Three isomers of acetylpyridine (1) were selectively reduced to resp. isomers of pyridinylethanol (II) by Chaetomium sp. KCh 6651 and Coryneum betulinum KCh 6534 cultures at 21-25 degrees C (yield 92-100%). The enantiosp. redn. of m-l and p-l in the C. betulinum culture resulted in formation of pure (S)-1-(4-II) and (R)-1-(3-II), resp. The o-l was reduced to the resp. II with an enantiomeric excess (960%) of (S)-1-(2-II) under the same conditions.