How Rike Stelkens Turned Wild Yeast into a New Kind of Beer

When evolutionary biologist Rike Stelkens from Stockholm University began studying yeast, she never imagined it would lead to a collaboration with a Swedish brewery or the launch of her own company. But a startling discovery in the forests of Patagonia may reshape how we think about beer, biodiversity and innovation.

Rike Stelkens proudly holds up the wild yeast. Photo: Madeleine Bäckman

Close-up of Patagonian tree bark and the wild yeast isolated from it. Photo: Madeleine Bäckman

Rike Stelkens at her computer, mapping the journey from wild yeast to beer, where science meets flavor. Photo: Madeleine Bäckman

Stelkens first became intrigued by yeast when she realised how extensively we use it – in beer, wine, baking, and even in producing insulin, yet how little we actually understand its natural ecology. This gap in knowledge sparked her curiosity about how we might better utilise such microorganisms. And, she adds with a smile, she happens to like beer too.

“I believe there’s so much natural diversity in yeast that remains untapped. It could be used much more widely in the medicine and food industries. It’s a hugely underutilised resource, and we still know very little about it,” says Rike Stelkens, researcher at the Department of Zoology at Stockholm University.

From Lab to Lager

In collaboration with the University of Santiago in Chile, she isolated a wild strain of Saccharomyces eubayanus from tree bark in the remote Patagonian wilderness. This yeast is believed to be one of the ancestral “parents” of modern lager yeast, but it had never been used in brewing.

“What’s cool is that we could re-create hybrids like the ones that were formed accidentally in cold German cellars centuries ago, but this time, we did it on purpose, and the results are completely new in terms of flavour.”

After media coverage of the research, the Swedish brewery Nils Oscar reached out. Together with a yeast production company in Sollentuna (Jästbolaget), they created two pilot batches of beer: one ale and one lager. A recent tasting gave unexpected results.

“The ale was delicious, definitely something I would drink at a bar,” says Stelkens. “The lager had a more complex, slightly Belgian-style wheat beer flavour. It was a bit too much for some, but I loved that it had aromas you just don’t find in beers on the commercial market today.”

“Don’t keep science hidden behind academic walls”

Stelkens’ innovation journey has been both unexpected and transformative. Originally she was focused on yeast genetics and evolution, but with the support of Stockholm University's Innovation Office she realised the practical potential of her innovation. The Innovation Office also helped her navigate patents, contracts, and legal structures.

“I never dreamed of starting a business,” she says. “But now I can offer services through my own company. It feels safer, and I’ve learned so much.”

To fellow researchers unsure about innovation, her advice is simple:

“Just go for it. Don’t keep your science hidden behind academic walls. Communicate your results, even if it’s about ‘just’ beer.”

At the upcoming Innovation Day, her colleague Jennifer Molinet will present their journey and bring samples of the wild yeast and the Patagonian bark it came from.

Looking ahead, she reflects on how the process has reshaped her view of research:

“I’m busier than ever, but also more aware of what my work can lead to. Innovation happens when the puzzle pieces fall into place – and maybe, along the way, I get to brew some great beer.”

Are you a researcher at Stockholm University?

For support and guidance with your idea, please contact Innovation Support at the Office for Research, Engagement and Innovation Services (REIS).

Read more and register for Innovation Day, June 17 at Campus Albano here.

Written by: Madeleine Bäckman

Theme

Plants, Animals and Nature

Last updated: May 7, 2025

Source: Office for Research, Engagement and Innovation Services

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