474: Brian Hink of Wander Back Beerworks Breaks Down Their WBC Gold Medal-Winning Helles

The founders of South New Jersey’s Wander Back Beerworks are no strangers to the beer world, but the industry veterans had modest expectations for the young project—barely two years old—when they submitted entries to the 2026 World Beer Cup. Winning a medal in one of the top-five categories, Munich-Style Helles, with over 150 entries, would be an uphill battle. But as the awards were announced, they found themselves on stage accepting a gold sash for the core beer named after the brewery itself, and a beer that they’d envisioned from the start as an expression of their passion for beer making and a celebration of local agriculture and malting. The beer, Wander Back Lager, is brewed with 100% locally-grown and floor-malted pils malt from Rabbit Hill Malt, and cofounder and head brewer Brian Hink is convinced that this malt—often kilned just days before they brew with it—is responsible for the fresh and vibrant malt flavor that defines the helles. In this episode, recorded the day after their win, Hink discusses: being inspired by local ingredients to start the brewery exploring the idea of freshness in malt and the brightness that it contributes to pale lager nibbling at the margins to improve recipes and process closely monitoring pH through the sparge to avoid over-extracted tannins stepping up dry 34/70 pitches with IPA before harvesting and pitching into lager, for optimal generation flavor mash-out decoction for body without sweetness West coast pils dry hop approach with Krush and Motueka And more. G&D Chillers G&D now offers their Elite 290 Micro-series with 5H chillers—bringing even more flexibility to their propane-powered lineup. In fact, they’re building one right now for Red Clover Ale Co in partnership with Efficiency Vermont. It runs on a Natural Refrigerant with near-zero Global Warming Potential—projected to deliver around 10% more efficiency than A2L refrigerant systems. That’s smart sustainability backed by proven engineering and trusted performance. With 24/7 support and remote monitoring, your cold side stays dialed in—day or night. Explore the Elite 290 Micro-series and more at gdchillers.com/podcast. Berkeley Yeast Berkeley Yeast just launched Dry Tropics London! Our best-selling liquid yeast strain, now with all the ease-of-use benefits of dry yeast. Dry Tropics London delivers the soft, pillowy mouthfeel and juicy character you’d expect from a top-tier London Ale strain, but with a serious upgrade: a burst of thiols that unleash vibrant, layered notes of grapefruit and passion fruit. A lot of brewers love the clean passion fruit you get from Tropics, but they don’t want every IPA to be a tropical-fruit bomb. At the dry yeast price point, you can pitch and ditch without breaking the bank. Or, you can co-pitch with your house strain to adjust the intensity of the notes. And with nationwide free shipping, there’s never been a better time to try Dry Tropics. Order now at berkeleyyeast.com and experience the ease and impact of Dry Tropics London Yeast. PakTech This episode is sponsored by PakTech—delivering craft-beer multipacking you can trust. Our handles are made from 100 percent recycled plastic and are fully recyclable, helping breweries close the loop and advance the circular economy. With a minimalist design, durable functionality you can rely on, and custom color matching, our carriers help brands stand out while staying sustainable. Trusted by craft brewers nationwide, we offer a smarter, sustainable way to carry your beer. To learn more, visit paktech-opi.com. Indie Hops The multi-layered wonders of Indie Hops Strata are now easier than ever for brewers to tap into. Introducing Strata Cryo, in collaboration with Yakima Chief Hops. Whether brewing up a single hop Strata IPA to wow customers with the depth of flavor this variety delivers, or modernizing your flagship IPA to continue setting the highest standards, Strata T99, Strata CGX, Strata HyperBoost, and now Strata Cryo provide the tools for brewers to create their unique masterpiece. Indie Hops Strata. Life is short. Let’s make it flavorful! Midea 50/50 Flex This podcast is sponsored by the Midea 50/50 flex—the industry’s first dual compartment three-way convertible freezer. The 50/5