DIASTATIC STRAINS OFBREWER'S YEASTPRODUCE AN ENZYME CAPABLE OF BREAKING DOWN RESIDUAL STARCH INTO FERMENTABLE SUGARS.WHEN DIASTATIC CONTAMINATION OCCURS DURING BEER PRODUCTION OR STORAGE, EXTENDEDFERMENTATION OFTEN RESULTS IN NEGATIVE SENSORY IMPACTS SUCH AS DRY MOUTHFEEL, FOAMINESS, INCREASED ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION AND OFF-FLAVORS. IN EXTREME CASES, EXCESSIVE PRODUCTION OF CARBON DIOXIDE AFTER BOTTLING CAN ALSO LEAD TO GUSHING OR EXPLODING BOTTLES AND CANS, PUTTING CONSUMERS IN DANGER.CONTAMINATION BY DIASTATIC YEAST IS AMONG THE LEADING CAUSES OF SPOILAGE IN THE BREWING INDUSTRY AND HAS BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO A LARGE AMOUNT OF WASTE AND PROFIT LOSSESFOR BREWERIES ACROSS AMERICA. IN 2016, COLORADO-BASED BREWERY LEFT HAND BREWING COMPANY RECALLED OVER 20,000 CASES OF BEER DUE TO DIASTATIC CONTAMINATION ALLEGEDLY SOURCED FROM THEIR YEAST SUPPLIER, RESULTING IN A $6M LAWSUIT.TO AVOID SIMILAR FINANCIAL BURDENS AND PR NIGHTMARES, BREWERIESAND YEAST DISTRIBUTORS UTILIZE MOLECULARDIAGNOSTIC ASSAYS FOR DIASTATIC YEAST CHARACTERIZATION. UNFORTUNATELY,CURRENT ASSAYS PROVIDE LIMITED INFORMATION ANDFAIL TO ACCURATELY PREDICT SPOILAGE POTENTIAL ASSOCIATED WITH THESE STRAINS.THROUGH AN IN-DEPTH GENETIC CHARACTERIZATION OF DIASTATIC BREWING STRAINS, THEFACTORS THAT CONTROL DIASTATIC ACTIVITY WILL REVEALED.THE RESULTS OFTHIS RESEARCH PROJECT WILL PROVIDECRITICALINFORMATION NEEDED TO(1)DEVELOPBETTER TOOLS FOR PREDICTING SPOILAGE POTENTIAL IN BREWING STRAINS AND (2)TAKE PREVENTATIVE MEASURES TOWARDS LIMITING SPOILAGE WHENTHESESTRAINS ARE PRESENT.