Genetic modification is controversial and occasionally confusing (see BE disclosure), so I will keep this short.
The second quarter issue of the MBAA Technical Quarterly (a members only publication) contains an essay from White Labs founder Chris White about GMO yeast. Ultimately, he makes a pitch for transparency; a realistic view, I think, because modified strains are out there, breweries using them and at least some drinkers are fine with that.
He writes: “So, if you use GMO yeast, should you tell the consumer on the label or description? I would say ‘yes,’ that we should stay on the side of transparency.
“It is not about whether it is right or wrong, or if it is good or bad for us. It is about communicating our passion and pride to the consumer—not what labeling laws say we have to do. That can be what the rest of the food and beverage industry focuses on.”
Now to hops. Last week I had a long conversation with John Henning, who has led the USDA public hop-breeding program since 1996, providing the Qs for a Q&A that will appear in an upcoming Technical Quarterly.
He is in the process of putting together a working group to address the question of which genes and markers are linked to various thiols, markers that can be used when considering what hop plants to cross pollinate. The thiols play a role in creating tropical and other unique flavors that help make IPAs so popular. Several important pathway genes have already been identified, and his group has established their locations in the hop genome.
Technically, they could use modern technology to modify the expression of some of the pathway genes to produce higher levels of thiols. But will they?
“I don’t anticipate that being accepted very well in the beer community,” he answered. “I will say that right now, and I’m sure you know that too.”
Stan, when it comes to GMO, on one side brewers are fearfull that barley, hops or yeast come in contact with that technology and on the other they are using a massive amount of enzymes which are gained exactly by using genetically modified fungi but which they are not declaring for example from DSM. So if the discussion is to be done on transparent grounds, then enzymes should be the first topic to address IMHO and not hops or yeast.
I agree that that “craft” seems to have gone from enzymes=bad to enzymes=friend, and that should be talked about more.