Brew Dudes Homebrewing Blog

How To Read a Malt Analysis Spec Sheet

On May 24, 2023

Why, hello there, fellow homebrewers! In this post, we’re tackling a topic that might sound as exciting as watching paint dry: understand the components of a malt analysis spec sheet. But fear not! We’ll go through it with all the typical Brew Dudes approach and discuss what those sheets are all about.

We put together this video because of a viewer mail question that asked, “What’s the deal with malt spec sheets anyway?” Well, my friends, understanding these sheets is crucial for our beloved hobby. So, grab your favorite pint and let’s dive in!

Importance of Understanding These Sheets

Before we dive into the nitty-gritty details, let’s state quickly what these sheets are for. They are created mostly for commercial brewers. On the homebrewing level, they can provide some information that enables us to make informed decisions about the grains we use, ensuring the quality and consistency of our brews. Overall though, we can use these sheets to get a sense of the malt qualities but we don’t have to pay as close attention to the specifications as a multi-million dollar brewery would.

Overview of Malt Analysis Spec Sheets

Now that we understand to what level we should pay attention to these sheets, let’s explore the two main types: Certificate of Analysis (C of A) and Product Information Sheets. The C of A offers detailed insights into specific malt lots, while Product Information Sheets provide a broader overview. Keep in mind that availability of C of A may vary depending on the malt lot, and as homebrewers, you may not be able to get your hands on it.

Analysis of a Brewer’s Malt Spec Sheet

The example product information sheet we looked at for this post is for Briess’s American two-row malt. Here are some of the first descriptors we discussed.

Mealy, Half, and Glassy: These terms are indicators of malted barley quality. Mealy describes a texture reminiscent of mashed potatoes, while half falls between mealy and glassy, and glassy indicates a smooth surface like a polished mirror.
Plump: This term measures the quality and intactness of the malt kernel. The plumper the kernel, the better the quality.
Moisture: Don’t underestimate the significance of moisture content in malt. It affects freshness and quality, much like the right balance of hydration in your favorite plant. Moisture can make or break your brew, so pay attention to this essential factor.

C. Extract Dry Basis: This measure determines the sugar yield per pound of malt, unleashing the potential for brewing magic. It’s like discovering a hidden treasure trove of sweetness within the malt.

D. Protein and Soluble Protein Ratio: Proteins and enzymatic activity are the unsung heroes of brewing. They impact fermentation and the overall quality of your brew. So, keep an eye on these numbers to ensure a smooth brewing journey.

E. Diastatic Power: This mystical-sounding term, measured in Degrees Lintner, represents the malt’s enzymatic conversion power. It’s the factor that describes the malt’s ability to converts starches into fermentable sugars, unlocking the full potential of your brew.

F. Alpha Amylase: This item shows the measure of the enzyme that breaks down starches, ensuring a plentiful supply of fermentable sugars for yeast to work its magic.

G. Color: Malt color, measured using the SRM (Standard Reference Method) is important to note for the color it can impart in your beer.

Practical Application for Homebrewers

As homebrewers, our focus lies on extract content and sugar yield per pound of malt. Extract every last drop of brewing potential, and savor the sweetness of success. Don’t forget to consider moisture content for the freshest and highest-quality brews.

Additional Considerations

Malt enzymatic activity can influence mash temperature and fermentability. Craft maltsters may introduce variations in specialty malts, offering unique flavors and characteristics. Embrace the diversity and add an extra dash of creativity to your brews. Lastly, monitoring moisture is vital for maintaining malt texture and quality which will affect your beer.

Conclusion

Understanding terms like mealy, plump, extract content, and moisture are the important factors in the product information sheets. Focus on extract content and moisture, for they hold the power to unlock the full potential of your brews. May your brews be flavorful, your glasses full, and your brewing adventures never-ending.

BREW ON!

NewAir Outdoor Fridge Review

By John Krochune

On May 17, 2023

In Equipment, Videos

Our friends at NewAir sent us a new refrigerator. It arrived a few weeks ago and Mike has been using it on his porch. His porch, you ask? Yes, his porch because this fridge was made for the outdoors. Watch this video to learn more about this particular NewAir product.

The Spectacular Details of the NewAir Outdoor Fridge

Picture this: it’s a warm and sunny day, you’re outside with your friends and family, and you’re craving a nice, cold beverage. But here’s the thing – regular coolers with ice just don’t cut it. The ice melts, and before you know it, your drinks are warm. Well, fret no more, because we’ve got the perfect solution for you: the NewAir Commercial 5.3 cu. ft. Outdoor Fridge!

This fridge is specifically designed for outdoor use, with a water-resistant casing and sealed back to handle those inevitable rain showers and sprinkles. You can even place it under a little cover, like a gazebo or patio, for extra protection. Plus, it’s not just durable; it’s also incredibly spacious, boasting a whopping 5.3 cubic feet of storage. That means you can easily fit a couple of cases of your favorite beer inside. And speaking of beer, this fridge comes with adjustable shelves and a digital probe inside, so you can set your preferred temperature with ease. Whether you like your beers chilled at 45° F or a frosty 33° F, this fridge has you covered.

Say goodbye to messy coolers and warm drinks, and say hello to the NewAir Outdoor Fridge – the ultimate companion for outdoor entertaining. You can find it on NewAir’s website or even at your local big box hardware stores. This fridge will certainly help if you want to take your outdoor gatherings to the next level. Cheers to Newair for sending us this gem, and make sure to give us a thumbs up and subscribe to our channel for more awesome beer and homebrew content. Stay tuned, everyone!

Homebrewing Techniques For Low-Alcohol Beer

By John Krochune

On May 10, 2023

In Experiments, Recipes, Videos

Mike invited me over for an unexpected beer and he was correct in that description. He brewed a low ABV beer that he’s been thinking about for a while. There have been a few articles that we have read lately about brewing non-alcoholic beers. Let’s just say that Mike questions if those types of beers are achievable at the homebrew level, but he thinks we can brew beers successfully that are just a touch above that 0% ABV. This post explores his homebrewing techniques for low-alcohol beer and the results of his first experiment.

What Are Those Techniques?

The main thing Mike keeps in mind is that small adjustments to a typical homebrewing session can make big changes in the beer. Here are the slightly modified techniques to brew a low ABV beer.

1. Build Your Grain Bill For a Low Starting Gravity
Keep the weights of your grains down. In recipe below, Mike intentional measured his grain amounts to dial in his starting gravity to be under 1.040. His base malts are still making up the majority of the bill, but the small amounts are enabling to keep the fermentable sugars low.

2. Use Flavorful Base and Specialty Malts
To make sure the resulting beer is tasty, use a combination of malts that bring a lot of flavor. Seek out base malts that have identifiable flavors. Blend them with specialty malts that accentuate the overall malt

3. Aim For a High Mash Temperature
You want to bring as much body to the beer as possible so that it isn’t perceived as thin. You want it to be light but not thin, if that makes sense. A higher mash temperature will bring more non-fermentable sugars to the beer, resulting in more body.

4. Use a Yeast Strain With Moderate Attenuation
Mike likes his English strains. Some of them don’t attenuate fully so they are perfect for low-alcohol beers since they will stop fermenting before all the available sugars are spent. The other advantage to English yeasts is that most of them flocculate so they fall out of the beer easily.

Using this list of techniques should set you up well for a low-alcohol beer. Now, let’s look at them in action with this recipe.

Low ABV English Bitter Recipe

Batch Size: 3 US Gallons ( L)

GRAINS
1.5 pounds (680 g) of Maris Otter Malt – 47% of the grain bill
12 ounces of (340 g) Light Munich Malt (7L) – 24% of the grain bill
12 ounces of (340 g) Vienna Malt – 24% of the grain bill
2 ounces of (57 g) Extra Special Malt (Briess) -4% of the grain bill
1 ounce of (28 g) Midnight Wheat – 2% of the grain bill

HOPS
1 ounce of (28 g) East Kent Goldings hops at 4.2%AA for 60 minutes

YEAST
LalBrew® Windsor British Ale Dry Yeast

INSTRUCTIONS and RESULTS
Mash temperature: 158° F (70° C)
Starting Gravity: 1.036
Final Gravity: 1.022

Low-Alcohol Beer Thoughts

Well, this beer made me re-think a lot of things. In the video, I say that it is light. Thinking about the concept of light, I now understand better alcohol’s effect on the total beer experience. Removing it changes my perception of the beverage entirely.

You can see that this beer has a lot of flavor. These procedures are straight out of the English Mild playoff. If you are looking to brew a beer with a lot of flavor, go with this model.

Hopefully, you learned something about these homebrewing techniques for low-alcohol beer. If you have tips that we have missed, leave them in the comments below.

BREW ON!

Bar King Beer Line Cleaner Review

By John Krochune

On May 3, 2023

In Equipment, Videos

If you keg your homebred beer, you know that you have to keep your beer lines clean. We always say that you should use the specialized cleaners for this hobby. Don’t use dish soap since that will leave a residue that you’ll need to work hard to rinse it out. Bar King, a sub-brand of 5 Star North in Nashua, NH sent us their powdered beer line cleaner to review. Since we both have keg lines to clean, we got to it.

Powdered Keg Line Cleaner

This product comes in pouches in powdered form. The beer line cleaner I have used in the past comes in liquid form, so this format is different for sure. Looking at their site, this cleaner comes with their cleaning system – a container that allows you to pump the cleaning solution through your lines.

One packet makes 32 ounces or just under a liter of cleaning solution. Add the powder to water and mix it. The water will turn a blueish color, which allows you to see the cleaner in your lines. Once its pumped through the lines, you let the product sit and stay in contact with your beer lines. The cleaner will break down any build-up the lines have collected over time. After the time is up, rinse the lines until they are clear and you’re good to go.

What Did We Think Of This Cleaner?

We both cleaned our keg lines with Bar King’s product and were happy to report our success. It was easy to prepare and easy to pump it through the lines. You have to love cleaners where all you have to do is maintain contact with the surface. Like, yeah, I can do that. No scrubbing is always a plus.

Once it is rinsed through, beer was flowing once again. The quality of the pour was apparent. The beer tasted great as there was not signs of cleaner in the beer – which is a great thing. I don’t need to be drinking something that may be extremely detrimental to my health. Make sure you rinse well, guys.

That’s what we got. You can find this product on Amazon as a part of their cleaning kits. Find the one for your ball lock kegs and you’re all set.

BREW ON!

SMaSH Beer Comparison – UK vs FR Fuggle Hops

By John Krochune

On April 26, 2023

In Hops, Videos

It’s the ultimate Fuggles SMaSH beer comparison. One of our viewers, Alexis from France, sent us French-grown Fuggle hops. So, we decided to brew beers to conduct a side-by-side comparison of UK Fuggles and French Fuggle hops to understand the differences in flavor and aroma. Knowing that Mike dislikes this hop variety, could he work up the strength to power through this beer comparison and share his learnings with the world?

Just watch.

Brewing Fuggles SMaSH Beers

To do a proper comparison, these beers needed to be the same except for the hops. If you’re new to the Brew Dudes SMaSH set up, here are the details.

The beers are brewed in a one-gallon batch size using two pounds of two-row malt and fermented with US-05 yeast. Then, the same hop schedule is followed using 28 grams of hops in total for each beer.

Here is the hop schedule:

7 grams for the beginning of the boil
14 grams at 20 minutes to go in the boil
7 grams added at flame out

After the wort is cooled and the yeast is pitch, these beers fermented for two weeks at about 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit).

What Were The Differences?

Well, Mike found both beers to be super drinkable (miracles never cease). He states that there are significant differences between the two varieties when tasted side by side.

Both hops present a floral aroma. In the beer with the French Fuggles, the flavor was softer and more had more of that floral flavor. The UK one is more earthy and woody.

We both prefer the softer and gentler French version, but we think that the UK version has a more aggressive bittering presence, which might be preferred by homebrewers who want a stronger, earthy flavor in their English ales.

Thanks to Alexis who sent us the hops. There are more French hops that he sent so there are more to explore.

Brew ON!