The helles that won gold at the 2025 World Beer Cup was a collaboration between Cinder Block of Kansas City, Missouri, and Blind Tiger of Topeka, Kansas. For Cinder Block head brewer Danny Kueser, part of the goal was to learn as much as he could from Blind Tiger brewmaster John Dean, who’s won two dozen medals for his brewery over the past 25 years—plus Brewery of the Year honors, twice, in its size category.
Dean says their objective was to craft a high-quality helles without a traditional decoction mash. “We find an upward-step infusion mash can bring out a depth of character we do not get from a single-infusion mash,” Dean says. “With a few select ingredients and processes, this recipe delivers.”
ALL-GRAIN
Batch size: 5 gallons (19 liters)
Brewhouse efficiency: 72%
OG: 1.050 (12.4°P)
FG: 1.010 (2.6°P)
IBUs: 14
ABV: 5.2%
