White Labs is entering its 30th year of business in 2025, and we can only thank our customers and dedicated team members for this longevity. We are proud to be part of the fermentation world and everyone involved who strive for greater flavor and performance in everything they create. We hope our experience, knowledge and…
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Contamination is the Culprit Contamination is one of the quickest ways to spoil a great beer. Beer generally uses a pure single culture of yeast to help produce a consistent fermentation and flavor profile. However, there are many control points in the brewing process where contamination can occur. Preventing beer contamination and maintaining brand reputation…
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WLP655 Belgian Sour Mix 1 is a unique blend of Saccharomyces, Brettanomyces, Lactobacillus, and Pediococcus. Beers produced with Belgian blends, such as WLP655, are often aged in bottles or barrels for several months, continuously evolving their sensory profiles. The impacts of different fermentation conditions on beer evolution are not fully understood. Our R&D team experimented…
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Before Emil Christian Hansen isolated a single yeast culture, in early brewing history, beers were most likely a combination of multiple strains since brewers did not have the ability to isolate a pure yeast strain. This is evident in things like Kveik strains, from the traditional farmhouse methods. These mixed cultures contained a variety of…
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A forced fermentation test is performed to identify the final gravity/full attenuation potential of a wort sample and yeast culture. This is particularly helpful when developing new beer recipes, if there are changes in the mash profile, as well as working with new ingredients, including yeast. The sample is held at a higher temperature and…
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From the beginning, White Labs has focused on high cell counts, high viability, and high strain diversity. In 1995, we coined the term “pitchable” as a way to bring a new type of liquid yeast into homebrewing and integrated into our strain numbers (WLP = White Labs Pitchable). The term ‘starters’ originated before White Labs,…
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Yeast collection and reuse is a long-established practice in brewing. With proper yeast handling and repitching practices, brewers can effectively reduce yeast expenses by maintaining yeast health and reusing a single strain for multiple generations and many batches of beer. Brewing schedules are crucial to help maximize efficiency and ensure the yeast is not left…
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Purpose Diacetyl is a common buttery off-flavor that occurs during fermentation. Alpha-acetolactate, the precursor to diacetyl, can also remain in beer after fermentation and is odorless. Once the yeast is removed from beer, this precursor is converted to diacetyl, leaving residual buttery character. Compound Spotlight: Diacetyl This method is a quick and easy way to…
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Pitching the right amount of yeast is key to reliable fermentations and great-tasting beer every time. Cell counting yeast cultures help determine the correct volume/weight of live yeast needed and the current condition of the generation, making for more consistent fermentations. Differences in pitching rate can affect flavor production, fermentation speed, yeast health, and flocculation,…
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Fermentation Society is all about exploring new realms and possibilities. Check out the rediscovered strain of a cacao bean and use the yeast to brew in time for Valentine's Day! Sign up for Fermentation Society, Enrollment is free! WLP546 Marañón Canyon Wild Cacao Yeast White Labs has teamed up with Marañón Chocolate to isolate and…
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Our dedication to exceptional quality at White Labs means we carry out the same standards and care for every batch for consistently superior products. That means constantly reevaluating our processes for a more effective cleaning program to maintain cleanliness. Changing processes means changing SOPs; documentation is typically the first thing to “fall through the cracks”…
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The New Fermentation Society Exclusive Strain One of the best ways to stay connected with White Labs is our Exclusive & FREE society, White Labs Fermentation Society. By joining the society, you will get notified of first-look at exclusive unique strain drops with fun swag, label redemptions for Fermentation Society Gear, as well as a…
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White Labs and Green Malt Malted grains are the one of the main sources of fermentable sugars in the brewing and distilling industries, and it also contributes significantly to the color, flavor and aroma of the final products. However, malt production is a water and energy intensive process, conventionally separated into three key steps: steeping,…
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