The Escarpment Labs Podcast

Dry yeast has come a long way—but not all strains (or packs) are created equal.
In this solo episode of The Escarpment Labs Podcast, Richard answers some of the most common questions brewers have about dry yeast—what it does well, where it falls short, and how it compares to liquid cultures in modern brewing.
We cover:
How big the dry yeast industry really is—and why it dominates globally
The relationship between Escarpment Labs and Lallemand Brewing
Why not all yeast strains can be dried
The real benefits of dry yeast (and when it shines)
The limitations—especially when it comes to strain selection and lager yeast
Whether you’re choosing between dry and liquid, or just want to better understand what’s in that foil pack, this episode gives you a clear, practical breakdown.

Featured in this Episode:
To learn more about LalBrew dry yeast products, visit here.

You’ve started repitching. You understand cell health. Now it’s time to eliminate the last 5%: troubleshooting and buy in from ownership and finance.
In the final episode of our Repitching Series, we move into advanced troubleshooting, optimization, and financial modelling — because repitching isn’t just a technical decision. It’s an operational one.
We cover:
How to identify and eliminate the final 5% of inconsistency

How to model real financial savings for your brewery owner or leadership team

How to use Settled Yeast Volume (SYV) as a simple, field-ready consistency check

When to adjust pitch rate based on stress conditions

How to get the entire production team aligned around one repeatable system

If you want repitching to move from “brewer experiment” to “brewery standard,” this episode shows you how.

Featured in this Episode:
Check out our Yeast Management & Repitching Guide (available for free download!)
Download our free guide to Accurate Cell Counting in the Brewery here.
Going to the 2026 Craft Brewers Conference in Philadelphia this April? Join us before the conference on April 19th for a special yeast-focused seminar on biotransformation. This educational session for professional brewers brings together leading experts in fermentation from Escarpment Labs, White Labs, and Lallemand Brewing to help you better understand how yeast selection can influence biotransformation and shape the final beer. Learn more and reserve your free spot here.

What does it take to brew award-winning hazy IPAs with half the dry hops most breweries use?
In this episode of The Escarpment Labs Podcast, we sit down with the Head Brewer of Willibald Farm Distillery & Brewery—and former Homebrew Lead at Escarpment Labs—to talk about the process behind their standout hazy beers.
We cover everything from the unique role water plays in their brewing approach to how careful yeast management drives flavour and consistency.
In this episode we discuss:
How water chemistry shapes the character of Willibald’s beers

Their strategy for harvesting and repitching yeast in hazy IPA production

Why they use roughly half the dry hop rate of many breweries—and still achieve huge aroma

Why New Zealand hops play such a central role in their hop program

How yeast strains like Foggy London Ale, LalBrew Pomona, and LalBrew House Ale influence flavour expression

When and why they retire a yeast pitch

Brewing award-winning hazy IPAs in Copenhagen

Advice for brewers looking to improve their hazy beers

We also tease an upcoming collaboration brew: EXP-666.
If you’re brewing hazy IPAs—or trying to make them more consistent—this conversation is packed with practical insights.

What does yeast have in common with Olympic athletes?
They don’t just show up and perform. They train.
In this episode of The Escarpment Labs Podcast, we sit down with former Escarpment Labs R&D Lead and current Assistant Professor of Molecular Biology at Carleton University, Dr. Eugene Fletcher, to break down the science of Lab Evolution — and how it’s shaping the future of brewing.
Eugene helped bring strains like KRISPY, Pomona, and TERPS to market. Now, he’s researching how brewer’s yeast can be evolved to break down plastic waste and turn it into biofuels.
In this episode, we cover:
What lab evolution actually is — and why it’s like Olympic training

How it differs from simple repitching

How Pomona evolved from “okay” to a global strain partnership

Why Saccharomyces is uniquely adaptable

Lab evolution vs. GMO: advantages and tradeoffs

The story of a Ghanaian strain sourced from traditional brewing

What modern brewers — and even the non-alcoholic category — can learn from West African fermentation

If you’ve ever wondered how yeast adapts to hops, malt, pressure, or entirely new environments, this episode pulls back the curtain.

Featured in this Episode:
For more information on Eugene and his current research, visit https://carleton.ca/biology/people/eugene-fletcher/
Learn more of the details behind products developed by Eugene at Escarpment Labs here: KRISPY, LalBrew Pomona™, TERPS

You’ve started repitching. Now let’s make it consistent.
In Part 2 of our Repitching Series, we move beyond the basics and introduce the core science behind repeatable, high-quality repitching: The Healthy Fermentation Formula.
Because pitch rate alone isn’t enough.
In this episode, we break down why traditional “cells per mL per degree Plato” thinking is incomplete — and why Cell Health and Wort Stress are just as critical to fermentation success.
We cover:
The full formula:
Healthy Fermentation = (Cells Pitched × Cell Health) ÷ Wort Stress

What “Cell Health” really means (and how to observe it without a lab)

The three biggest stressors: gravity, nutrient deficiency, and inhibitors

Early harvest vs. post-cold-conditioning harvest — and why timing matters

Why 2–5 PSI of CO₂ head pressure is non-negotiable during harvest

How to upgrade your brink (and why stainless wins long-term)

The simplest microscope-free measurement tool: Settled Yeast Volume (SYV)

If Part 1 helped you start repitching, this episode helps you stop guessing.

Featured in this Episode:
To follow along, you can download our 93-page comprehensive guide on Yeast Management & Repitching, here.