Brewing a Global Icon: Inside Heineken’s A-Yeast and H41 (with Willem Van Waesberghe)

What does it take to oversee the yeast, science, and flavour profile of one of the world's most recognizable lagers?

In this episode of the Escarpment Labs Podcast, Richard sits down with Willem Van Waesberghe, Global Master Brewer at Heineken. Together, they trace the profound impact Heineken has had on global lager brewing, starting with the fascinating history and genetics of the legendary Heineken A-yeast strain.

Willem also takes us behind the scenes of two groundbreaking projects: the development of H41—a unique lager brewed using Saccharomyces eubayanus, the rare mother strain of lager yeast—and the Heineken Studio, where his team experiments with innovative blending techniques and mixed fermentations.

If you’re interested in scaling a clean lager, fascinated by wild yeast genetics, or curious about how legacy brands push the boundaries of modern brewing, this conversation will bridge historic scale with cutting-edge experimentation.