468: Chris O’Connor of Prost and the Quest for Undeniable Helles and Pils

Chris O’Connor, VP of brewing operations at Prost in Northglenn, Colorado, has built a career on being a process nerd. He spent a decade in engineering for the pharmaceutical industry before switching gears and following his passion for brewing. His analytical approach to colllecting data, testing, and questioning conventional logic is a big part of what drives quality at Prost’s award-winning lager program. The success spans three Great American Beer Festival medals in the past three years, including silver for Prost Pilsner in 2023 and two golds in 2025, for Schwarzbier and Viennal Lager.

Despite that success, the production team recently made a leap, moving to a new house lager yeast—the Augustiner strain, instead of 34/70. In this episode, O’Connor discusses that careful process, plus:

• huskless endosperm mashing for a refined lager profile
• taking advantage of Prost’s fully customized, five-vessel Kaspar Schulz brewhouse
• an intentional, eight-step decoction process—and completely changing it to accomodate a new yeast strain
• why they use “marine-blade” custom rakes to agitate the mash and decoctions
• using a vacuum-evaporation process after the kettle to drive off DMS precursors and other volatiles
• open fermentation and the impact of tank geometry
• using blind tasting, polls, and sales data to evaluate lagers made with the new yeast
• the palpable difference in sulfur impact from the 34/70 and Augustiner strains

Ultimately, despite brewing traditional styles using traditional methods, O’Connor’s view is that no process is sacred—challenge everything, test, observe, and always be ready to change.

G&D Chillers
The Craft Brewers Conference is coming up April 20 through 23, 2026—and G&D Chillers will be there. If you’re heading to CBC, swing by and talk shop with the folks who know brewery operations inside and out. G&D’s biggest strength isn’t just the equipment—it’s our deep understanding of how a brewery runs. From cellar layout to production flow, our team brings decades of hands-on experience to every install and every conversation. Whether you’re running a single-stage 5H unit or scaling up with a Vertical Air Chiller, G&D builds systems that are reliable, efficient, and built to last. Because when your chiller’s solid, your beer stays cold—and your operation stays on track. Plan your visit at gdchillers.com/podcast—and come see us at CBC, Booth 1518.

Berkeley Yeast
Berkeley Yeast just launched Dry Tropics London! Our best-selling liquid yeast strain, now with all the ease-of-use benefits of dry yeast. Dry Tropics London delivers the soft, pillowy mouthfeel and juicy character you’d expect from a top-tier London Ale strain, but with a serious upgrade: a burst of thiols that unleash vibrant, layered notes of grapefruit and passion fruit. A lot of brewers love the clean passion fruit you get from Tropics, but they don’t want every IPA to be a tropical-fruit bomb. At the dry yeast price point, you can pitch and ditch without breaking the bank. Or, you can co-pitch with your house strain to adjust the intensity of the notes. And with nationwide free shipping, there’s never been a better time to try Dry Tropics. Order now at berkeleyyeast.com and experience the ease and impact of Dry Tropics London Yeast.

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
Taste the flavors of Indie Hops at CBC this year in Philly! Fourteen incredible beers will showcase Strata, Luminosa, Lórien, and Audacia—plus our most promising new experimental hop IH19082 in a single-hop XPA! Experience our newest hop, Audacia, in an IPA by Grand Fir, a hoppy lager by Meanwhile, and a hazy by Worthy Brewing. Explore the wonders of Strata in IPAs from Odell, Russian River, Grains of Wrath, and Grand Fir. Refresh your palate with the crisp summery flavors of Lórien in an Italian pils by Sun River and a Mexican lager by Hold Out. And bask in the “liquid sunshine” magic of Luminosa with an IPA from Fort George. Check out the full CBC beer lineup at www.indiehops.com and plan to stop by our booth #926. We’ll be as happy to see you as you’ll be that you made the effort! Indie Hops—Life is short, let’s make it flavorful.

Midea 50/50 Flex
If you’re like many podcast listeners, you’ve got a lot of beers at home, and your regular fridge is at capacity. Enter the Midea 50/50 Flex—the industry’s first dual compartment three-way convertible freezer. Here’s what all that means for you: options! The 50/50 has the power to be all freezer, all fridge, or a little bit of both. But you’ll probably want to use those 20 cubic feet as a massive, garage-ready beer fridge. You can also change which side the door is on or how you want the shelves to be arranged—the 50/50 totally flexes to fit your life. Plus, it’s designed to maintain a stable temperature even in non-climate-controlled conditions—so you can crack a cold one even on the warmest days in the man cave. Take your garage to the next level! Check out Midea.com/us/ to get more info about this game changer today. Cheers!

Old Orchard
The beyond-beer space is booming, and Old Orchard is here for it, supplying breweries with fruit ingredients for all your beverage needs: low/no alcohol, hard lemonades, seltzer, cider, and more. Old Orchard has supplied hundreds of industrial customers across 49 states, including nationally and internationally loved brands, so you'll be in good company. More information and free samples are waiting at oldorchard.com/brewer.

ADM
Are you ready to shake up the beverage world? ADM is passionate about helping you craft your next breakthrough. From cutting edge natural ingredients like hops to advanced technologies, ADM brings together science and creativity to elevate taste, quality, and recipe design. Whether you’re developing a beer innovation or a bold new flavor experience, ADM is your trusted partner in innovation. Let’s create something extraordinary—because the future of beer and brewing starts with inspired ideas and exceptional expertise. ADM is where nature meets precision! Learn more at adm.com/alcohol

Arryved
Running a brewery means juggling a lot—managing production, serving guests, selling online, and keeping everything moving behind the scenes. That’s where Arryved comes in. What started as a point-of-sale system has grown into the technology your brewery runs on—built specifically for the teams behind great beer. Unlike generic systems, Arryved brings together taproom service, online sales, brewery management, payments, reporting, and growth tools into one complete platform. So instead of bouncing between systems, you can brew, serve, and sell—all in one place. See it in action at CBC 2026, Booth 1626, or visit arryved.com to learn more.

Ss Brewtech
Pumps are critical to any advanced homebrewing setup. From mash recirculation to wort transfer, and even for cleaning, a quality pump is a key part of every brew day. The Ss Brew Pump from Ss Brewtech is engineered to tackle even the messiest brew days. Featuring an IP55 water resistance rating, an easy-to-use DIN head with 360-degree rotation, and a flow rate of up to 11 gallons per minute, it has the power to keep your brew day moving. Visit www.SsBrewtech.com/Pump to learn more about how the Ss Brew Pump can upgrade your homebrewery.