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Diamond Lager and NovaLager are two newer additions to the dry lager yeast market that address specific gaps left by the established W-34/70 and S-23 options. I’ve fermented Czech Pilsner and Helles wort splits with both to understand their performance characteristics, and both represent genuine advances in dry lager yeast quality that matter for homebrewers who want to produce competition-quality lagers without liquid yeast sourcing complexity.
Diamond Lager vs. NovaLager: key specifications compared
Lallemand Diamond Lager: Released by Lallemand in 2019 as a high-performance dry lager yeast targeting professional brewing quality. Attenuation: 78–84% (high, higher than W-34/70 in most fermentations). Flocculation: medium-high (compact settling). Alcohol tolerance: up to 14% ABV. Recommended temperature range: 10–20°C (50–68°F), with the ability to ferment at warmer temperatures (up to 20°C) with acceptable quality. Flavor profile: very clean, crisp lager character with minimal ester or off-flavor contribution. Diamond Lager’s distinguishing features: the high attenuation produces a drier, crisper finish than W-34/70 in equivalent recipes; the wider temperature range (ferments well at 18–20°C where W-34/70 produces more esters) enables “quick lager” protocols without dedicated refrigeration; and the high alcohol tolerance makes it suitable for high-gravity lager styles (Bock, Doppelbock, Baltic Porter) where W-34/70 may struggle. Omega NovaLager (OYL-114): Released by Omega Yeast Labs, available as liquid and later dry format. A Saccharomyces pastorianus strain selected for performance at warm lager temperatures and for minimal sulfur production, the latter being one of the most practically significant characteristics. Attenuation: 75–80%. Flocculation: high. Temperature range: 10–20°C, optimal 14–18°C. Flavor profile: clean lager character with notably lower sulfur production than W-34/70 and most other lager strains. Sulfur reduction is significant: W-34/70 produces a characteristic sulfur odor during active fermentation that dissipates in conditioning but can concern homebrewers who haven’t experienced it before; NovaLager’s minimal sulfur character means a cleaner-smelling fermentation and faster sulfur blow-off in finished beer. The reduced sulfur also means NovaLager requires a shorter cold conditioning period to reach clean, sulfur-free character in the finished beer.
Modern lager yeasts: when to use Diamond vs. NovaLager
Use Diamond Lager when: you need a dry lager yeast that performs at warmer temperatures (14–20°C) without the ester increase that limits W-34/70 above 15°C, or when high attenuation is required in high-gravity lager recipes. Diamond Lager at 18°C produces lager character that approaches W-34/70 at 10°C in clean-fermentation quality, it’s the primary reason some homebrewers without dedicated fermentation refrigeration can produce quality lagers. Best styles: Munich Helles at 18°C “quick lager” protocol (ferment 10–14 days at 18°C, cold condition at 4°C for 3–4 weeks), American light lager (clean, dry, crisp), Bock and Doppelbock (high alcohol tolerance handles the gravity). Use NovaLager when: you want the fastest turnaround to clean, sulfur-free lager character, or when the fermentation environment produces sulfur-containing compounds that linger in W-34/70 beers. NovaLager’s minimal sulfur production means finished beer requires less conditioning time to achieve clean character, a NovaLager Munich Helles may reach clean, ready-to-package quality in 4–5 weeks versus 6–8 weeks for W-34/70 in the same recipe. Best styles: Czech Pilsner and German Pilsner where sulfur-clean character is a key evaluation criterion; German Helles; and any lager style where you’re under time pressure and need the fastest clean result. Against W-34/70: Both Diamond Lager and NovaLager challenge W-34/70’s dominance in specific applications but neither replaces it across the full range of lager styles. W-34/70 remains the most thoroughly documented lager yeast for authentic German character at proper cold temperatures. Diamond and NovaLager are valuable additions to the dry lager yeast toolkit, not replacements.
Common Questions
Is the sulfur smell during W-34/70 fermentation normal and will it go away?
Yes, entirely normal and yes, it will go away. W-34/70 and most Saccharomyces pastorianus lager strains produce hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and other sulfur compounds during active fermentation, the characteristic “rotten egg” or “struck match” smell that concerns homebrewers who encounter it for the first time. This sulfur production is a metabolic byproduct of lager yeast’s sulfur amino acid metabolism at cold fermentation temperatures and is present in virtually all cold-fermented lagers, including commercial beers before packaging. The sulfur blows off during active CO2 production in open fermentation and during cold conditioning, by the time a properly conditioned lager is packaged, the sulfur compounds have oxidized or volatilized to below detectable thresholds. Factors that prolong sulfur in finished lager: insufficient conditioning time, packaging without adequate CO2 venting to carry away dissolved sulfur, warm conditioning that doesn’t allow sulfur compounds to slowly precipitate. Prevention: ensure adequate open fermentation (airlock should not trap sulfur back into beer) during active phase, extend cold conditioning to 6–8 weeks at 2°C rather than rushing to package, and make sure the finished beer has rested long enough that no sulfur is detectable before packaging. If sulfur is present in the packaged beer: transfer the keg and purge with CO2, then re-taste after 1 week, the CO2 purge helps carry dissolved sulfur out of solution. NovaLager’s low-sulfur characteristic specifically addresses this issue for homebrewers who find W-34/70’s sulfur fermentation concerning.
