510: Will Perry of False Idol Brews New Beer Styles with an Old Soul

Stop by the False Idol taproom in North Richland Hills, Texas, and you’ll find a long list of well-made lagers and IPAs, but for head brewer Will Perry, the real fun starts in the corners of the menu where he has space to play. The results speak for themselves, with three GABF medals in saison and pastry stout categories over the past two years, as well as a Craft Beer & Brewing top 20 beer in 2023.

In this episode, Perry discusses:

• building malt layers in barrel-aged stout
• syncing barrel residency time with finishing gravity
• managing difficult infusions with nut varieties
• high-concentration maceration using ingredients in a brink
• the impact of various types of vanilla
• blending saison yeasts for ideal fermentation character
• leaning into seasonal ingredients for different saison expressions
• the approach behind House of Zest, their recent GABF gold-medal-winning saison
• keg and bottle conditioning
  

And more.

This episode is brought to you by:

G&D Chillers
G&D’s new Elite 290 Micro-series is built for brewers who care about sustainability and performance. It runs on a natural refrigerant with near-zero global warming potential (GWP), has a compact footprint, and features variable-speed fans for efficiency. We’ve chilled beer for more than 3,000 breweries across North America, and with 24/7 support and remote monitoring, your cold side stays dialed in—day or night. Get the details on natural-refrigerant technology at gdchillers.com/podcast.

Berkeley Yeast

At the World Beer Cup this year: Gold for West Coast IPA; Gold for Session IPA; Bronze, Silver, and Gold for New Zealand IPA; Bronze, Silver, and Gold for Classic IPA. All these beers were fermented with one yeast: FRESH™ Chico, Berkeley’s low-diacetyl ale yeast. There’s something you need to know: Diacetyl isn’t just a pass or a fail. Yes, at high levels, it’s tragically bad. But even at low levels, it masks the good flavors. So if you want hop notes to pop, you need diacetyl to be ultra-low. These brewers trust Berkeley Yeast for an ultra-clean fermentation because on the finals table, every little detail matters. And now FRESH™ Chico is 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 have introduced Oregon’s newest lager hop, Lórien, in 2022. Lórien is in a growing list of beers that have found their way to the podium and—more importantly—into the hearts of lager lovers across the country. Discover Indie Hops Lórien. (Side effects may include rampant festivity, sales bumps, and exceeded expectations.) Indie Hops—Life Is Short. Let’s Make It Flavorful.

Midea 50/50 Flex

This podcast is sponsored by the Midea 50/50 flex—the industry’s first dual-compartment three-way convertible freezer. The 50/50 Flex is designed to flex with your life. It can convert to all fridge, all freezer, or half and half with just the touch of a button. Plus, with its reversible doors and adjustable storage compartments, you can stay organized no matter your food-storage needs. The 50/50 Flex is also designed to maintain a stable temperature even in non-climate-controlled spaces. So it’s perfect for your garage, man cave, or wherever you need a little more space. Maybe use all 20 cubic feet as a beer fridge! Check out Midea.com/us/ for more information on how to take your beer storage to the next level.

ADM
Today’s episode is proudly sponsored by ADM. Great beverages start with great ideas. At ADM, science, innovation, and nature come together to help brewers craft exceptional drinking experiences. From premium hop solutions to advanced-ingredient technologies, we help elevate flavor, consistency, and product differentiation. Whether you’re pursuing your next flagship beer or developing an entirely new beverage concept, we bring the expertise and partnership needed to turn vision into reality. ADM is where nature meets precision. Discover more at adm.com/alcohol.

John I. Haas
Advanced liquid hop products from John I. Haas are giving brewers new ways to shape flavor and streamline production—without the vegetative matter that comes with traditional hop additions. In the whirlpool, Incognito delivers concentrated, variety-specific hop flavor and aroma. Prysma goes further—usable in the whirlpool or fermentor, with post-filtration dosing that can turn a single base beer into different finished products. And in the bright tank, Euphorics adds hop-oil-based flavor to finished beer and alternative beverages, with 14 unique flavor profiles. The portfolio also includes process tools such as Hop Haze and HopAid antifoam, for brewers solving specific technical challenges. Explore the full lineup of our advanced products at johnihaas.com.

Scott Laboratory
This episode is brought to you by Scott Laboratories. Whether you’re making beer, nonalcoholic beer, or other ready-to-drink beverages, Scott Laboratories offers products and technical expertise for preventing microbial spoilage and ensuring shelf-stability. We have a complete filtration portfolio that spans sheet, lenticular, cartridge, and crossflow filtration. In addition, we are the exclusive U.S. distributor of Velcorin®, a microbial control solution used during packaging and trusted by beverage producers for more than 40 years. We are also excited to introduce Nagardo®, a new microbial stabilizer naturally derived from mushroom glycolipids. It’s pH compatibility and persistent formulation make it ideal for stabilizing NA beer on draft, a category that has historically been difficult to protect from microbial concerns. To learn more about Scott Laboratories, please visit ScottLab.com.