509: Mike Pelechaty of Masthead Makes Headlines with Gold-Medal Light Lager and Rice Lager

Masthead cofounder and head brewer Mike Pelechaty is no stranger to GABF medals, with five under his belt before adding two more to the collection in 2026, but winning both the light lager and rice lager categories suggests an approach that’s more than just coincidence. In this episode, he outlines the similarities as well as the differences in ingredients and techniques between the two lagers made with rice, and shares the brewery’s general approach to designing, brewing, and ultimately selecting and packaging beers for top-flight competition.

In this episode, Pelechaty discusses:

• building a base for light lager with Canadian pilsner malt
• varying approaches to rice in light lager and rice lager
• clean fermentation with 34/70 at lower temperatures
• choosing hops for each style to provide just the right character
• optimizing hops in competition beers to decrease polarization
• the impact of carbonation on a beer’s chance of medaling
• standing out on a competition table of great beers

And more.

This episode is brought to you by:

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