495: Fermenting Expressive Hoppy Beers with Dry Yeast, in Partnership with White Labs

Many of the historic brewing yeasts we have today are products of their time and place. The ingredients brewers used with them, the tanks they fermented in, and the styles they made have all played a role in how that yeast grew and hybridized itself over hundreds or thousands of generations. Today, however, brewers typically brew into tanks far different than those of a hundred years ago. The hops they use generally have levels of oil and acids far more concentrated than those of yesteryear. And the flavor and aroma contributions that brewers seek from yeast are more demanding than they’ve ever been. What does it take, then, to turn yesterday’s yeast into tomorrow’s? To grow it into the kind of powerhouse that the brewing industry needs for the expressive, flavorful styles that people love to drink? Science offers a number of pathways, but how can it be done without genetic modification, while also optimizing it for drying, so that it’s accessible to more brewers in more places around the world? Can all that be done without sacrificing flavor, aroma, and performance? That’s the subject of this episode, produced in partnership with White Labs, as we dive into these questions using their new release, WLP079 Suava, as a case study. Joining for the conversation are: Chris White, White Labs founder Richard Preiss, founder of Escarpment Labs Justin Clouthier, head brewer for Willibald Farm Distillery & Brewery in Ayr, Ontario, Canada