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Q&A on new strains
The following is a question-and-answer session with White
Labs’ President Chris White about the company’s move to expand
homebrew strains to 35. For more details on the change, click
here.
Why expand now?
Homebrewers are very experimental, and we want to
give them the ability to use some of these different strains. A lot of
our customers have gone through all of the strains, including those of
the Platinum Series, which has been extremely popular. So we knew there
was a market out there for more diverse strains.
Will homebrew stores stock all 35 vials?
We think so. And there is a benefit for them – if
they are not able to sell all of the vials before the expiration date,
we will offer them an exchange policy on the unused vials, if they stock
all 35. But we don’t think they will have to worry about sending the
vials back. There is nothing esoteric here. We didn’t make strains
that will sit on the shelves.
But some of the strains are intended for beers such
as Belgians, which are more difficult to brew.
They can be, yes. But as a homebrewer, you want to be
experimental, just like a professional brewer. These are the kinds of
beers that are often unavailable (at least fresh ones) at the local
liquor store.
Talk about some of these new strains.
Some are spicy, peppery strains that are going to be
really good for Saison-style beers. One strain that is becoming really
popular is the English cider yeast; we have heard lots of great comments
on it.
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