YOUR QUESTION ISN'T THERE?
You can contact our team of experts for any question concerning yeasts, our products or services and any other subject.
CATEGORIES
FAQ
ORDERING
How to order?
You can email us at commandes@levureslelabo.com or fill out our custom order form and specify the strain you want, the volume and the wort original gravity of the recipe you intend to use it in.
You can also order a specific quantity of cells if you know exactly what you need. Our online store also offers a selection of standardized products that are regularly in stock.
See our Ordering and Shipping page if you would like to know more.
How much yeast do I need?
We calculate your yeast needs according to the use you intend to make of it, i.e., according to the wort original gravity of your recipe, the volume of wort, the type of product you intend to make, and whether or not you intend to reuse the yeast.
If you are doing multiple brews, we recommend that you mention this as it influences the number of cells needed depending on the time and number of brews required to fill your fermenter. If you wish when placing an order, you can always specify the inoculation rate of your choice.
What is the advantage of selling yeast by the cell rather than by volume?
Due to the highly variable cell specific gravity between strains, selling our yeast by volume would be very impractical. The specific gravity varies greatly depending on the flocculation capacity of each strain, the cell size and the volume of yeast paste harvested from each production. Therefore, we prefer to sell our yeast by the cell count rather than by volume so that you get the most consistent results possible from one production to the next.
What is the size of your containers?
We usually ship our products in 0,5 to 99-litre containers depending on the number of cells you need and the cell density of the batch used. Our containers' volume may be subject to change in some specific cases.
How do I choose the right yeast for the style of beer I want to brew?
We suggest beer styles that can be brewed with each of our products. These styles are available in our catalogue or on the page of each strain on our online store. Please note that these are only suggestions: nothing prevents you from thinking outside the box and letting your imagination run wild!
Do not hesitate to contact us for advice in choosing a strain for a particular product !
Do you offer custom yeast blends?
We can make custom yeast blends or any other special request for a minimal additional charge. Simply provide us with the relevant information about your recipe (desired strains, proportions, specific gravity, brew volume) or the number of cells of each strain required in your blend and we will provide you with a formal quote.
Do you sell yeast in homebrew pitches?
Unfortunately, we do not presently sell yeast in homebrew pitches. However, our smallest available size, 0.5 hL, may meet the needs of some homebrewers.
We do offer samples for professional brewers wishing to do small-scale trials. If you are interested, please contact us at commandes@levureslelabo.com.
FERMENTATION AND USE
How should I store my yeast container?
We recommend storing our products between 0° C and 4° C and away from light to maximize their shelf life. An opened container should be used once to prevent any risk of contamination.
What is the shelf life of your products?
The shelf life of each yeast is indicated on the container’s label. This shelf life is valid if you keep your yeast in the recommended conditions, i.e., between 0° C and 4° C and away from light.
My yeast container is bloated, is it still good to use?
Some strains may have a residual metabolic activity once they are packaged for shipping. This metabolic activity comes with a slight gas formation and container bloating. In such a situation, we recommend sanitizing the cap, releasing the excess pressure by unscrewing the cap and then screwing it back on. When yeast is exposed to high pressure for long periods of time, it may cause stress and affect its performance when used.
Is it normal that my yeast pitch is not always the same colour?
The density of the yeast paste can have an impact on the colour of the yeast in a container. In addition, the composition of our culture media that we produce can have an impact on the coloration from batch to batch.
Which method is recommended for harvesting yeast?
There are as many methods of harvesting yeast as there are brewers. Regardless of the method used, the important thing is to harvest the yeast when its energy supply is at its peak. As a general rule, we recommend harvesting towards the end of the fermentation and removing the first few liters of yeast from the bottom of the tank if it is collected by the cone of the fermenter. We also recommend that you perform a cell count and viability measurement to validate that you will be harvesting enough viable cells for reuse in a future brew.
How do I harvest a low flocculent yeast?
Reusing a low-flocculating yeast strain can cause headaches for breweries due to its low cell density. In this case, we recommend harvesting the yeast after cooling down the fermenter in order to concentrate the cells and to accelerate their flocculation. Strains that do not flocculate well tend to lose viability and vitality more slowly than those with a good flocculation capacity. It is therefore possible to harvest them several days after cold crashing without significantly risking viability and vitality losses.
How do I harvest yeast from a hopped beer in a fermenter?
We recommend that you harvest the yeast prior to fermenting, as prolonged contact between the yeast and the hop particles can cause stress to the yeast, resulting in fermentation problems upon reuse.
Is your yeast gluten-free?
Our yeast is made from barley malt extract, a source of gluten. It is therefore possible to find traces of gluten in our products, hence the mention of the presence of gluten on their technical sheets.
QUALITY
What kind of quality control does Le Labo perform and where can I find this information?
We perform microbiological and biomolecular analyses on each batch produced to validate that they meet the standard specifications. If you need technical data sheets or quality certificates for our products, please contact us at commandes@levureslelabo.com.
Which quality controls do you perform to ensure that there are no diastatic yeasts in the non-diastatic yeasts you produce?
Our quality control by microbiological and biomolecular analysis allows us to identify the presence of diastatic yeast in our products so that you can have peace of mind when you do not want to have this type of yeast in your products.
OTHER SERVICES
Do you offer private strain banking?
We offer a private strain banking service at -80 °C to ensure long-term conservation. Contact us at commandes@levureslelabo.com if you would like to know more about this service.
Do you offer microbiological and physicochemical analysis services?
We do not perform microbiological or physicochemical analyses on finished products for clients.
However, we do offer purification, isolation and characterization of microbial flora by traditional microbiology as well as genetic identification of strains. If you would like to know more about these services, please contact us at commandes@levureslelabo.com.
We also offer a support and guidance service for all sectors of brewing production. Contact us at services@levureslelabo.com and our customer service will get back to you as soon as possible.
I need advice on a particular case. How can I contact you?
Send us an email at services@levureslelabo.com and our customer service will get back to you as soon as possible. You can also contact us by phone at 581-801-4027, extension 2.
