Yeast


The Humble Origins of a True French Saison

One of the world’s most respected brewers of dry, rustic farmhouse ales, Daniel Thiriez of Brasserie Thiriez, shares the story of his brewery, his yeast, and their place in the small northern French town of Esquelbecq. As told to Ryan Pachmayer.

Podcast Episode 348: Keys to Successful Beer Fermentation with White Labs, Russian River, and Beachwood

Unlock the secrets of successful fermentation through new and simplified approaches to yeast nutrition, enzymes, and more, with techniques outlined by Chris White, founder of White Labs, Garrison Fratoni, head brewer for Russian River, and Julian Shrago, brewmaster for Beachwood.

Serious About Sahti, the Finnish Party Beer

The wider world has known about sahti for a few decades now, but many attempts to brew it have little to do with the real thing. For those who want to make something much closer to the Finnish farmhouse tradition, Mika Laitinen explains the basics.

Balanced Aroma: Adjusting the Thiol Dial

Modified yeast strains and products such as Phantasm have unlocked the massive aromatic and flavor potential of thiols. Now, brewers are learning how best to tame that power in service of balance and nuance.

Gearhead: Yeast Just Want to Have Fun!

Brewers don’t make beer, yeast do—but they also make a lot more yeast. Here’s a look at some of the specialized gear that brewers use to propagate and ensure consistent pitches from batch to batch.

Brewer’s Perspective: What’s in a Name? Defining “Cold IPA”

It’s been five years since Wayfinder brewed its first cold IPA and more than two since it went mainstream. Despite predictions of a passing fad, breweries continue to embrace that lean, “wester than West Coast” frame. Here, Firestone Walker brewmaster Matt Brynildson muses on what defines it—and what really makes it work.

Yeast Preparation, Simplified

The quality of your beer hinges on the yeast and handling it properly—but it need not be difficult. From our Illustrated Guide to Homebrewing, here’s what you need to know about types of yeast and how to manage them so that your fermentation goes to plan.

Lagers in All but Name

The popularity of cold IPA has blown the cover off a quiet yet long-running practice in commercial brewing: using lager yeast to make beer sold as ale. Sam Tierney, brewing manager at the Firestone Walker Propagator brewery in Los Angeles, offers some perspective.

Hopnotized: Exploring the Future of the West Coast IPA

A recent release at California’s Firestone Walker may be a window into where IPA is headed, going for clarity and lean fermentation while borrowing hop-saturation hocus-pocus from the hazy grimoire. Brewmaster Matt Brynildson explains.

Podcast Episode 274: Best in Beer Brewers’ Perspectives on Hazy IPA and Sweet Molé Stout

Two brewers of our featured Best 20 Beers in 2022—Carey Fristoe of Black Spruce and John Garcia of King Harbor—discuss the creative and technical processes that went into their exceptional beers.