Episode Details

Scott Selix of Lua in Des Moines, Iowa, started his career as a brewer before leaving for law school. After a brief stint as an attorney, the gravitational pull of the brewing world ultimately proved too strong for him to overcome. Now at Lua, he has the freedom to explore the creative front edge of progressive styles such as hazy IPA while also delving into low-ABV pale lagers—which, he admits, he and the brew team largely brew for themselves.

In this episode, Selix discusses:

• pushing the limits of hazy IPA with 65 percent adjunct malt
• testing new approaches and constantly updating their core hazy IPA
• nailing the visual appeal of hazy beer
• balancing sweetness, fullness, and bitterness
• launching THC beverage brand Climbing Kites
• designing the brewhouse for decoction and step-mashing
• minimizing hot-side aeration with low-DO techniques
• cereal-mashing with local grain
• brewing 2.5 percent ABV table lager with Strisselspalt hops
• what “rustic” means in the lager context
• serving lager with lime in a frozen mug
  

And more.

This episode is brought to you by:

G&D Chillers
G&D’s new Elite 290 Micro-series runs on a natural refrigerant with near-zero global warming potential (GWP)—built for brewers who care about sustainability and performance. We recently built one for New Belgium Brewing, delivering around 50 percent energy savings over CO₂ systems and 9 percent more efficiency than A2Ls. That’s real-world impact from a brewery that knows what it takes. With 24/7 support and remote monitoring, your cold side stays dialed in—day or night. Learn more about sustainable chiller solutions at gdchillers.com/podcast.

Berkeley Yeast

Here’s a brewer’s nightmare. It’s the night before packaging. You walk into the brewery, straight to the tank. You pull a sample to do a forced diacetyl test, and you wait for it in silence. Something feels not quite right. You reach into the water bath and bring the flask to your nose … And it’s a butter bomb. The logistics start running through your head. Do we hold the tank? We have accounts waiting. How many days until it clears? And then you wake up and remember that you use Berkeley Yeast’s FRESH™ Chico. It’s got ALDC inside every cell, so diacetyl can’t even form in the first place. Through primary. Through dry hopping and hop creep. Diacetyl stays ultra-low. So you don’t have to add ALDC or wait for diacetyl to clean up. And most importantly, you don’t have to wake up in a cold sweat, worrying about scary stories like these. FRESH™ Chico is now available in dried bricks for as low as $88 at berkeleyyeast.com.

PakTech

This episode is sponsored by PakTech—delivering craft-beer multipacking you can trust. Our handles are made from 100 percent recycled plastic and are fully recyclable, helping breweries close the loop and advance the circular economy. With a minimalist design, durable functionality you can rely on, and custom color matching, our carriers help brands stand out while staying sustainable. Trusted by craft brewers nationwide, we offer a smarter, sustainable way to carry your beer. To learn more, visit paktech-opi.com.

Indie Hops

Oregon hop country is heaven to world-class lager varieties, and Indie Hops is proud to