The Escarpment Labs Podcast

Are the "golden rules" in your brewhouse actually rooted in science, or are they just leftover dogma from 40 years ago? Many traditional brewing guidelines were completely true back when malts were less modified, yeast handling was imprecise, and hop processing was in its infancy. But thanks to modern maltsters, hop breeders, and yeast scientists, many of those old rules no longer apply. In this s...

How can breweries leverage their fermentation expertise, equipment, and brand loyalty to expand beyond beer without losing their core identity? The craft beverage landscape is evolving fast, and more breweries are becoming "CPG curious." Whether exploring non-alcoholic options, functional pre/pro/postbiotic drinks, energy beverages, or protein trends, moving into new categories brings re...

Are your yeast nutrients giving your fermentation precision support, or are they overloading your kettle with heavy metals and unpredictable mineral shifts? Many commercial worts are naturally deficient in zinc (<0.15 ppm), leading to sluggish fermentations and yeast stress. However, many off-the-shelf nutrients were originally formulated for wine or distilling rather than beer—sometimes adding...

Why do yeast pitch rates vary so drastically between brewing shifts, even when everyone is using the same hemocytometer? Manual microscopic cell counts are standard practice, but they take time, carry operator bias, and can fall short when slurry densities change across strains. If you've ever faced stalled fermentations or batch-to-batch flavour shifts, inconsistent pitching volume might be the h...

Why does a beer taste squeaky clean at final gravity, only to turn into a slick, buttery mess three weeks after it hits the can? Diacetyl and its sneaky, odourless precursor (alpha-acetolactate) remain every brewer’s absolute worst quality control nightmare—especially during peak production season when cellar turns are tight. While dropping ALDC enzyme into the fermenter has become standard practi...

Why do some bottle-conditioned beers carbonate perfectly in two weeks, while others stall out, develop mousy off-flavours, or turn into dangerous bottle bombs? Relying on exhausted or stressed primary yeast after a high-gravity or low-pH fermentation is a gamble. In this episode, Mark and Richard break down the cellular science and step-by-step protocols behind reliable bottle conditioning. Moving...

What does it take to oversee the yeast, science, and flavour profile of one of the world's most recognizable lagers? In this episode of the Escarpment Labs Podcast, Richard sits down with Willem Van Waesberghe, Global Master Brewer at Heineken . Together, they trace the profound impact Heineken has had on global lager brewing, starting with the fascinating history and genetics of the legendary...

We're back with Part 2 of our interview with Master Cicerone & Keeping Together founder, Averie Swanson! In this episode, Richard and Averie get granular on recipe development, fermentation mechanics, and beer style philosophies. They explore Averie’s renowned approach to brewing Saison, what it means for a mixed-culture specialist to approach "clean" beers, and the technical rea...

At Escarpment Labs, we love connecting with beer’s brightest minds to help brewers make better, more impactful beer. In Part 1 of this two-part interview, Richard sits down with Averie Swanson —celebrated brewer, Master Cicerone, and founder of Keeping Together Brewery and Beverage Garden in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Averie shares her journey from Chicago to Santa Fe, detailing the triumphs and obstac...

Is decoction mashing a timeless secret to world-class lager brewing, or just an outdated, energy-draining waste of brewhouse time? As lager brewing continues its massive resurgence in craft beer, many brewers hit a wall with thin mouthfeel, poor head retention, sluggish cold fermentations, or stubborn off-flavours. While it's easy to blame the yeast, the real problem might actually be hiding b...

What happens when you bring the world's most dedicated fermentation rebels into one room? In this special monologue episode, Richard takes the mic solo to share his recent experience at Carnivale Brettanomyces —the legendary Amsterdam festival dedicated entirely to wild, funk-forward, and alternative fermentations. Far from a typical corporate trade show, Carnivale operates with a fiercely ind...

It’s official: wheat beer summer is in full swing, and sales for Hefeweizen, Witbier, and Belgian yeast strains are up a whopping 40% in 2026. But these styles require a masterfully delicate touch. In this episode, Mark and Richard tackle the "Holy Trinity" of wheat beer flavour drivers—Citrus, Banana, and Clove—and show you how to move past guesswork to orchestrate absolute balance in t...

To celebrate the one-year anniversary of The Escarpment Labs Podcast —and to kick off Season 5 —we want to thank our amazing community of over 5,000 listeners who have racked up more than 4,200 consumption hours with us over the last 44 episodes. We couldn't do this without your endless curiosity. For this milestone episode, Mark and Richard tackle a massive topic that is often completely misu...

"Crash cold, crash fast." It’s the standard operating procedure in thousands of cellars—but according to physics and biology, it might be completely wrong. In this episode, Richard is joined by Escarpment co-founder Nate Ferguson to demystify beer clarification, settling, and the highly debated mechanics of cold conditioning. Based on our high-performing May blog post , we look under the...

The draft is over, the rosters are locked, and now it’s time to actually build the business. In Part 2 of our Ultimate Yeast Fantasy Draft, Mark and Richard take their 5-strain yeast lineups from last week and put them to work. The challenge is strict: design a competitive, 10-to-12-beer mainstay taproom menu where every single strain must be featured at least twice. Things get wildly creative as...

If you could start a brand new brewery tomorrow with a blank slate, which yeast strains would you stake your business on? Over 90% of breweries in North America operate as small, nimble taproom models. In this environment, your yeast isn't just a fermentation agent—it's your most flexible employee. It needs to turn tanks fast, adapt to multiple styles, and deliver standout flavour profiles...

We spend all our time choosing the perfect hops and dialing in our water profile—but are we treating our yeast like an afterthought? A few weeks ago, we did a massive, deep-dive Q&A on yeast nutrition. But after our joint presentation with Dr. Glen Fox at the Craft Brewers Conference, a lot of brewers reached out asking for a quick, "high-level" breakdown of the fundamentals. On this...

Kettle souring doesn't have to be a gamble. If you’ve ever been haunted by a "mousy" off-flavour or a stuck fermentation, this episode is your roadmap to safety. In this complete guide, Mark and Richard break down the fast, controlled method of quick souring using pure Lactobacillus cultures. We demystify the entire process, walking through the three essential pillars—wort production...

We went to the Craft Brewers Conference in Philly, gave a talk with Dr. Glen Fox, and realized one thing: Brewers have a lot of questions about yeast nutrition. In this episode, Mark and Richard recap their recent CBC session on Yeast Nutrition, Zinc, and FAN. Because the live Q&A was so packed with "deep-cut" technical inquiries, we decided to bring those questions back to the lab f...

Ever wonder what happens when Vinnie from Russian River sends you a care package of hops? You brew a side-by-side trial, obviously. In this episode, Richard and Mark are joined by Escarpment’s own Production Manager and brewing veteran, Pat Wynn-Williams , for a deep dive into the glass. We’re tasting through an R&D American Pale Ale split between two heavy-hitters that we developed in the dry...

For over a century, brewing has relied on a narrow band of industrial yeast monocultures. But outside the lab, a different story has been quietly unfolding. In this episode of The Escarpment Labs Podcast , we explore the “living reservoir” of yeast diversity preserved by farmhouse brewers across Northern and Eastern Europe—and why it matters more than ever. We cover: What defines the newly identif...

Specially recorded for the Craft Brewers Conference (April 20-22nd, 2026) , this special episode of The Escarpment Labs Podcast features a conversation with Richard Preiss and John Leingang , Head Brewer of Nine Mile Brewing Co. in Bloomington, MN. With over a decade in the Minnesota craft beer scene—spanning everything from pouring pints to leading production—John brings a practical, taproom-firs...

How do you stay creative without losing control of your process? In this episode of The Escarpment Labs Podcast , we sit down with Steve Finnie and Niko Tonks from Little Thistle Brewing and Double Elbow Beer to explore how a taproom-focused brewery balances innovation with operational reality. From experimental releases to consistent core beers, this conversation dives into how decisions actually...

This episode drops on April Fools Day—but the lessons are no joke. In this solo episode of The Escarpment Labs Podcast , Richard reflects on a recent trip to England, including presenting at BeerX in Liverpool , visiting modern brewer Azvex , and touring the historic Fuller’s Brewery . From traditional cask ale to modern hazy beers, English brewing offers a pragmatic, process-first approach that s...

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 rel...