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Brewing Elements Series
Yeast: The Practical Guide to Beer Fermentation
The Practical Guide to Beer Fermentation is a resource for brewers of all experience levels. The authors adeptly cover yeast selection, storage and handling of yeast cultures, how to culture yeast and the art of rinsing/washing yeast cultures. Sections on how to set up a yeast lab, the basics of fermentation science and how it affects your beer, plus step by step procedures, equipment lists and a guide to troubleshooting are included.
403 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2010
249 people are currently reading
855 people want to read
About the author
Chris White
1 book2 followersChris White, M.S.; degree biochemistry, U.C. Davis; PhD candidate biochem, USCD.
Librarian's note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Librarian's note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
November 4, 2012
This is a great resource for the homebrewer and the probrewer. Build a yeast lab! Do it now! The authors explain the science and reasoning for why brewers do what they do with the yeast. It covers a great deal, and as mentioned before chapter 6 is just about setting up your own microbiology lab. The following chapter is a great troubleshooting guide (I have a contamination!?!). The book inspired me to harvest my yeast from an active fermentation and repitch it. That strain is currently on it's 3rd generation. Besides reiterating that sanitation is key, they provide steps and how to on harvesting, storage, and everything you could want to do with the yeast. The book begins with the history of yeast and microbiology on how yeast operate and what makes them tick. This should be required reading for every brewer, it removes the mystique of fermentation and brings to light what is actually going on.
July 3, 2015
I expected to skim most of this book, reading only a few key passages and then using as a reference book from there on. To my surprise I actually read the vast majority of the book straight through, only skimming the chapter on how to make your own yeast lab. The rest of it I found interesting and surprisingly readable. I learned a lot of good stuff, not only about yeast, but about various other general knowledge items as well.
I highly recommend this book to anybody interested in home brewing. It will bring you a greater understanding and appreciation for the most important part of beer fermentation.
I highly recommend this book to anybody interested in home brewing. It will bring you a greater understanding and appreciation for the most important part of beer fermentation.
September 14, 2021
A very interesting start to the "Brewing Elements Series", this one focusing entirely on yeast. And when I say entirely, I mean it: Chris White covers a lot of ground in about 300 pages!
I really appreciate how he managed to make this valuable for any brewer, from people making their first batches at home to brew masters working with enormous volumes of beer. You can cherry-pick the topics that you like, though I think that going through everything at least once is a good idea, even if you just skim it.
The section on building your own yeast lab made this unique compared to a lot of similar books I've read. I don't see myself needing it for the foreseeable future, but I appreciate the new insights.
I was afraid this might turn out to be be a dry summation of all kinds of data, but I'm happy to report that this is a recommendation for all fellow brewers out there.
I really appreciate how he managed to make this valuable for any brewer, from people making their first batches at home to brew masters working with enormous volumes of beer. You can cherry-pick the topics that you like, though I think that going through everything at least once is a good idea, even if you just skim it.
The section on building your own yeast lab made this unique compared to a lot of similar books I've read. I don't see myself needing it for the foreseeable future, but I appreciate the new insights.
I was afraid this might turn out to be be a dry summation of all kinds of data, but I'm happy to report that this is a recommendation for all fellow brewers out there.
January 26, 2011
As with Noonan's New Brewing Lager Beer, I can't help but feel the authors' disappointment in how I brew. But, there is much excellent information here, some of which I actually intend to incorporate into my own brewing. Some of the language is quite technical, and there is much directed to the commercial brewer, but still I expect this to be a book I return to again and again for ideas and troubleshooting.
July 8, 2013
"Yeast" is a part of the Brewing Elements series, which is currently comprised of "Yeast," "Hops" and a forthcoming "Water" (don't ask me why you'd do "Water" before "Malt", I haven't a clue). "Yeast" was an interesting and useful read- covering some basics on yeast culture and use for best practices like pitching rates, sterile procedures, how to set up a simple yeast lab, etc. Compared to "Hops" I found it a bit lacking. "Hops" was much more readable and much more easy to implement. When I finished I had a bunch of new brewing ideas- maybe I should first wort hop, maybe I should combine my hops differently, etc. When I finished "Yeast" my first thought was that I wasn't investing $1000 in lab equipment to do a bunch of tests to tell me that my yeast practices are just fine- I homebrew decent beer, so my yeast must be fairly healthy. The book has given me some confidence that I can start a culture from a bottle if I want to, but aside from that I don't think it's greatly going to change by brew routine.
March 23, 2020
Some practical information for the home brewer. Not a starters journey through yeast.
August 24, 2022
Pinche vida de practichambre
December 4, 2017
Useful and thorough. The author's credentials are unquestioned, and justifiably so. If you want to know about yeast, there are few people in this world better qualified to provide guidance than the founder of White Labs.
Sections explaining how fermentation works, why it's important, and how to choose the right yeast strain are most applicable to homebrewers. Sections on yeast biology, growth, handling, and storage are also of interest but perhaps more useful to professionals.
The section titled "Your Own Yeast Lab Made Easy" is clearly geared toward folks with a serious scientific background. The procedures described therein, although impressive in scope and doubtless invaluable to those who choose to follow them, struck me as anything but easy and nearly reduced me to tears.
The book closes with a brief troubleshooting section that can help identify potential causes and solutions to common fermentation and general yeast problems. Rather than present simple questions and answers it attempts to provide actual understanding, which gives it long-term value in addition to short-term utility.
Honestly, much of this book's content is too advanced for my current skill level. And as long as we're being honest, some if it is too advanced for my likely future skill level as well. Still, I got something of value from it, and I imagine a few light bulbs will eventually go off for me as I encounter real-world situations that I first read about in these pages.
Sections explaining how fermentation works, why it's important, and how to choose the right yeast strain are most applicable to homebrewers. Sections on yeast biology, growth, handling, and storage are also of interest but perhaps more useful to professionals.
The section titled "Your Own Yeast Lab Made Easy" is clearly geared toward folks with a serious scientific background. The procedures described therein, although impressive in scope and doubtless invaluable to those who choose to follow them, struck me as anything but easy and nearly reduced me to tears.
The book closes with a brief troubleshooting section that can help identify potential causes and solutions to common fermentation and general yeast problems. Rather than present simple questions and answers it attempts to provide actual understanding, which gives it long-term value in addition to short-term utility.
Honestly, much of this book's content is too advanced for my current skill level. And as long as we're being honest, some if it is too advanced for my likely future skill level as well. Still, I got something of value from it, and I imagine a few light bulbs will eventually go off for me as I encounter real-world situations that I first read about in these pages.
May 31, 2022
This is the second most technical book in the series, although in this case everything revolves around biology.
Actually, apart from the yeast cell mechanics and the products that yeast generates during the fermentation, most of the book is about how to handle yeast. Yeast is a living organism, and you have to feed it and give it a good environment to let it perform its work. Apart from the parts that are interesting for all homebrewers, and actually that is most of the book, there is also a big part on how to furnish and operate a yeast laboratory. Interesting for the terminally perfectionist or those who want to know on how to run a commercial brewery.
All in all, an interesting read.
Actually, apart from the yeast cell mechanics and the products that yeast generates during the fermentation, most of the book is about how to handle yeast. Yeast is a living organism, and you have to feed it and give it a good environment to let it perform its work. Apart from the parts that are interesting for all homebrewers, and actually that is most of the book, there is also a big part on how to furnish and operate a yeast laboratory. Interesting for the terminally perfectionist or those who want to know on how to run a commercial brewery.
All in all, an interesting read.
October 13, 2019
I was a little worried that this book might read more like a chemistry book from school, but the authors did a great job of balancing the science out with a style that was easy to read. I would recommend for any home brewer as I’ve been brewing for years and discovered some things that I should be doing for better beer. The last 15-20% of the book deals with lab procedures, most of which, this home brewer won’t be conducting any time soon, but it gives you a new appreciation for the detail that brewers go to for quality beer.
July 5, 2020
A very informative book written for commercial craft brewers and home brewers. I have enough science background that I could understand the science parts, but found it to only go deep when it would yield useful knowledge. Not nerdy just to be nerdy, but giving you what you need in order to understand your yeast! It should help me in my different fermentation projects.
December 15, 2020
Essential book for every brewer, no only homebrewer but pro browsers should get a hold of it as well. Only Water: A Comprehensive Guide for Brewers by Kaminski&Palmer comes close to it in amouth of useful data you can get from a book. I know that I'll come back to it often. Only downside is omission of farmhouse yeast variations but that came into popularity later than book was published.
December 4, 2019
Super informative if you have any interest in brewer's yeast. I, myself am a brewer and a biologist so I find it very interesting. It will written in the fashion that is you know nothing about biology, you will be able to follow it and understand it.
September 24, 2020
Lots of great information. I probably understood more organic chemistry than my exposures in college. I also think someone without the background can read and get takeaways from this book as well.
April 21, 2022
Of the series this was my favorite, second only to Stan's book on hops. The latter chapters are full of practical advice on getting a yeast quality lab off the ground, both at a homebrew scale and a commercial scale.
October 14, 2016
I was put off by some of the early reviewers of this book, who didn't find it as useful as they had hoped. And, perhaps partly because they had lowered my expectations--but mostly because of what I read in this book--I am overjoyed with what I found.
This book divides brewing into two parts: the brew day, which it calls the "hot side" (which it does not really cover), and what happens after you boil your wort, which it calls the "cold side." This is what the book focuses on. It's about yeast, sure: what they are, how they work, what happens to them under various conditions. But it's really about fermentation, this cold side: the way we control those various conditions to get yeast to do something we want them to do: make great beer.
And in its focus, White and Zainasheff hammer home the need for repeatability--same amount of yeast, same temperature, etc.
I think they are on to something. And if you suspect that your beer could stand some time and attention spent on this cold side of brewing, there is a wealth of knowledge here. For example, if you had to brew all your beers with just one yeast, what would it be? Two? Three? etc. How many yeast varieties should you try to maintain (based on how often you brew)?
This book treats the reader seriously. That means whether you are doing 5 gallons at a time with malt extract or running a microbrewery, the assumption is you want to make the best beer possible--and that fermentation control is key. I did have to smile at the chapter title "Your Own Yeast Lab Made Easy." And yet, for all the high-tech possibilities mentioned that might make your head spin and your wallet empty, there were many simple, free approaches to controlling and measuring your beer. And I think that chapter title captures the spirit of the book--first, to encourage you to think more scientifically about your beer (by which I mean "systemically," where you brew with intention)--which can be a bit off-putting if you think of yourself as a free spirit, creative type; second, that it is as "easy" as you want it to be. Take notes. Sniff. Taste. Do it again.
Do you need this book to brew award-winning beer? No. You just need a way to put the right amount of yeast in your wort and hold it at the right temperature(s) for the duration of fermentation--every time. If you are convinced, put this money toward a few flasks and a stir plate, a temperature controller, a fermentation chamber, and a way to heat or cool your beer as it ferments--and hold it to within 1 degree F of your target. But if you aren't convinced, this book might give you the information and knowledge, and allow you to benefit from the experience of these gentlemen.
This book divides brewing into two parts: the brew day, which it calls the "hot side" (which it does not really cover), and what happens after you boil your wort, which it calls the "cold side." This is what the book focuses on. It's about yeast, sure: what they are, how they work, what happens to them under various conditions. But it's really about fermentation, this cold side: the way we control those various conditions to get yeast to do something we want them to do: make great beer.
And in its focus, White and Zainasheff hammer home the need for repeatability--same amount of yeast, same temperature, etc.
I think they are on to something. And if you suspect that your beer could stand some time and attention spent on this cold side of brewing, there is a wealth of knowledge here. For example, if you had to brew all your beers with just one yeast, what would it be? Two? Three? etc. How many yeast varieties should you try to maintain (based on how often you brew)?
This book treats the reader seriously. That means whether you are doing 5 gallons at a time with malt extract or running a microbrewery, the assumption is you want to make the best beer possible--and that fermentation control is key. I did have to smile at the chapter title "Your Own Yeast Lab Made Easy." And yet, for all the high-tech possibilities mentioned that might make your head spin and your wallet empty, there were many simple, free approaches to controlling and measuring your beer. And I think that chapter title captures the spirit of the book--first, to encourage you to think more scientifically about your beer (by which I mean "systemically," where you brew with intention)--which can be a bit off-putting if you think of yourself as a free spirit, creative type; second, that it is as "easy" as you want it to be. Take notes. Sniff. Taste. Do it again.
Do you need this book to brew award-winning beer? No. You just need a way to put the right amount of yeast in your wort and hold it at the right temperature(s) for the duration of fermentation--every time. If you are convinced, put this money toward a few flasks and a stir plate, a temperature controller, a fermentation chamber, and a way to heat or cool your beer as it ferments--and hold it to within 1 degree F of your target. But if you aren't convinced, this book might give you the information and knowledge, and allow you to benefit from the experience of these gentlemen.
August 18, 2022
I read this word for word, with a huge gap in the middle when I ran away and read other fun books. It was a slog and it was totally worth it. I'm just a new homebrewer looking for logical advice on how to make my beer taste excellent. And I found it. Maybe one day I'll be good enough to open a nanobrew and make my neighbourhood more delicious. This book is certainly an important step in such a journey.
To sum up "yeasts are beasts", and the same care you'd give to a flock of sheep is the care you can give to your yeast. Keep 'em safe and clean, and count them regularly. Lucky for us yeast are legion, so it's much easier to replace a flock of yeast than it is to replace a flock of sheep.
This is a practical science manual, and I feel like I learned a lot about lab procedures and quality assurance testing. I didn't study a practical labratory science in university, so I appreciate these types of manuals. Now I know when I'm brewing and I reach for it as a reference that I'll understand the context and implications of the methods and techniques listed on a specific page. Maybe one day I'll actually understand yeast!
On page 197 I made a bunch of notes wishing there was a section on 'How to think about a master culture, and what to do after a particular culture has reached it's 15th generation'. I'm still having trouble picturing how a master culture seems to be able to persist over long periods of time, while particular repitches have a limited shelf life of a couple of weeks... Theoretically I sort of get it, and I feel like the info is in the book. However I don't yet have a simple G. Lucas movie image of rows of yeast clones in long term cryostasis, and particular clones getting revived and reproduced for certain timebound battles... It would be great if the authors made that plain for the (sub) average reader in the next addition.
To sum up "yeasts are beasts", and the same care you'd give to a flock of sheep is the care you can give to your yeast. Keep 'em safe and clean, and count them regularly. Lucky for us yeast are legion, so it's much easier to replace a flock of yeast than it is to replace a flock of sheep.
This is a practical science manual, and I feel like I learned a lot about lab procedures and quality assurance testing. I didn't study a practical labratory science in university, so I appreciate these types of manuals. Now I know when I'm brewing and I reach for it as a reference that I'll understand the context and implications of the methods and techniques listed on a specific page. Maybe one day I'll actually understand yeast!
On page 197 I made a bunch of notes wishing there was a section on 'How to think about a master culture, and what to do after a particular culture has reached it's 15th generation'. I'm still having trouble picturing how a master culture seems to be able to persist over long periods of time, while particular repitches have a limited shelf life of a couple of weeks... Theoretically I sort of get it, and I feel like the info is in the book. However I don't yet have a simple G. Lucas movie image of rows of yeast clones in long term cryostasis, and particular clones getting revived and reproduced for certain timebound battles... It would be great if the authors made that plain for the (sub) average reader in the next addition.
December 4, 2020
Wow...There is a lot of great information in this read...
If you are a master brewer who knows everything about fermentation and yeast, this book provides checklists and lab references. If you are a home brewer, 10% of the 304 pages provides invaluable information that will take your beer to that next level. That being said, be ready to write down the last couple checklists as the author limits what you get to "cut & paste"... why??? If I were a microbrewery, I'd buy the printed version so I could copy the pertinent pages and add them to my batch journal.
If you are a master brewer who knows everything about fermentation and yeast, this book provides checklists and lab references. If you are a home brewer, 10% of the 304 pages provides invaluable information that will take your beer to that next level. That being said, be ready to write down the last couple checklists as the author limits what you get to "cut & paste"... why??? If I were a microbrewery, I'd buy the printed version so I could copy the pertinent pages and add them to my batch journal.
January 11, 2019
Excellent book on brewers yeast. It has invaluable information not only for breweries but also for homebrewers. You should read it if you want to know more practical scientific information on how to take care of the yeast that is making your beer. The only thing I think this book lacks is updated information on temperature control on a homebrew level, as it looks that homebrewers can be more relaxed on temperature control than most breweries.
October 10, 2017
Excellent book on yeast, explains a lot of the science and a lot of the facts about how yeast behaves, how to nourish the yeast, and how to push your brewing to a more serious and professional level pretty essential. Loved it.
May 18, 2017
Read this as direct prep for opening my now stolen brewery. Useful.
October 24, 2017
A good book that gives and overview of yeast for the beer brewer.
April 13, 2018
Very informative. Necessary for anyone trying to truly understand the fermentation process for beer and spirits
June 4, 2019
My brain hurts after reading this one. So much information.
January 22, 2020
Practical, as well as technical, information for home brewers or start-up microbreweries. Quite microbiology too!
May 18, 2020
Mandatory reading for any intermediate brewer.
July 31, 2020
Great book to understand how yeast works in the beer preparation. Also good tips about yeast manage and troubleshooting.
August 14, 2020
Great book by one of the yeast masters Dr. White from White Labs. The books gives a good introduction and a quite complete overview of yeast from a very practical point of view.
October 18, 2020
An excellent scientific background on a subject lacking detailed analysis. The review on wild yeasts is fairly short but is left to the discretion of the reader.
January 2, 2023
Very good overlook at the science of fermentation in beer. The troubleshooting tool is very helpful and I return to it when in need.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews