Tighthead Brewing: “Hop Candy” IPAs, Cask Ales, and Bringing Pub Culture to Illinois

Learn how Tighthead is bringing cask-ale pub culture to Illinois and how they make IPAs that changed Cody’s entire perspective on beer. Plus: hear a traditional rugby song!

Tighthead Brewing Company Owner/Brewer Bruce Dir and Brewmaster Billy Oaks share the fascinating story behind their Mundelein, Illinois brewery, from rugby roots and homebrewing origins to crafting balanced, award-winning beers. They discuss everything from scaling up recipes and mastering pub culture to developing new hemp-infused beverages.

They share their humble beginnings from the Lake County homebrew club, learning the ropes of judging beer competitions, and why Irish Red Ales deserve more love. Plus: the messy first batch of Scarlet Fire Irish Red, opening-day chaos, and the now-legendary story of Metra trains waiting so commuters could grab a growler.

After the break, they dive into Boxcar Porter and the fine line between porter and stout, explore balance in recipe design, and detail how their collaboration with Chicago Bears legend Patrick Mannelly led to the Long Snapper IPA, a “crushable” West Coast style brewed with Cascade and Centennial hops. They also taste Irie IPA, a 7.8% “hop candy” of 100+ IBUs that challenges IPA skeptics, and introduce listeners to pub culture and cask conditioning, explaining how natural carbonation creates creamy texture and warmth in a hand-pulled pint. Plus: in a Crafty Brewers first, hear Bruce sing the rugby drinking song “Biddy McGraw”!

0:00 Tighthead Brewing interview intro

2:29 What is a tighthead? Rugby 101

4:48 The first beer Tighthead brewed

6:38 From homebrew club to brewing buddies

9:20 What’s it like to judge a beer competition?

12:42 Why aren’t Irish Red Ales more popular?

15:26 What were the challenges of scaling up brewing operations?

16:40 The story of opening day and how things started

24:36 Metra trains would wait for customers to buy beer

25:39 Boxcar Porter and what sets a porter apart from a stout

29:05 What separates a good beer from a great beer

31:59 Longsnapper IPA beer collab with former Chicago Bears player Patrick Mannelly

38:45 Achieving “hop candy” flavor with Irie IPA, 7.8% ABV and 100+ IBUs

44:16 What is “pub culture” and what is a beer engine?

45:57 How cask conditioning changes the way a beer tastes

49:28 Bruce sings Biddy McGraw, a rugby drinking song (Irish folk song)

51:54 What makes a good beer festival for brewers? Consumers?

58:40 Might As Well sparkling hemp beverage for today’s consumer

1:01:53 How a sparkling hemp beverage is made

1:04:30 Final four questions

1:13:38 Final toast

About Tighthead Brewing Company: Tighthead Brewing Company is a craft brewery with pub culture, located in the same parking lot as the Metra station in the Chicago suburb of Mundelein, Illinois. Learn more on their website at https://www.tightheadbrewing.com/

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Our executive producer and editor is award-winning podcaster Cody Gough. He insists that we tell you that in this episode, you’ll learn about: Scarlet Fire Irish Red Ale, Boxcar Porter, Irie IPA, Longsnapper IPA, hop candy IPA, West Coast IPA, Cascade hops, Centennial hops, porter vs stout, cask conditioning, beer engine, pub culture, craft beer Illinois, Mundelein brewery, homebrewing, Lake County homebrew club, beer competitions, BJCP judging, Irish Red Ale, American ale yeast, caramel malt, roast barley, craft beer collaboration, rugby beer culture, Biddy McGraw song, Mundelein Craft Beer Festival, Might As Well hemp beverage, hemp seltzer, THC beverage, Perfectly Dosed emulsion, craft beverage innovation, hop balance, West Coast style, and cryo hops.