Sedition

This paper is about Sedition, a barbershop located in Darlinghurst, Sydney. As well as operating as a barber, owner Michael Joyce is an artist and uses his shop as a studio. Joyce lets members of the local arts community use the space to exhibit work, conduct interviews, play music, dance and put on performances, generally free of charge. The site is critically analysed through the lenses of modernity and postmodernity and when considered simultaneously the contrasting frames of reference serve to enhance our understanding of Sedition. Sedition can be seen as a microcosm for the present moment: both goal-oriented and irrational. Whilst seemingly incongruous or oppositional, understanding and appreciating the validity of both ideas of modernity and postmodernity in relation to the site allows us to understand not only the site itself but, by extension, the present moment. Sedition can be broken down into two parts: Sedition the business, which details the barbershop aspect of the venue, and Sedition the cultural hub, an after-hours venue with no regard for clear direction or for turning a profit. Examined separately, the two sides correspond to metanarratives of modernity and the questioning of those same metanarratives respectively, as outlined by Lyotard in The Postmodern Condition (1997). Examining business and hub side-by-side, whilst seemingly confusing, increases our understanding of the dichotomous nature of the site and serves to provide us with a means of understanding not only the site but the present moment in which we live, characterised by an unprecedented use of technology

Modern yeast development: finding the balance between tradition and innovation in contemporary winemaking

A key driver of quality in wines is the microbial population that undertakes fermentation of grape must. Winemakers can utilise both indigenous and purposefully inoculated yeasts to undertake alcoholic fermentation, imparting wines with aromas, flavours and palate structure and in many cases contributing to complexity and uniqueness. Importantly, having a toolbox of microbes helps winemakers make best use of the grapes they are presented with, and tackle fermentation difficulties with flexibility and efficiency. Each year the number of strains available commercially expands and more recently, includes strains of non-Saccharomyces, strains that have been improved using both classical and modern yeast technology and mixed cultures. Here we review what is available commercially, and what may be in the future, by exploring recent advances in fermentation relevant strain improvement technologies. We also report on the current use of microbes in the Australian wine industry, as reported by winemakers, as well as regulations around, and sentiment about the potential use of genetically modified organisms in the future.</p

Yeast bioprospecting versus synthetic biology—which is better for innovative beverage fermentation?

Producers often utilise some of the many available yeast species and strains in the making of fermented alcoholic beverages in order to augment flavours, aromas, acids and textural properties. But still, the demand remains for more yeasts with novel phenotypes that not only impact sensory characteristics but also offer process and engineering advantages. Two strategies for finding such yeasts are (i) bioprospecting for novel strains and species and (ii) genetic modification of known yeasts. The latter enjoys the promise of the emerging field of synthetic biology, which, in principle, would enable scientists to create yeasts with the exact phenotype desired for a given fermentation. In this mini review, we compare and contrast advances in bioprospecting and in synthetic biology as they relate to alcoholic fermentation in brewing and wine making. We explore recent advances in fermentation-relevant recombinant technologies and synthetic biology including the Yeast 2.0 Consortium, use of environmental yeasts, challenges, constraints of law and consumer acceptance.</p