Brewer's Ed

You might be someone who avoids a bloated pack, but once it’s discounted, maybe it starts to look pretty good. Should you go for it? Why are some of us even suspicious of a swollen pack in the first place?

Incisive new strains can deliver something novel, or they can make something that already exists even better. In this series of articles, we look at modern strains through the lens of ​‘new’ or ​‘improved,’ deliver helpful takes on some yeast fundamentals (like esters, attenuation, and more), and finish with some juicy research: a new technology giving greater command of clarity and haze. Top Crop’s annual newsprint edition is available online or in print.

Using technique to improve clarity in your beers.

In a recent writeup for the Colorado Brewers Guild, Laura discusses how the R&D team began researching haze and how this research identified successful approaches to building long-lasting, stable haze.

Understanding when and why to mix it up.

Since healthy yeast’s role in stable haze formation is a new concept, a lot of mysterious haze outcomes experienced by brewers can be helped via understanding yeast.

If you’re interested in brightness, it’s useful to know how a very low-haze-producing yeast strain can be made to produce even less.

Know when to take the counts and what to do with that information.

You can remove the alcohol, avoid making it in the first place, or… a secret third option.

History plays a major role in beer style formation, but yeast predates all brewers and consumers.

Malt, yeast and hops all have important roles to play in different, cumulative sources of haze. Leaning on haze that forms in one way rather than another could make your beercraft significantly easier. It matters where the haze is coming from if you want to control it.

Getting funky with our good pal Brett.

Getting the most out of your yeast, one generation at a time.

Take advantage of fast-acting Lacto cultures to bring a little acid to the party.

All flavors have a threshold of detection, but we can take that information and make even better use of what those flavors mean to us.

Yeast will do what we want it to do, as long as we provide the right environment.

Dry hopping can be a major stressor for yeast, and pitching yeast from beers that have been dry hopped is a no-go. We have a few tips to get around that.

In honor of the 2023 Craft Brewers Conference, we published a first edition of Top Crop in print. Check out this beautifully styled collection over coffee and pancakes: what’s up with thiols, what’s notable in diacetyl control and what’s crazy for hazies.

No need to consult the magic 8‑ball: the outlook is definitely hazy.

Start at the beginning or skip to the end: the choice is yours!