Lysine Agar heads Lab M’s brewing range

Currently enjoying a surge in demand, Lab M’s Lysine Agar, a complex medium used in brewing for the isolation and enumeration of wild yeasts in pitching yeast, is made to the original formulation described by Morris and Eddy.

Growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, S. carlsbergensis and S. pastorianus is suppressed on this medium as they are unable to use lysine as the sole source of nitrogen. Since wild yeasts can utilise lysine these grow normally.

Also available from Lab M for brewing applications are a range of Raka Ray Media, Yeast & Mould Agar, and W.L. (Wallerstein Laboratory) Nutrient Agar.

Raka Ray Media are used routinely for the isolation of lactic acid bacteria from beer and brewing processes. In response to customer demand, Lab M has added a Hi-Gel formulation to the range; this is especially useful when performing surface inoculation techniques.

Yeast & Mould agar is designed specifically for the isolation of both Saccharomyces and non-Saccharomyces wild yeasts in the presence of pitching yeast. Based on the original MYGP formulation of Taylor and Marsh, the medium is made selective for wild yeasts by the addition of copper. Copper can be added at a rate of between 50 and 300mg/litre, the exact quantity being dependent on the sensitivity of the pitching yeast.

W.L. (Wallerstein Laboratory) Nutrient Agar is used for the isolation and enumeration of yeasts, moulds and bacteria in the brewing process. The medium has a final pH of 5.5 providing optimum conditions for the recovery of a wide range of organisms including Lactobacillus, Enterobacteriaceae, Pediococcus and Flavobacterium spp., as well as yeasts and moulds.