Kufferath and Van Laer Isolate Brettanomyces from Lambic

In 1921, Belgian researchers Henri Kufferath and Marc H. Van Laer published studies of yeasts isolated from Lambic beer. They identified organisms with characteristics similar to the yeast that Niels Hjelte Claussen had previously associated with the secondary fermentation of British stock ales and classified a Lambic isolate as Brettanomyces bruxellensis, named for Brussels. Their work connected Brettanomyces directly with Belgian spontaneous fermentation and helped establish it as a recognized yeast genus rather than merely an unusual organism found in British beer. Brettanomyces bruxellensis was later shown to play an important role during the long maturation of Lambic, fermenting compounds left behind by Saccharomyces and contributing characteristic spicy, earthy, and phenolic aromas. The study created an important scientific bridge between Lambic brewing, yeast taxonomy, and the earlier pure-culture research associated with industrial brewing.