When academics and economics meet
One of the success stories of Kovsie Innovation, Research Development (DRD), University of the Free State, is the development of Liquid Culture into a business of choice, supplying liquid yeast to breweries and bakeries. This project was also one of the finalists in the National Entrepreneurship Intervarsity.
Christopher Rothmann was recognised as a runner-up in the Existing Technological Business Category at the Entrepreneurship Intervarsity awards ceremony on 19 September 2019. He is pictured here with Ms Fuzlin Levy-Hassen, CEO of Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), which helped fund LiquidCulture and is therefore credited with other players for the company's success.
This initiative was started to expand and promote yeast culture for the craft beer sector in South Africa. The benefits of using high viability liquid yeast are well known to brewers, and due to the mainstream use of dry yeast, there is a substantial shortfall in the number of available strains in South Africa. This initiative aims to provide breweries with fresh liquid yeast for every brew they make.
They currently have over 89 strains of yeast and bacteria, and new proudly South African strains are being developed. They aim to provide every home brewer and each brewery with the freshest first-generation yeast with endless style options. Not only do they deliver the highest quality of yeast, but they offer free fermentation consulting. With over 20 years of combined experience in specialist fermentation science, they are also brewers with humble beginnings in their homes.
Dr Christopher Rothman
Dr Christopher Rothmann, a postdoctoral research fellow and Dr Errol Cason, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Animal Science at the University of the Free State's Faculty of Agriculture, run this company (LiquidCulture). They started the company together in 2018.
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Dr Errol Cason