Presenter: Kara M. Taylor, White Labs, Inc., San Diego, CA
Far too often people are encountering diacetyl in beers made
today. Many times, diacetyl is found in beers that should
stylistically have zero: pale ales, India pale ales, and double
IPAs. This style of beer, typically fermented with a clean profile
yeast strain, should have no diacetyl present, and yet more
and more cases are being found with a plethora of diacetyl.
One untested theory of the source of excess diacetyl is the
relationship between the fermentation and the addition of hops
after fermentation begins. What is the interaction between
added hops and krausen? Are hops helping with the transition
from acetolactate to diacetyl? Using controlled fermentations
and gas chromatography, we can make some determinations
about when diacetyl is forming and suggest how it can be
prevented in dry-hopped beers.
Kara Taylor received a B.S. degree in biology from Loyola
Marymount University in Los Angeles, CA. She began
employment at White Labs in San Diego, CA, in 2009 as a
yeast laboratory technician. Since 2011, she has functioned as
the analytical laboratory specialist in White Lab’s analytical
laboratory. She is a member of MBAA and ASBC and serves on
multiple subcommittees.
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