Better Brewing (BB)

Our device has been thoroughly tested and has been validated by the VLB Berlin (Versuch- u. Lehranstalt für Brauerei in Berlin). As written by the VLB Berlin “The results of the Oculyze system are closely comparable with those obtained using the microscopic Thoma chamber method … using the Oculyze system does not require laboratory equipment such as a microscope and does not require trained staff for the microscopic examination. Using the Thoma chamber everything has to be done manually (counting the cells and calculation of the results), while the Oculyze system automates the counting and calculation of the results. With the Oculyze system the cell concentration and viability can be analysed within one fast measurement. Finally we can say, that the Oculyze system offers a very good, fast and cost efficient alternative for the determination of the cell concentration and viability of bottom fermenting yeast strains without the need of complex laboratory equipment.” You can read the full report here.

Our microscope has a magnification of ~400X and allows for the visualization of objects less than 10µm. If you measure in an undiluted sample, the optimal range is 8.5×10⁵ – 3.5×10⁷ cells/ml (0,85 Mio. – 35 Mio). However, if you have higher concentrations, you can always dilute your sample to fit within this range.

Yes, the Oculyze app has a feature to analyze Brettanomyces bruxellensis (Brett) concentration.

The automated solution is optimized for normal Saccharomyces Cerevisiae strains (i.e. bakers or brewers yeast) and Saccharomyces Pastorianus strains and does not check for bacteria. However, the app also has a manual count option available which will allow you to count anything you want, including bacteria like lactobacillus.

Our advanced image recognition has been developed and improved constantly over several years. It is able to identify even strongly clustered cells.

Our image recognition will automatically detect budding cells and handle them as recommended by leading experts in the field of yeast management. For concentration they are only included if they are at least half the size of the mother cell; smaller buds are ignored. For the viability calculations, budding cells are ignored if the mother and/or daughter cell are stained, as they often cannot metabolize the dye correctly.

Methylene violet can offer some advantages; it performs better in growing phases of yeast cells (i.e. exponential and stationary) as well as for cultures with viabilities lower than 90%.

Yes, there is an option to connect your existing laboratory microscope. For this setup you would require a microscope with a 40X objective lens, a hemocytometer (Neubauer/Thoma chamber) and a compatible camera which gets mounted to your microscope. For more information and individual support please reach out to us via our contact form.