SafLager™ SH-45 Questions & Answers

Why did Fermentis decide to develop this product?

Using lager yeast to create hoppy beers is a relatively new trend with great potential for brewers. At Fermentis, we wanted to offer a strain dedicated to this purpose. SafLager™ SH-45 immediately stood out for its impressive capacity to release hop precursors, more specifically its ability to release free thiols from glutathionylate (G-) precursors found in raw materials such as hops.

How was this product developed?

While exploring thiol expression in ale strains, we found some promising profiles for hop precursors. This research was then applied to three lager strains, and we noticed that one in particular displayed a remarkable capacity to release hop precursors and express free thiols more intensely.

What is this product for?

SafLager™ SH-45 helps brewers boost hop expression in lager beer. By pairing this yeast strain with appropriate raw ingredients containing thiol precursors (aromatic hops in particular), brewers can achieve results with more pronounced tropical fruit flavors, such as passionfruit and grapefruit.

What are the key advantages of this product for brewers?

SafLager™ SH-45 promotes desirable tropical fruit and citrus notes. For brewers producing hoppy lagers, this yeast strain’s impressive capability to enhance these characteristics means brewers require less hops and primary materials for the same effect or more.

What sets SafLager™ SH-45 apart from the other products in our SafLager™ range?

This is quite a unique strain. It’s something new that is not really comparable to the other products in our SafLager™ range. Compared to our other lager yeasts, SafLager™ SH-45 stands out for its ability to free aromatic precursors and release fruit notes with higher yield.