Diacetyl

A quick runthrough on everybody’s favorite (or perhaps most feared) VDK.

A rundown on an enzyme that can help keep your beer clean.

Three fermentations, two types of ALDC integration, like the Thunderdome but for lager.

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

Releasing multiple beers a week is exciting, rewarding (and awarding), but breakneck. Trialing new yeast strains, even when they help enable vision, or perfect finish or process, can also mean more changes downstream. That’s why Ian and Harmony of Blackbird tend to wait for their moment; but they’re used to patience, too.

Don’t worry, we think all the beers you brew are extra special.

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.

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.