Wort agar is used for the cultivation, isolation, and enumeration or enrichment of yeasts. The addition of certain indicator dyes to the medium allows differentiation between yeast and bacterial colonies. The accompanying bacterial flora is weakly suppressed by a pH value of 5.0 and largely by a pH of 3.5.

Appearance (clearness): clear

Appearance (colour): brownish

Solidification behaviour (2 hrs., 45 °C): liquid

pH-value (25 °C): 4.8 - 5.2

Recovery on test medium (Candida albicans ATCC 10231 (WDCM 00054)): ≥ 70 %

Recovery on test medium (Saccharomyces cerevisiae ATCC 9763 (WDCM 00058)): ≥ 70 %

Recovery on test medium (Saccharomyces cerevisiae ATCC 9080): ≥ 70 %

Recovery on test medium (Rhodotorula mucilaginosa DSM 70403): ≥ 70 %

Growth (Geotrichum candidum DSM 1240): good to very good

Growth (Penicillium commune ATCC 10428): fair to very good

Growth (Aspergillus brasiliensis (formerly A. niger) ATCC 16404 (WDCM 00053)): good to very good

Growth (Trichophyton ajelloi ATCC 28454): fair to good

Incubation: 7 days; 28 °C; aerobic (yeasts 3 days).