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Microbiologists from Cardiff University in Wales, UK, are brewing a new beer using extracts found in killer bees from Namibia. The scientists have used brewer’s yeast that resides in the gut microbiome of killer honeybees and applied it to develop a unique craft beer. The Cardiff microbiologists visited Namibia as part of a project that unites Cardiff University and the University of Namibia for sustainable environmental development. This is where the scientists became interested in the Africanised honeybee – also known as the killer bee. Les Baillie, professor of microbiology at Cardiff University’s School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, said: “Saccharomyces cerevisiae, commonly known as brewer's yeast, is found in the gut microbiome of honeybees. When working on a project in Namibia, we isolated the brewer's yeast from killer bees that died naturally. When we got back to Cardiff, we used the isolated killer bee brewer's yeast, along with yeast from Welsh honeybees, to make several batches of beer.” The Pharmabees project is exploring how the pollination of certain plants could lead to the development of drugs to treat superbugs and antibiotic resistance. The project has placed bee hives and specific plants around the university campus, to encourage the production of super-honey and aid the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences' superbug research. With the ‘Killer Beer’ the researchers aim to combine scientific understanding of microbiology and Cardiff’s research into bee-related products to produce something unique. The scientists are now looking for a brewer to collaborate with to bring the killer bee beer to market, with proceeds helping to support bee research in Wales. Baillie concluded: “Our Killer Bee Beer is a fun side project to our wider Pharmabees studies. Our research into bees is uncovering how honey, beeswax and other bee biproducts can play a role in solving some of the world’s biggest challenges – including tackling antibiotic resistance and superbugs.” “By using brewer’s yeast from bees that have died naturally, we can not only produce a beer that draws attention to, as well as fund, research like this – but also broadens the understanding of bees at a microbiological level."