Recent fundamental research conducted on immobilised cells with a focus on continuous primary beer fermentation is presented in this review. The knowledge of whole-cell immobilisation, continuous fermentation, yeast biochemistry associated with beer flavour production, and bioreactor engineering design is required to apply immobilised yeast cells for industrial scale beer production. Understanding how immobilisation and continuous bioreactor operation affect yeast cell metabolism and viability will provide the groundwork for optimising beer quality. The latest studies on immobilised cell carriers, viability, vitality, mass transfer characteristics and bioreactor design indicate that an industrial scale immobilised cell system for primary beer fermentation may soon be a reality in the modern brewery.

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The effect that yeast research and development on yeasts has had on the brewing industry is traced from the time of Pasteur to the present time.

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Progress during the past 25 years regarding our knowledge of brewer's yeast strains is considered. This is not a comprehensive review but rather focuses on some specific areas. These areas include a brief description of genomics, proteomics and metabolomics as applied to brewer's yeast strains. This review subsequently considers differences between ale and lager yeast strains, the uptake and metabolism of wort sugars and amino acids, yeast flocculation, yeast management between fermentations and yeast strain genetic stability. The question of process intensification, with particular attention to highgravity brewing, is also addressed. Fermentation systems and processes are considered with an emphasis on novel procedures for stirred fermentations.