April 12, 2024

354: No Limits! Dave Pascual of Big Dogs Plays His Medal-Winning Cards Close to the Vest

1 hour 4 minutes

Dave Pascual, head brewer for longtime Las Vegas brewery Big Dog’s, takes a methodical approach to running the brewhouse, even if it doesn’t feel out-of-the-ordinary to this longtime brewer. Running a clean and organized brewery is just how it’s done. Despite how obvious some of these little things may appear, it’s the sum of all those professional details that’s helped cement Big Dog’s legacy as a consistent award winner in categories as diverse as English-Style Brown Ale and Belgian-Style Tripel.

In this episode, Pascual discusses his approach to creating recipes and brewing award-winning beers, including:

brewing light lager with two-row instead of pilsner

tasting and comparing, consistently

dialing in hops in very light lagers

building a full-spectrum malt bill for brown ale

achieving pleasant fermentation notes in Belgian-style beers

changing medal-winning recipes

wood-aging barleywine

building a team that consistently focuses on excellence

And more.

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