GROWTH OF YEAST DURING CONTINUOUS FERMENTATION OF WORT

The effects of certain nutrients of wort which limit the growth of yeast in continuous fermentations have been studied. Thus, under controlled conditions, additions of particular amino acids either singly or in admixture give considerable increases both in yeast growth and attenuation. Of the amino acids studied, asparagine has proved to be the most effective. Ammonia also promotes both growth and fermentation, its activity in this respect being independent of the degree of aeration. On the other hand, supplementing the wort with vitamins of group B has no effect and adding fermentable carbohydrate also fails to enhance growth.