We put together this beer experiement. A 4-gallon IPA base split into three 1-gallon fermenters, each pitched with a different dry yeast from Lallemand (Lalbrew): Verdant IPA, New England East Coast Ale, and Pomona Modern Hybrid IPA. We wanted to see how each yeast transformed the same wort. The short answer is yes, there were big differences. See our tasting video for more information.
Recipe Rundown & Fermentation Notes
Batch Size: 4 gallons
Grain Bill:
8 lbs (3.6kg) Pilsner malt
1 lb (0.45 kg) Flaked barley
0.5 lb (0.23 kg) Flaked wheat
Brewing Salts Addition:
3 grams gypsum (added to the boil) – I used 7 gallons of spring water.
Hops:
Bittering:
1 oz Magnum (12.2% AA) (60 minutes left in the boil)
Whirlpool (wort cooled to 180°F):
14 g Azacca Cryo Hops (20.9% AA)
28 g Bravo Hops (14.7% AA)
28 g Cashmere Hops (7.9% AA)
28 g Nectaron Hops (9.8% AA)
Dry hopped (24 hours at 33°F or 1°C)
3.5 g Azacca Cryo Hops (20.9% AA)
7 g Cashmere Hops (7.9% AA)
7 g Nectaron Hops (9.8% AA)
Yeast & Fermentation
Wort was split into three 1-gallon batches.
5 grams of yeast added to each vessel
Fermented for a week at 72°F (22°C)
Cold crashed for a day then dry hopped then packaged
Verdant IPA Yeast: Final Gravity 1.014
New England IPA Yeast: Final Gravity 1.012
Pomona Yeast: Final Gravity 1.010
Yeast Profiles & Tasting Notes
Verdant IPA
Verdant was soft, round, and balanced—bringing a mellow floral and citrus hop character. The mouthfeel was creamy and the finish smooth, with no harshness at all. It’s a reliable choice for a classic New England IPA profile.
New England East Coast Ale (Conan/Burlington)
The East Coast strain landed squarely between the others, with a more noticeable fruit character than Verdant but far less intensity than Pomona. We picked up soft stone fruit and floral citrus notes that reminded us of Heady Topper. It had a round mouthfeel with just the right touch of hop punch.
Pomona
Pomona finished the driest and delivered an intense lemon-lime citrus punch that stood out sharply from the others. It leaned into artificial citrus territory—like lemon pledge mixed with juicy fruit gum. This yeast could shine with the right hop combo.
Yeast Quick Notes
| Yeast | Mouthfeel | Fruit/Bitter Balance | Best If You Want… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pomona | Dry, sharp citrus | Lemon-lime blast | Citrus-heavy, bold flavors |
| Verdant | Round, creamy | Mellow tropical | Soft, balanced IPAs |
| East Coast (New England) | In-between texture | Subtle, fruity citrus | Traditional NEIPA softness with hop punch |
Final Thoughts
Never stop experimenting. Try comparisons like this Lalbrew yeast showdown to learn more about how certain ingredients perform.
Thanks for reading and BREW ON!
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