## 4 Conclusions  
The findings of this study demonstrate that yeast selection has a significant impact on fermentation performance, filtration efficiency, and the stability of non-alcoholic beer (NAB). The yeast strains investigated (LA-01, LoNa, and W-34/70) exhibited notable differences in fermentation activity, cell viability, and flocculation, which directly influenced key beer parameters. Post-fermmentation cell viability varied considerably among strains, with maltose-negative yeasts LA-01 and LoNa showing significantly lower viability (55.6% and 53.4%, respectively) compared to the bottom-fermenting strain W-34/70 (88.4%). This difference can be attributed to the limited sugar uptake of maltose-negative yeasts, leading to early nutrient depletion and increased cell mortality. Consequently, LA-01 and LoNa produced substantially lower alcohol concentrations (0.53% and 0.56% vol., respectively) than W-34/70 (2.33% vol.). Filtration trials revealed distinct differences in efficiency across filter sheet types (FIBRAFIC(r) AF 11, AF 31, AF 71, and AF 101 filter sheets). Highly flocculating yeast, such as W-34/70 [29], resulted in lower turbidity in the filtrate, whereas the non- to moderately flocculating yeasts (LA-01 and LoNa [27,28]) exhibited significantly higher turbidity levels (Figure 2). The AF 11 filter proved particularly ineffective, yielding insufficient clarification. In contrast, filter pads AF 31, AF 71, and AF 101 successfully reduced turbidity below 2 EBC, ensuring visually clear beers [18,45]. Despite effective filtration, substantial changes in turbidity were observed during storage. All NABs exhibited an increase in haze over two weeks, particularly in beers fermented with LA-01 and LoNa, where an initial turbidity decrease due to potential sedimentation was followed by a subsequent rise. Even W-34/70, which exhibited low turbidity post-filtration, showed an increase in haze over time. These results highlight the necessity of stabilization measures (e.g., PVPP or silica gel) to maintain optical clarity in NABs [11,18,64]. Nevertheless, certain limitations must be acknowledged. The storage stability trials in this study were limited to a two-week period under refrigerated conditions, which does not fully reflect real-world distribution or retail scenarios. The absence of sensory analysis restricts conclusions regarding flavor retention or loss, particularly with regard to esters and hop volatiles. Furthermore, while turbidity measurements were used to evaluate filtration performance and storage stability, the composition of haze-forming particles (e.g., proteins, polyphenols, \(\beta\)-glucans) was not quantified, limiting mechanistic interpretation. Future research should address these limitations by expanding storage durations, applying forced aging protocols, and integrating sensory and compositional analyses. Additionally, investigations into enzymatic treatments, alternative filter media (e.g., mem branes, crossflow), and bio-based stabilizers may provide further avenues for optimizing NAB clarity, flavor, and shelf stability. Developing such integrated approaches will help brewers meet the increasing demand for high-quality NABs while ensuring consistent process performance and product appeal. Conceptualization, C.S., J.M. and S.L. ; methodology, C.S. and S.L. ; validation, C.S., J.M. and S.L. ; formal analysis, C.S., M.A. and R.S. ; investigation, C.S., M.A., A.M., B.P.G. and R.S. ; resources, J.M. and S.L. ; data curation, C.S., M.A., B.P.G., R.S. and S.L. ; writing--original draft preparation, C.S. ; writing--review and editing, C.S., J.M. and S.L. ; visualization, C.S. and S.L. ; supervision, C.S. and S.L. ; project administration, C.S., J.M. and S.L. ; funding acquisition, J.M. and S.L. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. The authors would like to acknowledge USDA NIFA grant #2022-70410-38443 for funding the GC-MS/MS used in this research.