The week of April 19 was a banner week for the MBAA—and it all took place in Boston. The week began with the very successful International Brewers Symposium (IBS), which dealt with Yeast Flocculation, Vitality, & Viability and took place all day on Monday, April 20, and for half a day on Tuesday, April 21. We had 74 attendees (not including the speakers). Read more.

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Preliminary course topics have been announced and registration has opened for the MBAA Brewing and Malting Science Course, November 1–12, 2009, in Madison, WI. Check out the website for the latest details. On November 13 students will have the opportunity to take the IBD exam for their General Certificate in Brewing! Learn more and register today! Remember, MBAA members are eligible to apply for the Hipp Scholarship to cover the cost of tuition.

“Ethanol, Membrane Permeability, and Petite Mutation in Lager Brewing Yeast,” by Brian R. Gibson, Annie W. Y. Cheung, Muhammad Saddiq Zahari, and Katherine A. Smart, has been published in the MBAA Technical Quarterly.

Abstract

Consistent brewing yeast fermentation performance depends on the genetic integrity of the yeast strain employed. In this study, the effect of ethanol on membrane permeability was measured to determine whether membrane integrity plays a role in protecting mitochondrial DNA against the mutagenic effects of ethanol. Two lager yeast strains with different sensitivities to ethanol were exposed to a 10% (v/v) ethanol solution for 2 h. Cells sampled throughout the incubation period were assessed for viability and incidence of the respiratory-deficient phenotype. Cell permeability was assessed by measuring extracellular leakage of free amino nitrogen and nucleic acids. The strain showing the greatest increase in cell permeability in response to ethanol was prone to petite mutation (up to 9%), while the strain with the least susceptibility to membrane damage showed no petite mutation. The results suggest a relationship between the two parameters, and it is suggested that measurement of membrane permeability could be used to assess the propensity of cells to succumb to mitochondrial mutation under stressful conditions.

MBAA District Northwest held its 157th meeting last weekend in Hood River, OR. Technical presentations were given by Steven Pauwels (Belgian yeast strains), Jess Caudill (Belgian beer sensory tasting), Scott Kurth (glass bottles and QA), Greg Thomas (new technologies in dissolved oxygen measurement), and Don Grambsch and Val Peacock (market trends of barley and hops, respectively). The evening reception was hosted by Double Mountain Brewery. A detailed meeting recap will soon be available on the District Northwest website.

—Brian Faivre

District Publicity Chair

Thanks to the MBAA District St. Louis members who participated in St. Louis Microfest 2009. Highlights included more than 50 local, regional, and international brews, along with a Brewers Olympics and a Homebrew Competition. The main tent featured beer and food pairing demonstrations and gave guests an opportunity to sit, relax, and enjoy the specialty brews and appetizers. The St. Louis Microfest is an annual fund-raising event for the non-profit organization Lift For Life Gym. The organization runs year-round after-school programs for kids ages 8–18.

—Ron Jansen

District Publicity Chair

The MBAC and MBAA District Ontario Brewers’ Banquet will be held Saturday, June 20, 2009, at the Mill Street Brew Pub in Toronto’s historic Distillery District. Members, spouses, companions, mature family members, and friends of the Association (i.e., other brewery and allied company employees and persons connected to the brewing industry) are welcome. Dinner begins at 6 p.m., but plan to make a day if it. There are numerous art galleries, specialty shops, and places of interest to visit during the afternoon. Note, this event has a maximum registration restriction of 100. Orders will be filled on an as received basis. Do not delay in sending in your request with payment. Only payment will ensure your reservation. Payment must be received by Tuesday, June 5. Please contact Paul Dickey at mailto:prdickey@rogers.com or +1.416.573.5859 with any questions. Click here for more information.

—Allan Ellingham

District Secretary

With permission from Bradley Latham of the Brewers Association, we have published the MBAA Global Emerging Issues presentation given at the Craft Brewers Conference held in Boston, MA, April 21–24, on the MBAA website. During the presentation we discussed the following emerging issues: bisphenol A; occupational exposure to diacetyl (Ray Klimovitz, MBAA technical director); and alcoholic beverage labeling changes. Ray presented examples of single-serving size and servings per container, and Amie Gianino (Corporate Affairs Anheuser-Busch InBev) discussed World Health Organization issues and the brewing industry. For more information, visit the MBAA Global Emerging Issues webpage.

—Fred M. Scheer

Global Emerging Issues Committee Chair

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