In an 18-month study of a Portuguese craft brewery, diastatic yeast contaminations were traced to environmental strains, distinct from the production yeast. Such contaminations, often unnoticed, were detected due to a specific PCR protocol. These contaminants, linked genetically to strains in Botswana, reveal the widespread and ecological presence of diastatic yeasts. Unlike Beer 1 strains, Beer 2D yeasts show phenotypic adaptability, suggesting ferality, escaping the domestication niche. This discovery underscores the unique adaptability and spread of diastatic yeasts in natural settings, emphasizing their evolutionary distinctiveness within the brewing environment.
