Studies of lactic acid bacteria associated with brewery products. I.—identification of types isolated from beer and from yeast

A survey has been made of a selection of the lactic acid bacteria occurring in 12 samples of yeast and 9 samples of beer from British breweries. Strains of 8 known species were identified and these included Lactobacillus buchneri, Lb. bifidus, Lb. leichmanii, Lb. plantarum and Streptococcus cremoris, none of which has hitherto been detected in beer. In addition, three rod‐shaped organisms which were isolated proved to be the type cultures of three new species of Lactobacillus. Five cocci which were isolated were found to be related to Pediococcus damnosus var. salicinaceus Mees and have been classified as strains of this species. These organisms had very small cells, those of Ped. damnosus var. salicinaceus itself being relatively much greater in diameter.