01/12/2026
Your dry hop timing is only half the equation.
We ran the experiment: Same wort. Same dry hop schedule. Different yeast.
Some strains dropped crystal clear. Others built haze that got stronger the later we dry hopped.
The difference is genetic—the HZY1 gene. It completely changes how your beer responds to dry hop timing, and how you might sharpen or reimagine your approach to IPAs.
Which strains make haze, which don't, and how timing changes everything 👇
Brief read, heaps of knowledge: https://hubs.la/Q03-mVqP0
11/25/2025
Quick shoutout to French Saison+, an Engineered take on the classic strain. We brought it to Perennial on Lockwood to create Massive Appreesh, a refreshing spelt saison without diastaticus. Link in comments for the full recipe and rundown on fret-free draft pours.
08/27/2025
Two hearts, one brew 💕🍻 We teamed up with our friends at to create Sweetheart — a Modern West Coast IPA brewed with our Daybreak V strain for a crisp, bright profile that’s full of Omega character. Taste what happens when passion, hops, and yeast come together.
07/30/2025
Our R&D team’s discovery of the HZY1 gene, which is responsible for yeast-derived haze in beer, has just earned the 2024 Eric Kneen Memorial Award from the Journal of the American Society of Brewing Chemists. This esteemed honor is awarded to the best paper of the year.
This research provides unprecedented insight into haze production. Whether your goal is enhancing clarity or stabilizing your hazy IPAs, you can hone in your recipes to perfect your haze game.
Head over to Top Crop to read more about the HZY1 discovery, or if you want to dive deep into the award-winning paper, it is currently open access (no membership needed). Links in comments.
Congrats to our teammates!
07/22/2025
Top Crop’s third print edition is now available for 50¢. Explore characterizing contaminants, the pinch points of NA beer production, and yeast strains that create acidity without bacteria and saisons without diastaticus. All that and a games section! Park yourself somewhere comfortable, turn off your screens, and broaden your mind. Link in bio.
06/20/2025
We’re looking for a Maintenance Specialist/Stationary Engineer to join our Chicago Lab. Check out the link in our bio for more info.
05/14/2025
Saison without diastaticus? Our newest PLUS strain, French Saison+ (OYL-438), provides a path to the classic style with control of attenuation and the risk of diastatic cross-contamination.
Now available to order for US Probrewers.
05/13/2025
Introducing Tartango, a citrusy Kveik strain capable of producing lactic acid on its own. Streamline your approach to tart summer sippers.
Now available to order for US Probrewers.
03/24/2025
Another opportunity with us! Link in bio.
02/27/2025
We're hiring! Link in bio to apply.
11/22/2024
Yesterday was our first snowy day of the season in Chicago ❄️☃️🍻
10/01/2024
Yeast is gassy by nature. When that gas builds up in a homebrew pack and causes it to swell, it can be a red flag to brewers. But what does it really mean, and is it always something bad? Top Crop discusses what's going on in there. Read more here.
The Bloated Homebrew Pack
You might be someone who avoids a bloated pack, but once it’s discounted, maybe it starts to look pretty good. Should you go for it? Why are some of us even suspicious of a swollen pack in the first place?