September 12, 2025

435: Josh Penney of Threes Brings a Bicoastal Sensibility to Hoppy Lager, Hazy IPA, and More

1 hour 13 minutes

Before joining Threes, Josh Penney spent the better part of a decade brewing in Southern California, with nearly half of that time at hoppy-lager innovators Highland Park. Now at the helm of Threes in Brooklyn, he’s taking the knowledge he built in lager fermentation and layering in hops of various formats to create beers that pop from the package and the glass.

In this episode, Penney discusses:

the preservative power of lager fermentation and modern hop products in hop-forward styles

building hazy IPA to evoke “hop ice cream” that doesn’t feel heavy or sweet

using flowable hop products during active fermentation

using thiol-enriched hops such as Freestyle’s Mega Motueka

selecting for positive characteristics in New Zealand hops

optimizing contact time with Southern Hemisphere hops

adding terpenes during active fermentation and building deeper flavor blends with advanced hop products

fermentation profiles that optimize dry yeast performance

adjusting the timing of diacetyl rests based on dry-hopping regimens

And more.

This episode is brought to you by:

G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across North America and beyond. With our 24/7 service and support, your brewery will never stop. Remote monitor your chiller for simple and fast access to all the information you need, and gain peace of mind your operation is running smoothly.

Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Berkeley Yeast bioengineers ordinary strains and make them extraordinary—enhancing the flavors you want and eliminating the ones you don’t. Visit berkeleyyeast.com to learn more and start brewing with science on your side.

Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): As breweries expand beyond beer into other segments like mocktails and CBD beverages, Old Orchard is here to help. We can formulate custom blends featuring specialty ingredients. More information and free samples are waiting at oldorchard.com/brewer.

Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com) Celebrating 16 years of delivering compelling new hop varieties along with classics that thrive in Oregon’s terroir, Indie is the original source for Strata, Luminosa, Lórien, Meridian, and their newest variety Audacia. Release your creativity with the magic of pure, uncut Oregon hops from Indie. Indie Hops — Life is short. Let’s make it flavorful.

XTRATUF (https://xtratuf.com) XTRATUF has been making rugged and reliable boots for 75 years. Built for the harshest conditions, the Legacy Collection styles are oil, acid, and chemical resistant with a non-slip rated outsole. Be prepared for whatever comes your way and shop the latest XTRATUF boots on xtratuf.com.

Canoe Wild Rice (https://breweryworkshop.com) Brewers, have you ever considered brewing with North America’s only Ancient Grain—Wild Rice? Joe at Canoe Wild Rice has a stockpile of this unique roasted grain ready to ship to you. Send Canoe Wild Rice an email at [email protected] or give the office a call at 1-800-626-3809

Support Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast

...more