Western University, Province Brands of Canada Team in Research for Innovative Yeast Development Français
CAMBRIDGE BAY, Nunavut and LONDON, Ontario, Oct. 29, 2019 /CNW/ -- Province Brands of Canada, developers of the world's first and only beers brewed from the cannabis plant, will join with Western University to study and develop innovative yeasts in a CAN$45,000 research grant awarded to WU.
The grant is funded by the Ontario Center of Excellence's (OCE) Voucher for Innovation and Productivity (VIP) program and by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada's (NSERC) Engage program.
The yeast being developed in this collaboration is expected to be a revolutionary and time- saving technology which can be used in crafting beers made from hemp and cannabis, as well as in many other applications.
"Applying cutting edge bioengineering tools and advancement in agriculture to the rapidly evolving cannabis industry is creating an extremely exciting environment for entrepreneurs and new graduates in many business sectors," said Dr. Lars Rehmann, Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering at WU. "Excellent support for joined projects between universities and highly innovative companies can result in 'outside-the-box' solutions to industrial problems, providing a competitive edge to everyone involved," said Dr. Rehmann, who will oversee the project for WU.
"Province Brands of Canada is very fortunate to be working with Dr. Rehmann's team, which has tremendous experience developing a similar yeast," said Dooma Wendschuh, CEO and Co-Founder of Province Brands of Canada. "At Province Brands of Canada, we are developing an entirely new brewing tradition. Not only will this technology help Province Brands and those who choose to brew in our new tradition, but once the patents have been approved, we can share this yeast with the brewing community and well beyond."
"Having worked in the industrial and academic R & D space in both brewing and fermentation of plant-based sugars for almost 20 years, it is exciting to be involved with an innovative company like Province Brands," said Dr. Erin Johnson, Research Engineer and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering at WU working with Dr. Lars Rehmann. "The brewing industry's guidelines on yeast have been recently expanded to make room for creativity and diversity and I think people are ready for change."
Over the past two years, Province Brands of Canada has developed a patent-pending process for brewing a premium beer from the cannabis plant. The first steps in the brewing process, milling and "mashing" (i.e. saccharifying or extracting fermentable sugars from the cannabis plant), requires specialized equipment and technology, which would not be found in existing breweries.
Recreational cannabis use became legal in Canada in October 2018 for dried and fresh cannabis, oil, plants and seeds. The Canadian government will legalize drinks, food, and other edibles containing cannabis by October of this year.
About Western University
Western ranks as one of Canada's top research-intensive universities. From fundamental to applied discovery and other scholarly activities, its scholar's advance knowledge that provides tangible benefits for the economic, social, health and cultural development of citizens in London, in Canada and around the world.
About Province Brands of Canada
Province Brands of Canada is a mission-driven research and development / IP generation company developing a suite of innovative technologies with applications across the cannabis and adult beverage industries. The first technology we are bringing to market is a revolutionary technique for crafting the world's first fermented beverages brewed from cannabis in place of grains or barley. Province Brands of Canada is mining the untapped potential of the cannabis plant to achieve its mission - creating less harmful alternatives to alcohol.
For more information, please visit: www.provincebrands.com Twitter & Instagram: @provincebrands | Facebook: /provincebrands
MEDIA CONTACT
Matt Yemma, Peaks Strategies, +909-633-9396, [email protected]
SOURCE Province Brands of Canada
Share this article