Humans have taken advantage of the metabolism in a tiny fungus called yeast to create beer and wine from grains and fruits. What are the biological mechanisms behind this alcohol production?

The whisky is produced by the Flemish brewery Het Anker, which has made Belgian beers since the 1470s. In 2010, after making ...

There are 250 or so of these yeast species that can convert sugar into carbon dioxide and alcohol – valuable skills that humans have used for millennia. Twenty-four of these make foods that ...

is the alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, but ethanol is also prevalent in nature. Yeasts, including Saccharomyces cerevisiae, also known as brewer’s yeast, are widespread in the natural ...

The yeast dies when the ethanol concentration reaches about 15%. Fermentation is a slow reaction and takes several days or weeks to finish. If air is present, the oxygen causes the ethanol to ...