EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE IN THE EVALUATION OF YEAST FLOCCULATION ABILITYBY THE HELMS METHOD

Production lager yeast strains settle to the bottom at the end of ferm entation, but some of them cannot be classified as flocculent accordin g to the Helm's test. This method is one of the most recognized labora tory procedures to evaluate the flocculation ability of yeasts. This a ssay involves a combination of standing times and ambient temperature (20 degrees C) to permit yeast sedimentation. This article describes t he use of several temperatures of analysis (5, 10, 15, and 20 degrees C) during the assay of the Helm's test on some brewing yeast strains. The use of a temperature of 5 degrees C during the analysis increased the volumes of settled yeast obtained in the laboratory, even with yea sts reported as non-flocculent by the regular Helm's conditions.