Brew Dudes Homebrewing Blog

Harvest Ale 2024 – Homegrown Chinook Hops

On October 30, 2024

You know, I like harvesting hops straight from my backyard and brewing up something special with them. Every year, I take what I grow and make a unique Harvest Ale to capture the season in a glass and 2024 is no exception. This time, I’m using my Chinook hops for a batch that’s a bit of an experiment. We’re have a small one-gallon pilot batch to see if these hops are good enough for a full five-gallon brew. In this video, we’re tasting the this year’s crop to see if they make the cut!

Look at the color of the Harvest Ale!

2024 Harvest Ale Recipe (Pilot Batch)

I gave it a go for a one gallon batch and will scale up (5x) for a brew session later.

Water

Spring Water with 2 grams of Gypsum

Grains

Weyermann Floor Malted Bohemian Pilsner Malt – 91% of the grain bill
Bestmalz BEST Red X Malt – 4.5% of the grain bill
Briess Carapils Malt – 4.5% of the grain bill

Hops

1 ounce of homegrown Chinook hops – 60 minutes in the boil
2 ounces of homegrown Chinook hops – Whirlpool for 10 minutes at 180°F (82°C)

Yeast

1 packet of LalBrew Verdant IPA Yeast

Mashed at 150°F (66°C) for an hour. Boiled for an hour

Fermented at 65°F (18°C) for 10 days

Cold crashed for 2 days and then transferred to serving vessel

Original Gravity: 1.050
Final Gravity: 1.012
ABV: 5%

Tasting Notes and Final Decision

This Harvest Ale looks great, with a deep golden color reminiscent of Sierra Nevada’s classic beers, and the aromas hit with that classic “C-hop” character we like to have in American ales. There’s a bright citrus note, somewhere between red grapefruit and candied orange, which is really inviting. Taste-wise, the Chinook brings a bit more bitterness than we expected – a clean, slightly pithy bitterness with earthy, spicy undertones. The malt provides a nice background without stealing the show, though there could be a dialing back of the Red X malt for the full batch. This one’s definitely got that throwback vibe, like an early-2000s American ale, which makes it perfect for sipping around a turkey fryer this Thanksgiving.

So, did this year’s crop make the cut. We say yes! The hop character from this crop of Chinook is surprisingly clean and vibrant. There will be a full batch to share around the holiday table. This would be a solid Thanksgiving beer, cutting through those rich holiday flavors without overpowering.

If you have the chance to grow your own hops, do it. I like having this option for an annual brew.

Cheers and BREW ON!

Krush Hops SMaSH Review and Tasting

By John Krochune

On October 23, 2024

In Hops, Videos

It’s another SMaSH beer experiment, and this time, we’re seeking to learn more about Krush hops, also known as HBC 586. If you’re new to our SMaSH experiments, the goal is simple: we take a single malt and a single hop to get a real feel for what that hop brings to the party. In this case, we got our hands on a small 2 oz pack of Krush hops from Yakima Valley Hops. Check out this video to see what we had to say about this variety.

Krush with a K!

Brewing with Krush Hops: The Process

For this SMaSH beer, we kept it simple. The base recipe featured 2 pounds of malt, 1 ounce of Krush hops, and about two gallons of water. We brewed with a 60-minute boil, tossing in 3.5 grams of hops at the start, then adding a big whirlpool addition of 17.5 grams at 180°F for 10 minutes post-boil. Finally, we dry-hopped with 7 grams on day three of fermentation. This method allowed us to capture a true sense of what Krush hops could offer, and let me tell you, it’s a hop that packs quite the punch.

What We Thought: Fruity and Zippy

The aroma from this beer hit right away. Mike described it best when he said it reminded him of opening a fresh box of Froot Loops. There’s a mix of lime, orange, and cherry, with even a touch of candied citrus peel. The flavor carries that same vibe, with a bit of a twist. You get citrus-forward notes, but there’s also a ginger-like “zip” that adds a spicy edge. This hop is bright, bold, and perfect for fruit-forward IPAs. If you’re looking for a variety with layers of citrus and berry flavors, and a bit of intensity, Krush hops are a great choice. Be on the lookout for the 2024 harvest!

BREW ON!

Brown Ale With Chocolate Rye Recipe

By John Krochune

On October 16, 2024

In Experiments, Malts, Recipes, Yeast

Fall is here, and with it comes the perfect time to brew up something with a bit more malt character. This week, Mike has brewed a brown ale with an interesting twist—chocolate rye malt. We’ll break down the recipe, the brewing process, and of course, give you our thoughts on how it turned out. It’s always fun to experiment with ingredients, and this beer showcases some of that homebrewing creativity.

Chocolate Rye and 2 yeast strains

The Recipe and Process

Mike brews in 3.5 gallon (13.2 L) batches so the recipe is scaled to his batch size. I put some percentages in there to help you adjust to your needs.

Ingredients:
5 pounds (2.27 kg) of Briess Brewers Malt – 75% of grain bill
0.5 pounds (227 g) of Amber Malt (~22°L) – 8% of grain bill
10 ounces (284 g) of Crystal Malt (~35°L) – 9% of grain bill
0.5 pounds (227 g) of Chocolate Rye Malt (~175°L) – 8% of grain bill

Hops:
1.5 ounces (42.5 g) of Crystal Hops at 60 minutes
0.5 ounce (14 g)Crystal Hops at 10 minutes

Yeast:
1 packet of Cellar Science English Ale Yeast
1 packet of Cellar Science Cali Ale Yeast
(Blended to balance the esters from the English yeast with a cleaner fermentation from the Cali strain.)

Procedures:
Mash at 152°F for 60 minutes.
Raise to 158°F for 15 minutes.
Mash out at 168°F.
Ferment at 68°F for about 20 days.

Original Gravity (OG): 1.049
Final Gravity (FG): 1.011
ABV: 5%
IBU: ~25

This Brown Ale Tasting Notes and Thoughts

On the pour, the beer leaned more toward an amber ale than a traditional brown ale, with reddish highlights and a persistent, tan head. The aroma gave off earthy, herbal notes from the Crystal hops, which reminded us of an English ale, though a bit less floral than a typical EKG (East Kent Goldings) variety. Flavor-wise, there’s some sweetness from the crystal and amber malts, but we found it missing that distinct nutty, biscuit-y note that we usually associate with a brown ale. The chocolate rye added body and some nice foam retention, but it didn’t quite give us the classic brown ale experience. Still, the combination of malts and yeast made for a pleasant, drinkable beer that pairs well with cool fall nights.

In the end, this brown ale with chocolate rye was an experiment in cleaning out the ingredients stash and trying something new. While it’s not a perfect brown ale in the traditional sense, it’s a tasty, malt-forward brew that I’d definitely enjoy by a campfire. Sometimes, brewing is about having fun and seeing what happens when you tweak a recipe, and this one was no exception. If you’re looking to play around with chocolate rye or try a unique brown ale recipe, give this one a shot!

BREW ON!

Kentucky Common – The Third Try

By John Krochune

On October 9, 2024

In Recipes, Style Profiles, Videos

Mike is diving back into a beer style that’s a bit off the beaten path: the Kentucky Common. You may remember he brewed this one a while ago, and then he brewed it again. Now, we’re giving it another go.

Kentucky Common is one of those lesser-known beer styles that may not get the same attention as others, but it’s perfect for keeping things fresh as a homebrewer. With Fall coming around, it’s a great time to revisit this dark and easy-drinking brew. Let’s talk through the recipe and our tasting notes.

Third Try!

Third Try Kentucky Common Recipe

Here’s the latest version of Mike’s Kentucky Common beer. This recipe is for a 3.5 US Gallon batch.

Ingredients:

Grain Bill:

4.75 lbs American Two-Row Malt (Base Malt)
1.5 lbs Flaked Corn
5 oz Crystal 40 Malt (Note: We suspect this might be a darker malt, potentially Crystal 60 or even 80)
3 oz Midnight Wheat (for color adjustment)

Hops:

1 oz Liberty Hops (5% AA) – at 60 minutes (Bittering)
0.5 oz Liberty Hops – at 10 minutes (Flavor)

Yeast:

NovaLager yeast (or any clean fermenting lager yeast)

Process:

Mash the grains at 154°F (68°C) for 60 minutes. Boil for 60 minutes. Ferment at around 68°F (20°C) for 18-20 days.

Outcomes:

Starting Gravity (SG): 1.057
Final Gravity (FG): 1.016
ABV: around 5.5%

The Third Try Tasting

Appearance-wise, this Kentucky Common has a deep brown color with red highlights and a slightly off-white head. The aroma offers a nice mix of caramel from the malt and a hint of corn, but the hops are more muted, hidden behind the darker malts. Flavor-wise, the beer starts with a caramel malt backbone, and the corn helps to dry it out, creating a nice interplay of grainy flavors. The Liberty hops are subtle, with just a light herbal note that adds a bit of complexity. Overall, it’s smooth, easy to drink, and the higher final gravity gives it a bit more body, making it perfect for the cooler weather ahead.

This version of the Kentucky Common really hit the spot. It’s a style that not many people brew, but if you’re looking for something different to try this fall, this one is worth it. With its balanced malt profile and clean finish, it’s an easy-drinker that pairs well with the season. If you haven’t brewed a Kentucky Common yet, give it a shot!

BREW ON!

Homebrew Jar of Destiny: The Twelfth Pick

By John Krochune

On October 2, 2024

In Style Profiles, Videos

We’re back with another pick from the infamous Jar of Destiny! We’ve been doing this for a while now and it’s hard to believe we are on pick number 12! For those of you who are new here, the Jar of Destiny is our way of pushing ourselves to brew outside our comfort zones. We pick a random beer style based on the 2015 BJCP guidelines and use this leap of faith to brew something we might not typically make. Let’s see what the Jar has in store for us in this round!

The 12th Pick!

John’s Pick – 34A Classic Style Smoked Beer

So, I pulled the 32A Classic Style Smoked Beer chip from the Jar. It’s been a while since I’ve brewed a smoked beer, and honestly, I have mixed feelings about it. Smoked beers can be fun, but they’re definitely an acquired taste. You sip on a pint, maybe two, and then you’re ready to move on. That said, I’m thinking of brewing a larger batch just in case we end up hosting a big winter solstice party or something—I mean, the Druids and elves are bound to show up, right? I’ll be diving into the BJCP guidelines to figure out the best approach here, probably leaning on some cherry wood-smoked malt for that nice, balanced smokiness. Stay tuned to see how it turns out.

Mike’s Pick – 26A Trappist Single

While I’m gearing up for the smoky brew, Mike pulled something on a different end of the spectrum—a Trappist Single, style 26A. This is a lower-alcohol Belgian beer that monks would traditionally brew for themselves. Think of it as a table beer: light, crisp, and perfect for everyday drinking at the monastery. It’s not as well-known as some of the heavier Belgian ales, but that’s part of the fun. Mike’s going to dive into the history and brewing techniques for this one, and I’m excited to see what he comes up with. It’s all about getting that subtle balance of flavors, and he’s got a good start with this pick.

All in all, we’ve got our work cut out for us, but that’s the beauty of the Jar of Destiny—pushing ourselves to brew styles we wouldn’t normally try. We’ve got a few months to research, plan, and brew these beers, so stay tuned for updates. Who knows, maybe the smoked beer will surprise me, and Mike’s Trappist Single will turn into a new house favorite. Either way, we’re excited to keep experimenting and sharing our results with you.

Cheers and Brew ON!

Check out the First Pick and the start of it all!
Check out the Second Pick
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