Brewing much studied, the preservative nature of the soft resins is not yet fully understood, though it has been observed that unless stored at a cool temperature, the preservative nature will decrease. Brewing is the sole major commercial use of hops. Yeast is the microorganism that is responsible for fermentation in beer. Yeast metabolises the sugars extracted from grains, which produces alcohol and carbon dioxide, and thereby turns wort into beer. In addition to fermenting the beer, yeast influences the character and flavour. The dominant types of yeast used to make beer are "Saccharomyces cerevisiae", known as ale yeast, and "Saccharomyces
Alcohol in New Zealand Alcohol in New Zealand Alcohol has been consumed in New Zealand since the arrival of European settlers. The most popular alcoholic beverages are beer and wine. New Zealand has no minimum consumption age for alcohol, however the minimum purchase age is 18. There is no oral tradition or archaeological evidence of Māori brewing beer before the arrival of Europeans. Major ingredients of beer were not introduced to New Zealand until Europeans arrived in the late-18th century. Captain James Cook brewed a beer flavoured with local spruce tree needles while visiting New Zealand in 1773 in order to combat scurvy aboard