Antioxidant Dipeptides Enhance Stress Tolerance and Fermentation Performance of Lager Yeast During High-Gravity Brewing.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of antioxidant dipeptides (AH, TY, and FC) on yeast stress tolerance, beer physicochemical properties, and sensory quality during high-gravity brewing. The results demonstrated that antioxidant dipeptides maintained yeast cell morphology and alleviated cell shrinkage. Additionally, the dipeptides decreased intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, with AH and FC exhibiting the most significant reductions of 9.69% and 11.01%, respectively, compared to the control. Moreover, antioxidant dipeptides significantly increased the ethanol content and wort fermentability of the beer. Beer aroma analysis revealed that dipeptide supplementation enhanced both the content and diversity of ester compounds without adversely affecting beer flavor. Therefore, antioxidant dipeptides represent a promising additive for enhancing the stress tolerance and fermentation performance of lager yeast during high-gravity brewing.