Since humans have been using yeast to brew beer (when it started is debatable, but we’ve been brewing beer at least for several thousand years), only two species of yeast have been commonly used.  Saccharomyces cervisiae seems to be the older of the two and probably the first yeast strain used.  It is a “top fermenter” meaning that it floats to the top of the vat and does well in warm temperatures.  The product of its fermenation is an ale-type beer.  When beer brewing started becoming more common in colder temperatures, especially in Germany and other European areas, S. cervisiae was no longer ideal.  A new strain emerged, S. pastorianus, which seems to be a hybrid of S. cervisiae and another species of yeast.  This hybrid fares very well in colder temperatures, and settles at the bottom of the vat as a “bottom fermenter”.  Its product is more of a lager-type.

Thanks: https://justbeerapp.com/article/beer-types-ales-lagers-hybrids-and-others

It seems odd that, in all these thousands of years, another yeast species capable of producing a palatable beer hasn’t been discovered.  Recently, though, scientists have been finding yeasts in the most unlikely of places to see if the beer produced is drinkable.  A new study has isolated yeast from the bodies of bees, and the resulting beer:  Bumblebeer.

It turns out that yeasts thrive in flower nectar, and actually produce alcohol in the flower.  It contributes to the flower’s odors and attracts bugs (and people).  Its even found that bees can get drunk on the alcoholic nectar!  Bees and other insects move the yeasts from flower to flower as they pollinate, and the yeasts can even “hibernate” on the bees in winter, when flowers are not available.  Searching for yeasts on bees then makes a lot of sense.  The yeast that they have isolated is from an entirely different genus, Lachancea, which diverged from Saccharomyces over 100 million years ago.  Bumblebeer seems to be pretty tasty, earning average to high marks on beer ratings websites.  NC State Brewery in Raleigh, NC makes it if you’re in the area!