Brew Dudes Homebrewing Blog

Homebrew Jar of Destiny: The Sixteenth Pick

On September 24, 2025

These Brew Dudes continue their quest for homebrewing knowledge. For our sixteenth round in the Jar of Destiny beer style challenge, we went back to that trusty container loaded with every style from the 2015 BJCP guidelines. As always, we reach in, pull out a style at random, and agree to brew it. No whining, no swaps (okay, maybe one or two in four years, but the Jar keeps us honest).

This round delivered a real “back to basics” moment: I drew 1C – Cream Ale, and Mike landed on 20B – American Stout. On the surface, it’s a classic American showdown—light and crisp vs. bold and roasty. Let’s break down our picks and what we’re each planning as we head into brew day.

My Pick: 1C – Cream Ale

This one is a real throwback for me. Cream Ale was one of the very first beers I tried to brew when I got into homebrewing (we’re talking mid-2000s territory here). It’s a style that doesn’t get a ton of love in the craft world, but when it’s done right, it’s clean, refreshing, and dangerously drinkable.

For this batch, I’m planning to keep it classic:

Grain Bill: Mostly American 2-row with a good portion of flaked corn for that signature dry finish
Hops: Liberty hops for a gentle bitterness and some mild floral notes
Yeast: Clean American ale yeast (or possibly a hybrid/lager strain)
Stats: OG ~1.048, FG ~1.010, 18-22 IBU, 4.7-5.2% ABV

The real challenge with Cream Ale isn’t complexity. It’s getting a flawless, crisp pint that you want to reach for again and again. I haven’t brewed this style in nearly a decade, so I’m curious to see how my approach has changed. Wish me luck getting that “just right” balance of simple and satisfying.

Mike’s Pick: 20B – American Stout

Mike pulled the dark side of the coin with American Stout. It’s a style that, to be honest, isn’t always in his comfort zone. Traditional American Stout is pretty hop-forward, with big roast and a punch of bitterness. Not always Mike’s go-to, but that’s the spirit of the Jar. He’s going to try what you might not brew otherwise.

His plan is to dig into the challenge, dialing in the roast and bitterness while still aiming for balance. With cooler months ahead, a hearty stout might hit the spot, even if Mike is more of a “light lager” guy most days. As always, we’ll see what surprises come out of the brew kettle.

What’s Next?

The best part starts now. Over the next month or so, we’ll each be working up our best shot at these classic American styles. Once both are brewed and ready, we’ll meet up, taste, compare, and nitpick the results. The Jar has a way of keeping us on our toes and pushing us to improve with every pick.

Wish us luck on this round! Let us know in the comments if you’ve brewed a Cream Ale lately, and tell us your favorite American Stout recipe or memory. As always, keep brewing, keep experimenting, and always respect The Jar.

BREW ON!

Check out the First Pick and the start of it all!
Check out the Second Pick
Check out the Third Pick
Check out the Fourth Pick
Check out the Fifth Pick
Check out the Sixth Pick
Check out the Seventh Pick
Check out the Eighth Pick
Check out the Ninth Pick
Check out the Tenth Pick
Check out the Eleventh Pick
Check out the Twelfth Pick
Check out the Thirteenth Pick
Check out the Fourteenth Pick
Check out the Fifteenth Pick

American Wheat Beer – Jar of Destiny

By John Krochune

On September 17, 2025

In Recipes, Style Profiles, Videos

If there is any doubt about the need for the hobby of homebrewing, try finding an example of an American Wheat Beer in your local craft beer store. I called around to a few places near me. Nobody had it in stock. Sheesh.

Welcome to another round of the Jar of Destiny homebrewing beer challenge, where we brew the random styles fate throws at us. This time, I pulled “1D American Wheat Beer” from the BJCP guidelines. It’s a style that seems to be not so popular anymore. Lucky for me, a side trip to Maine turned up some real-life inspiration at Island Park Brewing, which helped me answer the Jar’s call.

A reason to homebrew!

Lonely American Wheat Beer Recipe

This recipe is for a 5 gallon batch.

Water:
Spring water with 5 grams of gypsum

Grain Bill:
6 Pounds (2.72 kg) Rahr 2-Row Pale Malt
6 Pounds (2.72 kg) White Wheat Malt

Hops:
1 ounce (28 g) of Cascade hops – first wort hopping
1 ounce (28 g) of Cascade hops – flameout

Yeast:
1 pack of Wyeast 1010 American Wheat Yeast

Instructions:
Mash at 148°F (64.5°C ) for 60 minutes
Boil for 60 minutes
Fermented in keg for 2 weeks at room temperature

Outcomes:
Original Gravity: 1.052
Final Gravity: 1.012
ABV: 5.25%

Tasting Notes & Final Thoughts

If you’ve only brewed with barley, American Wheat is a total curveball. The 50/50 wheat blend gives it a soft, fluffy body. It’s has a Kolsch-like profile, but with a creamy wheat edge. The Idaho Cascade hops surprised us with a coconutty, floral aroma and a little apple juice note, nothing like your typical citrus-heavy Cascade punch. Flavors were grassy, with muted lemon and tangerine. Think peach without the sweetness.

What makes this beer a winner is how different it feels from the IPA crowd. It is light, intriguing, and endlessly drinkable. You know you’re not just drinking another pale ale. The wheat character and subtle yeast profile make sure of that. Would I change anything? Maybe not. Sometimes you want a beer that’s just “different,” and this one delivers. Shout out to Island Park Brewing in Winthrop, Maine for the inspiration.

Stay tuned for the 16th picks.

Brew ON!

Links To The Jar of Destiny Series Results
Check out the British Strong Ale post
Check out the Black IPA post
Check out the International Amber Lager post
Check out the Belgian Tripel post
Check out the Double IPA post
Check out the Kölsch post
Check out the English IPA post
Check out the Wood-Aged Beer post
Check out the Belgian Golden Strong Ale post
Check out the American Amber Ale post
Check out the German Pils post
Check out the Brett Beer post
Check out the Munich Helles post
Check out the Imperial Stout post
Check out the Foreign Extra Stout post
Check out the Belgian IPA post
Check out the Eisbock post
Check out the Czech Dark Lager post
Check out the California Common post
Check out the American Light Lager post
Check out the Pale Kellerbier post
Check out the Belgian Pale Ale post
Check out the Trappist Single post
Check out the Classic Style Smoked Beer post
Check out the Czech Amber Lager post
Check out the Gueuze post
Check out the Irish Stout post
Check out the Tropical Stout post
Check out the Schwarzbier post
Check out the American Wheat Beer post

Schwarzbier – Jar of Destiny

By John Krochune

On September 10, 2025

In Recipes, Style Profiles, Videos

If you think all dark beers are heavy, sweet, or ready to punch you in the mouth with roasted malt, let’s reset those expectations. From the 15th pick, the Jar of Destiny handed us a Schwarzbier, which is style 8B in the 2015 BJCP guidelines.

Schwarzbier, or “black beer,” is dark and mysterious, but smooth, clean, and sneaky drinkable. Mike did his research and this dark beauty.

Jar of Destiny Schwarzbier Recipe

Mike’s goal was to nail the spirit of a German Schwarzbier, which is essentially a Pilsner in disguise. The trick? Get the color without tripping into roasty stout territory.

This recipe is for a 3.5 gallon batch.

Water:
Favoring sulfate over chloride for crispness.

Grain Bill:
68% Bohemian Pilsner malt (floor-malted for more character)
20% Light Munich malt
5% Carapils
2% Melanoidin malt
2% Carafa Special III (dehusked for less roast)
2% Blackprinz (American dehusked black malt for color boost)

Hops:
8g Nugget hops, boiled for 60 minutes
2 oz Hersbrucker hops, boiled for 15 minutes

Yeast:
Cellar Science German Lager (3470 Weihenstephan strain), direct pitched onto a healthy yeast cake.

Mash:
Step mash: 10 min @ 135°F, 50 min @ 142°F, ramp to 168°F to finish.

Fermentation:
It was quick and clean. took off within 6 hours, mostly finished in 3.5 days at 65–67°F. With this yeast strain, there is no need for a marathon lagering session.

Stats:
Original Gravity: 1.048
Final Gravity: 1.011
ABV: 4.8%

Mike improvised with Blackprinz to nail the color and stuck with a classic yeast to keep it crisp. He went for a highly fermentable wort, aiming for drinkability over chewiness. Result? Spot on.

More Than Meets The Eye

This Schwarzbier pours a deep brown, not jet black, with hints of red in the right light. On the nose, we get subtle malt and a whisper of floral from the Hersbrucker. It has no heavy roast or caramel. It certainly had no sticky sweetness. The first sip is dangerously drinkable, lighter-bodied than you’d expect for the color. It has just a touch of roast and a slightly crackery finish.

Honestly, if you closed your eyes, you might mistake it for a Pilsner with a little attitude. This is not a one-and-done pint; it’s the kind of beer you’ll want two or three of.

Mike’s final verdict? “I probably wouldn’t have picked this style on my own, but I’m really glad the Jar tossed it my way.”

We gave it high marks all around. If you’re a homebrewer who’s skeptical about lagers or dark beers, give this one a spin. You just might end up with a new favorite.

BREW ON!

Links To The Jar of Destiny Series Results
Check out the British Strong Ale post
Check out the Black IPA post
Check out the International Amber Lager post
Check out the Belgian Tripel post
Check out the Double IPA post
Check out the Kölsch post
Check out the English IPA post
Check out the Wood-Aged Beer post
Check out the Belgian Golden Strong Ale post
Check out the American Amber Ale post
Check out the German Pils post
Check out the Brett Beer post
Check out the Munich Helles post
Check out the Imperial Stout post
Check out the Foreign Extra Stout post
Check out the Belgian IPA post
Check out the Eisbock post
Check out the Czech Dark Lager post
Check out the California Common post
Check out the American Light Lager post
Check out the Pale Kellerbier post
Check out the Belgian Pale Ale post
Check out the Trappist Single post
Check out the Classic Style Smoked Beer post
Check out the Czech Amber Lager post
Check out the Gueuze post
Check out the Irish Stout post
Check out the Tropical Stout post
Check out the Schwarzbier post
Check out the American Wheat Beer post

Easy Homebrew Hard Seltzer Recipe

By John Krochune

On September 3, 2025

In Recipes, Videos

We know, we are known to brew beer on this site. But what if you had a friend who looked at your kegerator and said aloud to you:

“Man, I could go for something a little lighter like maybe a seltzer.”

Before you disown that friend, think about the statistics. As a society, we are becoming more and more isolated. A good number of people say they have no friends at all.

Keep your friendships alive and learn a new skill. Mike has put together a process to create hard seltzer at home without all the drama of fermenting sugar-water and hoping for the best.

Follow this easy homebrew hard seltzer recipe and have a refreshingly crisp beverage. You can whip up in a day and strengthen your friendship.

No Fuss Hard Seltzer Recipe

Forget everything you know about hard seltzer recipes that involve dumping pounds of sugar and nutrients into a fermenter and waiting for clarity. Here’s the Brew Dudes, easy “just-add-vodka” version:

Ingredients:

1 full bottle (750 ml) of vodka (45% ABV, Mike used an all-barley malt vodka for flavor)
Spring water (enough to dilute vodka 10-fold for 4–4.5% ABV)
2–2.5 oz raspberry syrup (or other flavor extract)
1–2 ml lactic acid (or citric/phosphoric acid, to taste)
CO2 for force carbonating (target 40 PSI)

Instructions:

Mix the Base: Pour vodka into your sanitized keg. Add spring water until the total liquid volume is 10 times the vodka, giving you a final ABV around 4–4.5%. Use spring water for a clean taste and to avoid messing with tap water chlorine.
Flavor It: Start with 0.5 oz of your flavoring syrup. Shake the keg, taste, and add more in small increments until the flavor pops. Mike settled around 2–2.5 oz for raspberry. Avoid going overboard.
Acidity Adjustment: Add 1 ml of lactic acid, shake, and taste. If it needs more zip, add another ml. Acidity is key to making the fruit flavor pop.
Carb Up: Hit it with 40 PSI of CO2. Shake the keg a few times throughout the day, letting it rest occasionally. Be careful—high PSI requires kegs and fittings rated for the pressure. Safety first!
Serve: After a solid chill and carb, pour yourself a glass. If it pours too hard, a longer draft line helps control foam.

Yep, that’s right. There are zero fermenters to clean with dead yeast sludge, and you can dial in your flavor and ABV without issues.

What Did We Think? (And What Could Go Wrong?)

First impressions: this seltzer is clear, lively, and genuinely refreshing. You do taste the vodka a bit, but you can find a more neutral spirit than the all-barley malt vodka. We think it blends nicely with the raspberry flavoring. There’s zero aftertaste from artificial sweeteners because, well, we didn’t use any.

If you’re the kind who’s always chasing that perfect bubbly, fair warning—a short beer line will pour this at 40 PSI like a firehose. But that’s an easy fix: swap in a longer line, and you’re golden.

Most importantly, this method gives you endless options: swap vodka for tequila and squeeze in some lime for a ranch water-style seltzer, or go wild and infuse your own botanicals or fruit for custom flavors. You can even try rum for a spiced holiday version. The only real rule? Make sure your keg and hardware can handle high PSI. No disintegrations.

So there you have it. Quick, easy, endlessly customizable, and perfect for any homebrewer with a keg system.

BREW ON!

CraftPRO 9-in-1 Beer Brewing Test Strips

By John Krochune

On August 27, 2025

In Equipment, Videos

Water chemistry is something this blog has tried to discuss in a way that makes the subject seem a little less complex. Mike has done a lot to simplify water chemistry for homebewing.

The fine folks at CraftPRO are trying to do the same thing. They sent us their 9-in-1 Beer Brewing Test Strips to check out.

We set up some tests and showcased how these test strips can give you a quick water read before brew day.

How the Test Strips Work (and How We Tested Them)

These test strips are as simple as it gets. You just dip a strip into your water sample for two seconds, pull it out, let it sit for 30, and compare the color changes against the provided chart. Each strip tests for nine things: calcium, magnesium, iron, sulfate, total chlorine, pH, alkalinity, total hardness, and a partridge in a pear tree (ok, not the last one).

For our test, we got three glasses of different water: Glass A was distilled, Glass B was our go-to spring water, and Glass C had our local tap water.

The distilled and spring water came out almost identical, which isn’t shocking, with really low ion readings across the board.

Our tap water, on the other hand, actually showed a bit of chlorine, around 3 ppm. It is enough for us to use Campden tablets. Calcium was also higher in the tap, sitting around 50 ppm, but nothing wild. The strips don’t test for sodium or chloride (the two things most homebrewers obsess over for malt and hop character), but they do a good job of giving you a ballpark idea for everything else.

Should You Bother? Our Thoughts

Here’s the bottom line: if you want lab-grade precision or need exact numbers for sodium and chloride, you’re still better off sending out a sample for proper lab analysis. These strips, though, are a handy, cheap, and dead-simple way to get a sense of where your water stands. They are also good at seeing any changes based on your brewing salt additions.

The downside is the color matching. If you’re color blind or can’t reliably tell the difference between many shades of blue, for instance, these strips are going to be frustrating.

For most homebrewers, though, they’re a quick, low-commitment tool that’s great to have in your kit. Big thanks to CraftPro for sending these along.

Brew ON!