Episode 166 brings a lively roundtable with Mike and special guests Raul (Solorio), Leo (Steady), and Luis (Level Up). The group discusses their beers entered in the California Craft Brewers Cup—from Mexican lagers and Irish reds to hazies, fruit fruited ales, and creative seltzers—plus brewing techniques, recipe tweaks, fermentation strategy, and competition preparation. They share stories about airline travel mishaps, brewery tours, and local industry camaraderie, and highlight standout beers like Gottsoul (Mexican lager), Mr. Ed’s (Irish Red), Juicebox Hero (hazy IPA), and experimental pours including ube and pineapple fruited brews.

Listeners can expect behind-the-scenes insights on dialling in recipes for competitions, how judges’ feedback shapes future batches, the challenges of running and scaling a brewery, the importance of community among California brewers, and light-hearted banter full of tasting notes and friendly bets on who will medal. The episode is equal parts technical, inspirational, and entertaining, featuring real brewer stories, tasting reactions, and the camaraderie that pushes local craft beer forward.

Host Mike sits down with Will Perry of False Idol Brewing (North Richland Hills, DFW) for a lively episode about starting a brewery during COVID, False Idol’s laid-back “wolf den” vibe, named tanks (Shoresy, Regina George), and the cans and collabs that made the visit memorable.

They cover Will’s brewing journey (Oklahoma, Denver, Colorado Springs), False Idol’s core beers and rotating lineup (West Coast IPAs like To Live and Die in LA, Ragnarok, Blue Magic, pilsners and saisons), hop and process preferences (Nectaron, Thor, Simcoe, Citra), and the brewery’s recent GABF medals and World Beer Cup entries.

Expect brewery stories, tough brew days, taproom culture, hop-harvest anecdotes, recommendations for visitors to DFW, and why False Idol is a must-stop for travelers and locals alike.

Episode 164 features Brian “Herbie” Herbertson, head brewer at Lucky Luke Brewing (Santa Clarita, Palmdale, Lancaster). Mike and Herbie dig into his path from homebrewing and touring with bands to commercial brewing, winning awards, and pivoting through COVID to grow Lucky Luke’s three locations.

The conversation covers brewing philosophy and techniques (yeast management, tank scheduling), favorite hops and styles (Simcoe, Eldorado, HBC 630, Dulcita; lagers, West Coast IPAs, hazies), balancing creativity with consistency, and industry trends like lower‑ABV session lagers. They also discuss community-focused initiatives — local music, food trucks, fundraisers, disc golf collaborations — and brewery identity (tap handle tools, song‑inspired beer names).

Highlights include stories from memorable brew days and events, Herbie’s favorite beers and guilty pleasures, his Mount Rushmore of influential breweries, and why craft brewers should engage their neighborhoods to build sustainable brands. Expect a friendly, wide‑ranging chat about beer, music, pizza, and life in the brew house.