511: Brennan Perry of Tenma Explores the Multiverse of Single-Hop and Single-Malt Lagers

Tenma Beer Project founder Brennan Perry details his technical approach to brewing high-bitterness, balanced German-style pilsners and West Coast IPAs. By utilizing triple-decoction, specific water chemistry adjustments, and first-wort hopping, Perry achieves a distinct depth of flavor and a snappy finish in his lagers. His West Coast IPA process prioritizes high attenuation and hop saturation, often relying on Mosaic as a foundational hop while carefully managing bitterness to avoid astringency. Operating a small-scale, seven-barrel system in Oakland, Perry emphasizes the importance of intentional process control, such as slow crashing and precise yeast management, to maintain consistency. This hands-on, quality-focused philosophy allows him to produce award-winning beers that integrate traditional European techniques with modern hop-forward innovation, ultimately serving a local taproom audience that values technical precision and flavor intensity.