FrankenStout is Back!
What monster did we create!
In our WLP096 Franken Yeast Blend, we pitched all 96 strains in our Frakenstout recipe for an all-out brawl to see which yeast characteristics reign supreme in a one-of-a-kind unique beer.
Why 96 Strains?
At White Labs Brewing Co, We aim to showcase how yeast is responsible for so many characteristics of beer. From aroma, taste and flavor, each strain is like a different breed of dogs. Bringing something new to the table.
Packed full of different flavors and aromas, look for prominent Belgian and Saison yeast characteristics in the form of herbal spice, clove, and fruit. While other notes of maltiness range from caramel, toffee, to chocolate, and subtle smokiness come through from our cleaner strains such as WLP001 California Ale Yeast.
Taste and discover what yeast characteristics your find!
Inspiration from Science
This blend was inspired by our research with San Diego-based biotechnology companies Illumina and Synthetic Genomics to sequence and assemble the full genome of 96 of the company’s yeast strains to help foster the science and creativity that propels our industry.
Just like ancestry.com, we sequenced and genotyped 157 industrial Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeasts to learn about their history and how they evolved over time. Present-day industrial yeasts can be divided into five sublineages, Beer 1, Mixed, Beer 2, Wine, and Wild. By studying their gene code we can find similarities and differences on how each strain evolved in a specific area, i.e. Britain, U.S., and Germany.
We also learned what gene helps certain characteristics such as flocculation, the ability to clump together, or the POF gene, also known as Phenolic off-flavor sometimes smelling and tasting like band-aid or black pepper. A very common attribute in wild strains, or Belgian and Saison strains. Leading to endless possibilities for creating a perfect-tasting beer!
To read the research article, click here.
Be on the lookout for this strain in different beer styles and see how different strains flourish or ponder depending on the beer style and nutrients available!

Scope the Science
ABV: 8.8%
Tasting Notes:
Caramelized Banana| Caramel | Cocoa Nibs
Reference
Gallone et al., 2016, Cell 166, 1397–1410
September 8, 2016 ª 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2016.08.020