Beloved for their clean, crisp, and ultra-drinkable profiles, lagers are the most widely brewed beer in the world. Craft your best lager with these six tips from the pitch! Download PDF - Tips From the Pitch-Lagers 1. Pitch Rate Matters Industry Standard is 1.5 - 2 million cells/mL/°Plato This refers to the rate of cells…
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The pH scale, that fundamental guide in brewing, was crafted in 1909 by S.P.L. Sørensen. He devised a method for determining the acidity or alkalinity of solutions on a scale from 0 to 14. His ingenious creation unveiled the significance of pH in biochemical reactions, particularly those brewing relies on. But what is pH? In…
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Tropical flavors. Fruit bomb beers. Unlocking bound thiols. These are buzz phrases often tossed around whenever the topic turns to biotransformation. In reality, the biotransformation of hop compounds by yeast strains in beer is a fascinating and multifaceted process embraced with great excitement and enthusiasm. Brewers are right to be intrigued, given the clear potential…
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“Yeast cells need 100% of their essential vitamins and minerals (nutrients) to make it through a fermentation properly nourished and to be ready to work again another day, much the same way humans do.” At White Labs, we do countless experiments on nutrient levels, especially FAN (Free Amino Nitrogen). Yeast needs sufficient nitrogen to carry…
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Brewers regularly produce wort with varying strengths and chemical properties. Most brewing strains have evolved to thrive within a narrow range of growth conditions specific to certain styles. As brewers, we already choose strain parameters depending on the yeast strain, from attenuation ranges, flocculation characteristics, and preferred fermentation temperatures. Filter Through Our Yeast & Bacteria…
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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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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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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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