructor for the University of California, Davis Continuing and Professional Education brewing courses.

Nicholi Pitra, Lead Scientist Variety Development and Bioinformatics

Hopsteiner

Nicholi Pitra is a hop geneticist with Hopsteiner with a background in biochemistry, biotechnology, and bioinformatics. Nicholi earned his Master of Science in bioinformatics from John Hopkins University and has written more than 12 publications examining the hop genome. At Hopsteiner, he breeds and tests hops, which is a minimum 10-year process. He is searching for desirable qualities in hops, which includes growing healthy plants as well as finding those qualities that brewers are looking for.

Chris Willig, Postdoctoral Scholar

Oregon State University, College of Forestry

Chris Willig is a postdoctoral scholar at Oregon State University with 10 years of experience in crop biotechnology research. For the past two years, his research has been focused on establishing protocols for gene transfer and gene editing in U.S. hop varieties. His goal is to use these biotechnology tools to understand the genetic basis of important hop traits including disease resistance, drought tolerance, and production of bittering, phytopharmaceutical, and aroma compounds. Chris's current favorite beer is Newport Daze hazy pale ale from Rogue Ales.