Brew Dudes Homebrewing Blog

Low ABV Stout – Dryish January 2025

On January 8, 2025

Mike is presenting a “Dryish January” this year, and he is crafting and brewing low-ABV beers. As homebrewers, we enjoy the challenge of formulating beers that deliver flavor, but with lower alcohol content. This week’s feature is a dry stout, brewed intentionally lighter than the typical style guidelines. With an ABV under 4%, it’s a perfect fit for the theme while still showcasing great taste and complexity.

Does it look good? It is good!

Another Low ABV Stout Recipe

The recipe for this dry stout focuses on balancing body and flavor while keeping the alcohol low. Here’s the breakdown:

Ingredients

Grains:
- 70% British Pale Ale Malt (Maris Otter)
- 10% Flaked Rye
- 10% Roasted Barley (575 °L)
- 7% Pale Chocolate Malt
- 3% Honey Malt
Hops:
- 10 grams of Bravo hops – Single addition at 60 minutes
Yeast:
- Wyeast 1084 (Irish Ale), repitched from a previous batch
Water Additions:
- 1g Gypsum
- 1g Magnesium Sulfate
- 2g Calcium Chloride

Process

Batch Size: 3.5 gallons.

Mash: 154°F for moderate body.

Boil: 60 minutes.

Original Gravity (OG): 1.039.

Final Gravity (FG): 1.011.

ABV: 3.7%

Our Tasting Notes and Conclusion

During the tasting, we were impressed by the beer’s body and roastiness. The flaked rye contributed significantly to the mouthfeel, even with the modest mash temperature. The roasted barley and pale chocolate malt provided a pleasant backbone of roasted flavors, while the Bravo hops added a clean bitterness. Though the honey malt was subtle, it offered a gentle sweetness that enhanced the malt character.

Compared to last week’s low-ABV brown ale, this stout had noticeably more body, proving the effectiveness of the flaked rye. Nitro dispensing could enhance the texture further, lending a creamy, smooth mouthfeel.

This dry stout demonstrated that low-ABV beers don’t have to sacrifice flavor or body. The flaked rye and thoughtful grain selection made a big difference, creating a satisfying beer that doesn’t feel “thin.” Moving forward, Mike is considering an increase of the base malt or adding grains like Vienna or biscuit malt to further enhance the complexity without exceeding the 4% ABV target.

As we progress through “Dryish January,” it’s exciting to see how these brewing techniques evolve. This stout is a testament to the creativity and adaptability of homebrewing. Stay tuned for the next brew in this series.

BREW ON!

Low ABV Brown Ale – Dryish January 2025

By John Krochune

On January 1, 2025

In Recipes, Videos

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.

Keep it dryish!

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!

Homebrew Jar of Destiny: The Thirteenth Pick

By John Krochune

On December 25, 2024

In Style Profiles, Videos

Hey there! We’re back with another installment of the infamous Jar of Destiny Homebrewing Challenge. This time, it’s Pick #13 for our ongoing series. As always, the Jar provides us a path with a random beer style to brew within the next three months. We try to figure out our plan, then brew it up, bring it back to the studio to share our thoughts on camera.

Here’s lucky 13!

23E – Gueuze

Here’s a style that I may have put back if I didn’t have some old sour ale sitting in my basement. The Jar knows what’s up. I have around 10 gallons of sour beer that can be used to blend. Time to get the sour beer equipment out and ready again. It’s been a while. In a few months, I can have a fresh sour beer finished and ready to be mixed with some of the older beers. It’s going to be a funky good time.

3C – Czech Amber Lager

Mike is pumped for this pick. This is a style that he has been interested in lately, with several local breweries offering their own takes. Who are we to deny the lager love? This pick seems perfect for the winter season, offering a crisp, balanced malt profile with a hint of spicy character. Mike has had a few lager picks during this challenge. I look forward to seeing and drinking what he comes up with.

Ever Onward

We’ll be sure to read up on these styles in the coming months. March might seem like a long way off, but trust us, it’ll be here before you know it. That’s the magic (or should we say, chaos?) of the Jar of Destiny!

In the meantime, thanks for joining us on this brewing journey. We dodged the dreaded “bad style” this time around, phew! As always, feel free to leave a comment below and let us know which style you’re more excited about. As we wrap up 2024, Happy Holidays and cheers to a brew-tastic 2025!

Cheers and 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

Classic Style Smoked Beer – Jar of Destiny

By John Krochune

On December 18, 2024

In Recipes, Style Profiles, Videos

The Jar of Destiny always hands us a challenge that makes us rethink our approach to brewing. For this round, I pulled Style 32A: Classic Style Smoked Beer. With so many options to explore, I decided to craft a smoked porter inspired by the iconic Alaskan Smoked Porter. To up the ante, I took a DIY approach and smoked my own malt at home. Here’s how it all came together and what we thought of the final brew.

Alaskan Smoked Porter Recipe

This is the recipe I followed for my version of this beer. There are a few homespun elements to it.

I did smoke 2 pounds of the base malt in my backyard using Alder wood chips. First off, I let the chips soak in water overnight. Then, I assembled my two clay pot smoker setup with the electric burner on the bottom. With the burner set to high, I put a pie plate on top of it with the soaked wood chips on top of it. Lastly, I wrapped a grill grate with metal window screen material and put the base malt on top of it. The process took about two and a half hour, which was longer than planned, but the result was worth it.

DIY homemade smoker using top clay flower pots and an electric burner. — My DIY smoker!

The hops I used were homegrown. You don’t have to brew with homegrown hops. Use store bought Galena or Chinook.

Here’s the recipe for a 5 gallon batch:

Water:

Spring water with 4 grams of gypsum

Grains:

8.0 lbs (3.6 kg) Rahr American 2-row Malt
2.0 lbs (0.9 kg) Smoked Malt (Home Smoked)
1.0 lbs (0.45 kg) 60°L Crystal Malt
0.5 lbs (226 g) Pale Chocolate Malt
0.5 lbs (226 g) Black Patent Malt

Hops:

1.5 oz (42 g) Magnum hops, 16% AA. (60 minutes)

Yeast:

1 packet of CellarScience Cali American Ale Dry Yeast

Instructions:

Mash grains at 152° F (67° C). Boiled for 75 minutes, adding the hops so that they boil for 60 minutes

Fermented at 62°F (17°C) for a week then ramped it up to 70°F (21°C) until krausen dropped.

Original Gravity: 1.065
Final Gravity: 1.014
ABV: 6.7%
IBU: 45

Subtle Smoke and Deep Complexity

The finished beer surprised us with its balance and complexity. While some smoked beers can overwhelm with a campfire-like intensity, this porter strikes a harmonious note. On the nose, there’s a hint of smoke, almost like smoked almonds, complemented by aromas of milk chocolate and roasted malt. The flavor follows suit, with layers of caramel, dark chocolate, and just a whisper of smoke on the finish. It’s approachable, dynamic, and fairly intriguing.

While it might not win over strict style judges looking for dominant smoke, this beer excels as a winter warmer that’s both comforting and complex. The subtle smokiness enhances rather than overpowers the base porter, making it a beer we’ll happily enjoy all season long.

Thank you Jar for the smoked beer challenge. Thank you reader for your attention.

Brew ON!

Trappist Single – Jar of Destiny

By John Krochune

On December 11, 2024

In Recipes, Style Profiles, Videos

Three months ago, we pulled our 12th picks from the Jar of Destiny, continuing our homebrewing challenge . Mike has the first beer to hit the tasting table: a Trappist Single. This lesser-known style, categorized as 26A in the 2015 BJCP guidelines, is the beer monks brewed for themselves rather than for sale. It’s a lower-alcohol, noticeably bitter brew that stands apart from Belgian Blondes and Doubles while hinting at the dry, fruity qualities of a scaled-down Tripel. Here’s how we brewed it and what we thought of the final product.

Bring on the Brother Beer!

The Recipe: Simplicity with Precision

To capture the essence of a Trappist Single, Mike kept it simple:

Water Adjustments
Start with spring water (low mineral content).
Add:
2 grams of gypsum
1 gram of calcium chloride
1 gram of magnesium chloride
Lactic acid as needed for pH adjustment (~5.2 target).

Grain Bill
94% Dingemans Belgian Pilsner Malt (~5.3 lbs / 2.4 kg)
6% Carapils Malt (~0.34 lbs / 0.15 kg)

Hops
1 oz Styrian Goldings (2.8% AA) @ 60 minutes
6 grams Nugget (14.8% AA) @ 60 minutes (to boost bitterness)
1 oz Styrian Goldings @ 10 minutes

Yeast
Fermentis BE-256 (Abbaye)

Mash Schedule
Mash at 149°F (65°C) for 75 minutes (for high fermentability).
Ramp up to 168°F (76°C) for 15 minutes.
Sparge as needed to collect pre-boil volume.

Boil
Boil for ~65–70 minutes.
Add hops as scheduled.

Fermentation
Ferment at 65°F (18°C) for 3 days in a cool environment.
Allow the temperature to rise naturally to ~70°F (21°C) to finish fermentation.
Primary fermentation: ~3 weeks.

Carbonation
Highly carbonate the beer for a light, effervescent mouthfeel.

Results
OG: 1.048
FG: 1.009
ABV: ~5.5%
IBUs: 38–40

Our Trappist Single Tasting Notes

The beer poured a pale yellow with a soft, billowy head that left fantastic lacing. The aroma was earthy and floral, with hints of geranium and subtle yeast esters. On the palate, the beer delivered a crisp, dry finish with light orange peel notes and just a whisper of Belgian spice. While the bitterness and dryness hit the marks, we felt the fruity esters could have been more pronounced. Adding a touch of Citra or Cascade in future batches might coax out that elusive fruit character.

Overall, this Trappist Single is incredibly drinkable—a true session beer with classic Belgian touches. It may not be a home-run replication of the monastery brews, but it’s a solid double. Stay tuned for the next Jar of Destiny beer as we continue this challenge!

Brew ON!