I kid, but seriously ... imagine a beer that can prevent cancer and heart disease—even stave off aging. Researchers at Rice University (including those not old enough to drink) are attempting to craft just such a concoction using a genetically modified strain of yeast that produces resveratrol, the same disease-busting compound found in red wine. The team hopes to bottle a brew that packs a consistently stronger resveratrol punch than wine.

“The amount of red wine you'd need to drink is about half a bottle a day" to get any health benefit, said one researcher, who says he's “fairly confident” the Rice experiment will work, though it could be at least five years before the so-called BioBeer hits the shelves. Meanwhile, the team is working with a local brewery on another important hurdle: taste.

Via: [io9]