Yeast physiology with a distinct molecular biological basis is a major research area within Life Sciences and the International Centre for Brewing and Distilling (ICBD). Many projects relate to the behaviour of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in brewery and distillery fermentations and include the genetics and biochemistry of sugar uptake in yeast, the regulation of ester production during fermentation, the effect of metal ions on yeast fermentation performance, the uptake and metabolism of sulphate, the stress effects of high gravity brewing, and the influence of acid washing on yeast quality.