Chris White
Founder & CEO, White Labs
Who We Are
White Labs stands at the intersection of science, education and craft. Constantly striving for perfection, and in the process continually raising the bar in the art of fermentation. Every day, we set out on a single mission: to stretch the limits of science in order to set new standards in purity and freshness. From the industry’s first pitchable liquid yeast to a complete revolution in the way it’s propagated and packaged, our innovative spirit is tireless. Our belief is that creating the best products goes hand-in-hand with making the best use of them. This has inspired a culture of education and collaboration with brewers, distillers and winemakers the world over.
I began making pure, liquid yeast in San Diego, California in 1995 as a side project for my local homebrewer friends. While pursuing my doctorate in biochemistry at the University of California in San Diego, I noticed there was a need for a better supply of brewing yeast, so I he began producing small pitchable quantities at a time when pure liquid cultures were not readily available. Today, White Labs has three production locations and is one of the world’s leading suppliers of pure liquid yeast.
Your Partner in the Industry
White Labs’ mission is to make the best pure liquid yeast, services and education accessible to professionals and enthusiasts across all fermented food and beverage industries. Since 1995, White Labs has been devoted to providing you with the best in yeast, nutrients, enzymes, education and analytical testing. We are committed to not only giving you the highest quality pure liquid yeast cultures but being your partner in creating the best products possible. We are enthusiastic about the science of beer, winemaking, cider making and distilling.
The White Labs Difference
At White Labs, our team is committed to helping foster the science and creativity that propels our industry. We cultivate a community whose boundaries are limitless and enrich those ambitions by providing our customers with the best possible products and services. We encourage collaboration and innovation within the company and throughout the industry.
The White Labs Difference is illustrated in three areas:
Performance
- White Labs yeast boasts the highest concentration (cells/mL) of liquid yeast in the industry
- Yeast is propagated in all-grain wort which provides the perfect nutrients for growth and performance
- Cultures are grown in small batches over a 17-day period to ensure the yeast is in optimal physiological condition for highest viability and multiple reuses
- White Labs is inspected by the Food and Drug Administration as a registered facility and participates in good manufacturing practices
- Yeast is tested at 61 points during the production cycle and results are available through a Certificate of Laboratory Analysis report available online
- Yeast is stored in optimal temperature - controlled environments from production to packaging and shipping
Innovation
- White Labs produces the purest yeast available thanks to FlexCellTM technology, which allows liquid yeast to be grown and delivered in the same package
- The industry’s first pitchable yeast is delivered in patented PurePitch® packaging
- An in-house Research & Development team conducts tests, generates data and implements ideas, based on the feedback provided by YOU—our valued customers
- White Labs mobile app and Yeastman.com offers convenient, one-of-a-kind ordering by providing inventory information and instant availability of our many strains
- 24-hectoliter brewhouse allows us to gather data on our strains firsthand and share results with customers
Support
- The White Labs team is accessible and eager to assist you—whether it’s placing an order or a technical support question
- Employees are microbiologists, brewers, educators and members of many industry trade organizations and available to answer a range of questions for any skill level
- White Labs Analytical Lab is TTB beer-certified and partners with Siebel Institute of Technology to provide a wide range of testing services
- Educational workshops are held throughout the year and cover a variety of topics in locations around the world
- White Labs proudly sponsors industry events and are often presenters on topics relating to yeast, brewing, homebrewing and microbiology
White Labs Yeast
White Labs produces pure liquid yeast in premier beer regions in the U.S. and Europe and is dedicated to making fresh yeast cultures accessible to all in the fermentation industry. Due to our multiple production locations and online ordering options, White Labs offers instant ordering and quick delivery.
The heart of White Labs is our yeast offerings, knowledge and support. Our library of strains has been built through a variety of means – from breweries to yeast banks around the world. The yeast is kept cryogenically frozen maintaining the integrity of the original sample.
In 2015, White Labs invested in a 24-hectoliter brewhouse that provides all-grain wort to propagate all our yeast cultures. The brewery also supplies beer for our San Diego Tasting Room, as well as our restaurant in Asheville, North Carolina, White Labs Kitchen & Tap. The brewhouse allows us to use our yeast strains and gather data firsthand. That data is published on our website and translated in the information we provide our professional and homebrewing customers.
Through our Research & Development team, White Labs has done extensive research on the differences between dry yeast and liquid yeast. Liquid yeast has enhanced esters, higher flocculation, more concentrated yeast pack and higher viability after fermentation. Additionally, professional brewers can get multiple generations from liquid yeast, which reduces the overall cost.
White Labs Strain Collections
White Labs categorizes our strains as either Core Strains which are available year-round, Vault Strains which are special order or Private Strains which are only available only to the brewery which banked the strain. We offer a number of Saccharomyces strains as well as wild yeast and bacteria. White Labs offers a variety of yeast strains that are perfect for beer, wine, mead, cider and spirits.
ALE:
Ale is a type of beer brewed using a warm fermentation method using Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This style typically lends more yeast expression resulting in fruity taste and aroma in finished beer, while also having more complex and robust characters. Use one of White Labs pure liquid ale yeast to achieve optimal, high-quality results.
STYLES–
Blonde Ale, Cream Ale, Wheat Ale, Kolsch, Ordinary Bitter, Extra Special Bitter, English Pale Ale, English India Pale Ale, American Pale Ale, American India Pale Ale, Imperial India Pale Ale, Hazy IPA/Pale Ale, Irish Red Ale, American Amber, English Brown Ale, American Brown Ale, Dusseldorf Altbier, American Porter, American Stout, Imperial Stout, Irish Dry Stout, Foreign Export Stout, Sweet Stout, Oatmeal Stout, Scotch Ale (Wee Heavy), English Old Ale, Barleywine Ale
LAGER:
Lager is a type of beer that is fermented and conditioned at low temperatures using Saccharomyces pastorianus, normally in cold-temperature controlled vessels at the brewery. While the flavor characteristics are usually described as crisp, clean and refreshing, the beers may be pale, golden, amber or dark in appearance.
STYLES–
American Light Lager, American Lager, München Helles, Bohemian Pilsner, Vienna Lager, Märzen, Münchner Dunkel, Schwarzbier, Bock, Doppelbock, Baltic-Style Porter
SPECIALITY/ BELGIAN
White Labs’ Belgian yeast and specialty strains are perfectly cultivated for fermenting pale lagers to lambic beers, Flemish reds and more. This lineup includes a selection of strains that are ideal for producing a range of Belgian styles, which are deeply rooted in the country’s historical aspects and traditions.
STYLES–
American Wheat Ale, Hefeweizen, Belgian Blonde, Belgian Wit, Belgian Table Bier, Dubbel, Tripel, Belgian Dark Strong Ale, Saison, Biere de Garde
WILD YEAST & BACTERIA
Wild yeast and bacteria may be used for brewing, winemaking and distilling. These strains lend a wide range of unique, specific tastes and aromas, such as acidity, barnyard funk and earthy notes.
STYLES–
Gose, Berliner Weisse, Flanders Red, Flanders Brown, Lambic, Geuze
MEAD & CIDER:
Mead or honey wine is the oldest alcoholic drinks known to man. It is made from honey and water via fermentation with yeast. It may be still, carbonated, or sparkling; it may be dry, semi-sweet, or sweet. Unlike beers and cider, meads (being wines) are drunk in small quantities. Cider is an alcoholic beverage made from the fermented juice of apples.
STYLES–
Champagne/Sparkling Wine , English Cider, French Cider, Gewürztraminer, Merlot, Malbec, Madeira, Grenache, Cyser, Common Perry, Apple Wine, Braggot, Cider, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Nebbiolo, New England Cider, Traditional Perry, Sweet Mead, Sweet Cider, Zinfandel, Shiraz, Riesling, Port, Pinot Noir, Sake, Sangiovese, Semillon, Sherry, Semi-Sweet Mead, Sauvignon Blanc, FlexCell™ & PurePitch®.
Instead of growing yeast in traditional stainless-steel fermenters, the FlexCell™ process uses a flexible container to propagate the yeast and package it in the same material, reducing the risk of contamination to create yeast that has never been exposed to the environment. The result of White Labs’ FlexCell™ process is the new PurePitch® package that is available in both commercial and homebrewer sizes. This innovative packaging is made from a recyclable, flexible film allowing for increased breathability, reducing the chance of gas build-up and maintaining an optimal environment for the yeast.
White Labs in the India Market:
All White Lab products are available in India through their business partner representative DVKSP IMPEX PRIVATE LIMITED which stock the entire range of PurePitch® and Custom Pour yeast in India in several warehouses: Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Mumbai, Gurgaon and Chandigarh.
How important is the concept of ‘sustainability’ to a yeast manufacturer? What steps/programmes/initiatives does White Lab take to ensure the same?
At White Labs, sustainability is an initiative we continuously work to maintain. When we introduced PurePitch® in 2014, one of the primary goals was to reduce our usage of utilities and promote the use of highly recyclable packaging materials. In developing this technology, we reduced our water and electricity consumption by 30% and we continue to focus our efforts to find new, innovative ways to continue improving our sustainability measures and minimizing our carbon footprint.
When did White Labs start supplying yeast into the Indian Market?
We secured distribution with DVKSP in 2017 but prior to that, we had a few customers who were importing directly.
What has the response been from the Indian market towards your products?
Brewers are excited to have the access to the quality and diversity of White Labs liquid yeast. As the craft brewing industry has grown in India, we had received many inquiries about the availability of White Labs and now we can say “yes.” This allows brewers to be able to produce new beer styles and expose the Indian beer consumer to new, novel beers.
With India on the verge of a craft beer revolution, what is your (White Lab) strategy to service this upcoming market?
Our strategy in all of the new and upcoming craft beer markets around the world is to first find a strong local partner which we have done with DVKSP. We support their efforts locally with marketing materials, education, participation in trade shows and visits to breweries.
In terms of sales, can you make a rough comparison of customer palette preferences that you might have noticed?
Around the globe we see local craft brewers exposing consumers to many different styles, and we believe the same is happening in the Indian market. Based on current the current yeast sales in this market, the consumer will start to see more wit, hefeweizen, English ales and American-style IPA beers.
What is the future of White Labs looking like?
Infinite. There are craft brewers starting in almost every country in the world and we work hard to service all of them. We currently ship yeast to more than 75 countries around the globe and hope to continue the momentum alongside our customers.