Don Tse

While we have a plethora of options for ale yeast, lager strains have been few and relatively similar. That’s already changing thanks to recent research, and brewers who rethink lager may be the ones who stand out in a tightening market.

• Lager
• Yeast
• New Yeast Strains

Quick acidification has become an important tool in the flavor kit of craft breweries worldwide. Brewers have honed their methods while labs have added plenty of new options. So, how well do you know your microbes?

• Sour Beer
• Acidification
• Lactobacillus

Some brewers make a strong argument for wider, shallower fermentors—for better esters, healthier yeast, quicker turnaround, and more.

• Fermentation
• Esters
• Cellar

What is open fermentation, and why do some brewing businesses—both traditional and modern—swear by it? Here we take the lid off this method and consider its unique set of strengths and drawbacks.

• Fermentation
• Open Fermentation
• Open Fermentors

Happy yeast make better beer and a stronger brewing business. Here are some tips from the yeast whisperers to maximize your fermentations and lock in greater consistency.

• Yeast
• Fermentation
• Consistency

For a smaller brewery ready to improve data collection and quality control, the idea of adding a lab or dedicated staff may seem out of reach. However, there are real steps that any brewery can take to help ensure quality—and many cost little or nothing.

• QA/QC
• Quality Control
• Data Collection

Labs and brewers are only beginning to discover the potential benefits of bioengineered yeast strains, from improving the flavor and quality of the beer to quicker turnaround time and potential cost savings.

• Yeast
• GMO
• Bioengineered

What does “local” taste like? Ask a microbe. From clean lagers to funky farmhouse ales, capturing yeast from your brewery’s backyard can lead to distinctive products that belong to their locale.

• Yeast
• Wild Yeast
• Captured Yeast

Is your small brewery ready for its own house yeast strain? Here are some key factors to consider, from sourcing it to keeping a close eye on it.

• Yeast
• House Yeast
• QC

Brewers have become adept at squeezing more fruit flavors out of their hops as well as producing lush fruit beers that evoke tropical cocktails. However, there is another way to amplify those crowd-pleasing flavors in your beers.

• Yeast
• Brettanomyces
• Tropical

Devices that monitor fermentation in real time and apps that make data analysis a snap can help improve quality and output. They can also save breweries money, reducing the chances for error.

• Fermentation
• Technology
• Data

Yeast labs are enjoying sales success with clean kveik strains, since their ability to ferment lager-like beers in much less time has obvious appeal. Besides reduced costs and climate impact, they are potential game-changers for hotter climates worldwide.

• Yeast
• Kveik
• Fermentation