About TROPICS™
TROPICS™ strains are engineered to pack a tropical punch reminiscent of the finest southern–hemisphere hops but without the astringent burn that reduces drinkability. Huge notes of guava and passionfruit and a hint of grapefruit will make any beer a top–seller.
Receiving and Storage
Once you receive the yeast, take the cube containers out of the box and place them in the fridge. If there is any swelling of the containers, simply crack the lid and press on the container to degas, and quickly reseal the container while maintaining positive pressure. We recommend receiving the yeast the day before you brew. Use the yeast as soon as possible. After 1 week, the yeast may lag. After 2 weeks, there could be other negative effects.
Getting the Most Out of TROPICS™
Hops & Additives
- Stick with hops that complement tropical fruit character.
- Avoid spicy, herbal, or vegetative varieties that you wouldn’t ordinarily add to hop-forward IPA—no Saaz and no mash hopping is required with TROPICS™.
Three Common Approaches to Using TROPICS™:
1. Cost Savings and Sustainability
- Lower your hop bill (<2 lbs/BBL)
- Increase yields
- Let the yeast do the heavy lifting
2. Increased Sensory Impact
- Use 2–6 lbs/BBL of hops
- Let TROPICS™ layer in additional tropical depth
3. Further Elevate Thiol Expression
- Add TROPICS BOOST™
Recommended Hops
- Krush
- Mosaic
- Peacharine
- Citra
- Galaxy
- Motueka
- Nelson Sauvin (note: can push in a diesel/boxwood direction)
- Idaho 7
- Other fruit-forward hops
Avoid These in TROPICS™ Beers
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Hops to avoid:
- Noble hops: Saaz, Tettnang, Spalt, Hallertauer Mittelfrüh
- Any hops not typical in an IPA
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Other considerations:
- Grape skin products – minimal effect, may introduce grape and woody flavors
- Copper finings – bind thiols and mute flavor; use only as a last resort to fix sulfur
Hop Timing & Application
No need for mash hopping with TROPICS™.
TROPICS™ yeast produces all of the enzymes necessary to convert precursors in barley and hops into flavor-active thiols.
Dry hopping timing matters:
- If repitching, wait to dry hop until after harvest. View our Yeast Harvesting Best Practices for more helpful tips.
- Want more punch while still repitching? Use TROPICS BOOST™.
Enhance with TROPICS BOOST™
For maximum tropical expression, add TROPICS BOOST™, an all-natural thiol precursor supplement.
- For best results, add TROPICS BOOST™ to chilled wort within 24 hours of pitching yeast
- Recommended dosage: 50–100 mL/BBL
-
High intensity: 200+ mL/BBL
*At high doses, the beer may become overly thiol-forward.
Grain Bill Guidelines
Choose base malts high in thiol precursors:
- Pilsner
- Pale malt
Avoid darker kilned malts—they reduce tropical character.
No need for mash hopping or unusual mash profiles.
Fermentation Guidelines
| Temperature: | 66–68°F |
| Aeration: | 8–12 ppm O₂ at knockout (increase for high gravity beers) |
| Pitch Rate: | See table below |
Pitch Rates by Yeast Type & Gravity
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Ales (except Vermont):
- <18 °P → 750,000 cells/mL/°P
- 18–20 °P → 1,250,000 cells/mL/°P
- ≥21 °P → 1,500,000 cells/mL/°P
-
Vermont:
- <18 °P → 1,000,000 cells/mL/°P
- 18–20 °P → 1,700,000 cells/mL/°P
- ≥21 °P → 2,000,000 cells/mL/°P
-
Lagers:
- <18 °P → 1,500,000 cells/mL/°P
- 18–20 °P → 2,000,000 cells/mL/°P
- ≥21 °P → 2,500,000 cells/mL/°P
Repitching
TROPICS™ can be repitched with consistent flavor results, even when TROPICS BOOST™ is added.
Refer to our Yeast Harvesting Best Practices guide to ensure strong harvests and repeatable fermentations.
