Greetings all, Franz Solo here, back from hiatus to write again on a somewhat limited basis. I was up in Pagosa Springs for the GABF medal ceremony enjoying the gorgeous aspen, the clear crisp air, and most importantly, the hot springs! But, that’s not what today’s write-up concerns. Will Moorman of Flix Brewing is one of the nicest, most welcoming people in the local brewing industry. So when I saw the win for Flix’s Lucha Libre, I knew this was well earned, well deserved, and just all around awesome to see. I was able to stop by last week and talk to Will about winning silver in the Australasian, Latin American or Tropical Light Lager category for his Mexican-style lager. 

Solo: First off, congrats on your medal, that’s freaking awesome!

Will: Thanks man, yeah, I’m still over the moon about that.

Solo: So how did it feel to win?

Will: I was actually getting ready for a wedding in New York, and we were live streaming the event on my computer. When I first heard “Lucha Libre,” my immediate reaction was, “Heck yes, somebody else on my team got a medal!” like, this has got to be one of the other locations. And then, I heard ABQ, and it was weird. It was as if everything went silent for a second. Time slowed down for one second and then it shot back up again. My phone just started erupting and, yeah, it was surreal. This is something that I’ve been working towards, (that) I’ve wanted as a career goal since 2012, before I was even a professional brewer. I worked at a brewery that took home a ton of medals, they took home eight medals one year, and I saw that and I said, “Holy smokes, I want that!” So to have it finally happen was really special.

Solo: Did you think that Lucha Libre stood a chance at medaling?

Will: You know, I think I had entered this beer into one, maybe two other competitions prior to this; it medalled in one, and it didn’t medal in the other. I’m really really proud of Lucha Libre, our Mexican lager, but I would say I thought it was the one that had the least chance of winning, which seems to be a common theme among other brewers who have won. They’ll say, “Yeah, we just needed another entry so we just put in our IPA or something, and it won gold that year.” But yeah, to win in Mexican lager felt really really good. 

Solo: Especially being in New Mexico too.

Will: Yeah, it’s a lighter style and, at least in my mind, it takes a little more proficiency to really nail down the style.

Solo: Absolutely, there’s no hiding. You have to be spot on or you’ll notice any and all flaws. 

Will: It felt really affirming. Not to say I think I have the best Mexican lager in the world, I don’t necessarily even think that’s true, but hey, I’m doing something right. 

Solo: Yeah, it’s nice to have that affirmation that you’re doing good work. What makes this specific beer great?

Will: This was a recipe that I wrote in 2020, and I was getting ready to brew in March, about to brew it, ordered the ingredients, and they didn’t show up. We all know how that went. So it’s been on my mind for a couple of years and I finally got to try it when we were reopening our San Antonio location. That, for me, makes it special, but I think the other thing that makes it great is that this is a recipe I designed for brewers. I wanted us to have something light and crushable, no nonsense, no frills, low ABV, something that we could just drink at the end of our shift. 

Solo: It’s what we all want these days. 

Will: A nice light crispy boi. 

Solo: Exactly. 

Will: Yeah, so I was happy that my personal favorite of our core lineup was able to do well. It’s on tap year-round at all of our locations. 

Solo: Anything else you want to add?

Will: A shout out to Ex Novo and Quarter Celtic on their medals, well freaking done, man! So cool to see New Mexico almost sweep that whole category. 

Solo: That was awesome. That made our day, too.

Any of you in the brewing industry or who have been beer aficionados for a good many years will understand the appeal of crispy bois, lagers, crushers, and the like. It’s a wonderful thing to enjoy in all seasons, so head over, grab a pint of Lucha Libre, and enjoy a movie while you’re at it. Cheers to the brewing staff at Flix on their win! Until next time.

Prost!

— Franz Solo