466: Ryan McCay of Living Waters Finds His Flow in Barrel-Aged Stout and Barleywine

Living Waters in Nashville, Tennessee, is a full-service coffee house as well as brewery, and its affinity for strong, well-articulated flavor runs through all the beverages they produce and serve. Recently, the brewery’s Barrel-Aged Dyson Sphere (Construct IV) scored a 97 in Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine®—garnering the highest score in the category—so, naturally, we wanted to know more.

That success stems in part from cofounder Ryan McCay’s deep passion for barrel-aged stouts and barleywines, and he uses the brewery’s proximity to major bourbon and whiskey producers to his advantage. While Living Waters may be small, and the releases are somewhat limited, they’ve nonetheless built a deep stock of casks with aging stock now averaging around three years old, and they take a brand-agnostic, flavor-first approach to building blends from these various components. At the same time, their counterintuitive approach to adding coffee to stout may surprise you.

In this episode, McCay discusses:

• building different base recipes to fit specific whiskey casks
• blind blending for a brand-agnostic, flavor-first approach
• barrel selection to maximize desirable flavors
• off-gassing coffee to avoid green-pepper notes in beer
• cinnamon addition methods that vary by variety

And more.

G&D Chillers
The Craft Brewers Conference is coming up April 20 through 23, 2026—and G&D Chillers will be there. If you’re heading to CBC, swing by and talk shop with the folks who know brewery operations inside and out. G&D’s biggest strength isn’t just the equipment—it’s our deep understanding of how a brewery runs. From cellar layout to production flow, our team brings decades of hands-on experience to every install and every conversation. Whether you’re running a single-stage 5H unit or scaling up with a Vertical Air Chiller, G&D builds systems that are reliable, efficient, and built to last. Because when your chiller’s solid, your beer stays cold—and your operation stays on track. Plan your visit at gdchillers.com/podcast—and come see us at CBC, Booth 1518.

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
Taste the flavors of Indie Hops at CBC this year in Philly! Fourteen incredible beers will showcase Strata, Luminosa, Lórien, and Audacia—plus our most promising new experimental hop IH19082 in a single-hop XPA! Experience our newest hop, Audacia, in an IPA by Grand Fir, a hoppy lager by Meanwhile, and a hazy by Worthy Brewing. Explore the wonders of Strata in IPAs from Odell, Russian River, Grains of Wrath, and Grand Fir. Refresh your palate with the crisp summery flavors of Lórien in an Italian pils by Sun River and a Mexican lager by Hold Out. And bask in the “liquid sunshine” magic of Luminosa with an IPA from Fort George. Check out the full CBC beer lineup at www.indiehops.com and plan to stop by our booth #926. We’ll be as happy to see you as you’ll be that you made the effort! Indie Hops—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 50/50 Flex is designed to flex with your life. It can convert to all fridge, all freezer, or half and half with just the touch of a button. Plus, with reversible doors and adjustable storage compartments, you can stay organized no matter your food-storage needs. The 50/50 Flex is also designed to maintain a stable temperature even in non-climate-controlled spaces. So it’s perfect for your garage, man cave, or wherever you need a little more space. Maybe use all 20 cubic feet as a beer fridge! Check out Midea.com/us/ for more information on how to take your beer storage to the next level.

Old Orchard
If your brewery is using fruit-juice concentrates, purees, and blends, then why not source everything from a one-stop shop? We might be best-known for flavored blends, but if you need 100 percent purees or concentrates, then we can likely help—even with options not listed on our website. Let us know what you need at oldorchard.com/brewer.

Ss Brewtech
Pumps are critical to any advanced homebrewing setup. From mash recirculation to wort transfer, and even for cleaning, a quality pump is a key part of every brew day. The Ss Brew Pump from Ss Brewtech is engineered to tackle even the messiest brew days. Featuring an IP55 water resistance rating, an easy-to-use DIN head with 360-degree rotation, and a flow rate of up to 11 gallons per minute, it has the power to keep your brew day moving. Visit www.SsBrewtech.com/Pump to learn more about how the Ss Brew Pump can upgrade your homebrewery.

2026 Brewers Retreat
Tickets are on sale now for the annual Craft Beer & Brewing Brewers Retreat August 23–26 in the hop country of Yakima Valley, Washington. There’s nothing like this fantasy homebrew-camp experience, as you brew in small groups led by some of the most inspiring brewers in the world—folks such as Vinnie and Natalie of Russian River, Ben from Breakside, Henry and Adriana of Monkish, Kelsey from North Park, Whitney from Grand Fir, Sean from Lawson’s Finest, and more. This year we’ll be brewing under the bines at Bale Breaker, and it’s sure to be an unforgettable experience. Tickets are on sale now and going fast at brewersretreat.com.