Episode 166 - w/ Luis of Level Up , Raul of Solorio, and Leo of Steady

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.