Welcome to 2025! For some, the early days of the new year are a time to reassess how much they’ve indulged over the holidays. We Brew Dudes don’t go all “Dry January” but, Mike has decided to keep things “dry-ish”.
This month, he is focusing on low ABV homebrews. First up in this exploration is a low-alcohol brown ale that clocks in at just over 3% ABV. It’s packed with flavor, proving that you don’t need high alcohol content to enjoy a well-crafted beer. Check out this video for all the details.
The Low ABV Brown Ale Recipe
The goal with this brown ale was to create something flavorful while keeping the alcohol content below 4%. Here’s the breakdown of the recipe for a 3.5-gallon batch:
- Grain Bill:
- 76% Maris Otter (base malt for a rich malt backbone)
- 8% Crisp Pale Chocolate (for subtle chocolate notes, ~225 Lovibond)
- 8% Crystal 40 (adds caramel sweetness)
- 8% Victory Malt (for nutty, biscuity flavors)
- Water Profile:
- 50% tap water blended with low-mineral spring water
- Adjusted with lactic acid and a touch of gypsum
- Hops and Yeast:
- 10 grams of Nugget hops for a total of ~33 IBUs
- Fermented with Safale S-04 for moderate attenuation
- Mash Schedule:
- Mashed at 156°F for 45 minutes, ramped to 168°F to leave behind some unfermentable sugars for body and sweetness
Original gravity came in at 1.036, finishing at 1.015 for an ABV of about 3.2%. The result? A beautifully balanced beer with a light body, nuanced malt character, and a drinkable finish.
A Promising Start To The Month
This brown ale delivered a lot of what we hoped for: light yet flavorful, with enough malt complexity to feel satisfying despite the low ABV. The pale chocolate and Victory malts brought subtle notes of chocolate and nuttiness, while the Nugget hops added just enough bitterness for balance. The aroma was surprisingly rich, with hints of coffee and nuts, making it hard to believe this was a sub-4% beer.
That said, there’s room for improvement. Next time, Mike will tweak the specialty malts to amp up the flavor. Still, this is an excellent start for our “Dryish January” experiments. It’s a beer you can enjoy after a run or during a lazy afternoon without feeling weighed down. Stay tuned as we roll out more low ABV beers that are light in alcohol but big on character.
BREW ON!