Broadcast Date: June 17, 2025
View the On-Demand Webinar
Webinar Summary
What causes haze in beer—and how can it be managed? In this webinar, we’ll explore the science behind beer haze - diving into the origins and implications of haze; offering both cutting-edge research findings and practical tools for brewers.
Roger Barth will then present “The Chemistry of Protein–Polyphenol Interactions”—the main drivers behind physical haze. Attendees will gain a clear understanding of the difference between stable and unstable haze, the factors that influence it, and the analytical tools used to study it. This portion will highlight how a deeper knowledge of these interactions can lead to more consistent beer quality, featuring case studies and real-world strategies for haze control.
Laura Burns will expand upon her research “Discovering the Haze-Positive Gene (Hzy1)” revealing the discovery of the Hzy1 gene, a breakthrough in understanding haze formation at the molecular level. Using a combined proteomics and genetics approach, this segment will walk through the methods used to identify haze-positive traits and explain the significance of this discovery for haze management in brewing. The session will also explore how dry hop timing influences haze expression, backed by experimental data and optimization strategies that brewers can apply to achieve desired haze levels.
Whether you're crafting hazy IPAs or aiming for brilliantly clear lagers, this session will equip you with the scientific foundation and applied techniques to better understand and manage haze in beer.
Learning Objectives
- An overview of haze, encompassing its different forms, contributing factors, and the analytical methods used to assess it
- How the choice of yeast strain and the timing of dry hopping can be optimized to control haze in modern IPAs
- A summary of recent research revealing the genetic basis of yeast-derived haze, including the identification of the HZY1 gene
About the Presenters
Moderator: Spencer Weeks
Laura Burns
Director of Research, Omega Yeast
Laura Burns, Ph.D. is the Director of Research and Development at Omega Yeast. After studying stress responses in
Saccharomyces cerevisiae for her graduate thesis at Vanderbilt University, she decided the best place to apply this knowledge was in brewing. She worked in production brewing for five years as Head Brewer and Director of Quality Assurance before heading back to the bench at Omega Yeast. Her undeniable curiosity drives her to tackle difficult questions that brewers face daily.
Roger Barth
Professor Emeritus, West Chester University
Roger Barth was born in New York City. He attended public schools in Levittown, Pennsylvania and got his Bachelor’s degree from La Salle College in Philadelphia. He was awarded a doctorate in Physical Chemistry at the Johns Hopkins University. After working at UOP Inc. in Des Plaines, Illinois, he did postdoctoral work at University of Delaware and at Drexel University. He has been teaching chemistry at West Chester University of Pennsylvania since 1985, and Chemistry of Beer since 2009. Dr. Barth is an accomplished home brewer. He and his wife, Marcy, a graphic designer, live with two cats in West Goshen, Pennsylvania. They have three grown children.
