EXP666 is an experimental brewing yeast strain developed through a collaboration between Escarpment Laboratories (Canada), White Labs (USA & Denmark) and Lallemand Brewing (Canada). The project gives selected breweries early access to a new Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain designed specifically for hop-forward beers.
Michael
This project is a three-way collab between Escarpment lab, White Labs and Lallemand. It’s not often that these three come together on a project so that in itself is quite intriguing.
Generally we are pretty open and excited to try something new, the possibility of discovering something new or achieving a slightly different result is really motivating.
It's an honor for us to be selected as one of the few breweries in Europe to be a part of this trial.
Unfortunately I haven't been able to try it yet, as I'm currently down in NZ at Hop Harvest and brewing a couple of collabs. Hopefully the crew will save me a can or 2 for when I get back.
Judit
The name of the experimental strain is EXP666 which obviously stood out as the number of the beast. At the same time, we wanted to highlight the fact that this is a thiol-forward yeast.
In catalan, thiol is “tiol”; therefore Bestiola seemed such a good fit. Bestiola means “little beast” in catalan. All credit to Adrià for coming up with that one!
Greg (White Labs Copenhagen)
What makes EXP666 exciting is its ability to enhance hop aroma through biotransformation. During fermentation, the yeast can release thiols, highly aromatic compounds that contribute expressive notes such as white grape, blackcurrant, grapefruit, and tropical fruit. This allows brewers to amplify hop character and create very vibrant aromatic profiles.
From a brewer’s perspective, it’s an opportunity to experiment with a new strain to explore how yeast can shape hop expression. For beer drinkers, it means discovering beers that push hop aroma and flavour in new directions.
We first met the DosKiwis team a few years ago at Mash in Barcelona, one of our favourite beer festivals in Europe, and we were immediately impressed by the quality and character of their beers.
Since then, we visited them and followed their work and have always appreciated their creativity and their deep appreciation for hop-driven styles. They consistently produce expressive, modern beers and have a strong reputation for experimentation and quality, which makes them an ideal brewery to help showcase what an experimental yeast like EXP666 can do.
One of the most exciting parts of this project is seeing how different breweries interpret the same yeast strain.
EXP666 is particularly suited for hop-forward beers like aromatic IPAs, and brewers can influence the final result through hop selection, dry hopping timing, fermentation temperature, and recipe design. Because of that, we expect to see a wide range of beers that all highlight different aspects of the yeast’s thiol-driven character.
We’re especially looking forward to seeing how breweries combine the strain with different hop varieties and brewing techniques to bring out those vibrant tropical and white grape aromatics.
More broadly, projects like this help strengthen the connection between yeast developers/selecters, brewers, and beer drinkers. They allow brewers to be part of the innovation process while giving drinkers a chance to experience new brewing tools before they reach the wider market.
Bestiola Hazy IPA
Hops: Nelson Sauvin Cryo, Citra (hand-selected), and Riwaka
Hazy IPA, 6.3%
Bright yellow in the glass with aromas of fresh lime, hints of peach, melon and a delicate floral note reminiscent of rosewater.
On the palate, the mouthfeel is light and balanced, with flavors of grape juice and carrying gentle citrus tones that lean more toward orange and mandarin juice rather than sharp zest. It drinks smoothly and effortlessly, with a balanced profile.
The finish is soft and lightly woody with a very restrained bitterness that lets the fruit and citrus notes linger cleanly. As the beer warms up, a lasting note of pine and light diesel from the Riwaka starts making an appearance.
Buy Bestiola
