Purifying yeast

Revolutionizing the brewing industry with research, innovation and sharing

In the old days, brewing beer was an unpredictable process that often resulted in undrinkable beer due to the phenomenon called ‘beer sickness’. However, in 1883, Emil Chr. Hansen, head of the physiology department of the Carlsberg Research Laboratory, made a ground-breaking discovery that would revolutionize the brewing industry.

Hansen discovered that "bad beer" was not only a result of bacterial infection, as world famous scientist Louis Pasteur had otherwise assumed. Instead, Emil found that a certain amount of wild yeast in the pitching yeast made the 'beer sickness' break forth.