Brew Dudes Homebrewing Blog

Huell Melon Hops SMaSH Beer Tasting & Review

On April 22, 2026

In this video, we set out to evaluate Huell Melon hops using our standard SMASH beer approach. We wanted to isolate the hop character and understand what it really brings to a beer. Huell Melon is a German variety that often gets labeled as fruity and melon-forward. We have talked about it before, but never fully tested it this way. This batch gave us a clean way to break it down and see what stands out.

We brewed a one-gallon SMASH beer using a simple and repeatable process. The batch used two pounds of grain, two gallons of water, and one ounce of hops. We followed our typical hopping schedule with early boil, flameout, and dry hop additions. Fermentation ran about one week before cold crashing and packaging.

Our Huell Melon Takes

On the aroma, the first impression leaned strongly herbal with some surprising notes. We picked up white grape along with a cannabis or thyme-like character. The herbal intensity was noticeable and dominated the aroma profile. There was also a subtle fruit component, but it was not overly sweet or juicy.

The flavor followed a similar path with strong herbal and spicy elements. We noticed green melon rind, similar to honeydew, rather than sweet melon flesh. There were also hints of tea, floral spice, and a slight fruitiness underneath. The overall impression was more herbal and spicy than expected for this hop.

We also discussed how hop characteristics can shift over time due to growing conditions and terroir. Huell Melon may have originally leaned more fruity when released, but now shows more complex herbal traits. This variability makes small-batch testing like this useful for understanding real-world results.

Conclusion

Huell Melon turned out to be more complex and less fruit-forward than expected. The herbal and spicy notes dominated, with fruit playing a supporting role. It is an intriguing hop, but not one that delivers pure melon sweetness. This experiment reinforces the value of brewing small test batches before committing to a full recipe. It also shows that hop expectations do not always match real results.

Oat Malt Stout With House Ale Yeast

By John Krochune

On April 15, 2026

In Recipes, Videos

We have another stout on tap, and this one leans into experimentation. Mike took a familiar stout concept and adjusted the ingredients to create something smoother and less roasty. The goal was to explore how different malts and yeast choices affect the final beer.

What Is An Oat Malt Stout?

We tasted Mike’s latest iteration of what he called an Oat Malt stout, a variation of an Oatmeal Stout though it sits at the lower end of the style. The recipe focused on balance and drinkability rather than intensity.

Batch Size: ~3.5 gallons

Water Profile:
3:2 spring water to tap water
4g gypsum
1g magnesium sulfate

Grain Bill:
61% Pale malt
9% Light Munich (8L)
9% Caramunich II (45L)
11% Oat malt
8% Pale chocolate (220L)
2% Roasted barley (500L)

Hops:
42g Willamette (4% AA) @ 60 minutes

Yeast:
1 packet of Lallemand House yeast

Mash:
152°F for 75 minutes

Stats:

OG: 1.049
FG: 1.016
ABV: ~4.3%
IBUs: 26
Color: 30 SRM

Our Notes

In the glass, the beer poured dark with a tan head and slight brown highlights. The aroma leaned heavily into bread crust and malt sweetness. There were also notes of milk chocolate and hints of hazelnut, likely coming from the pale chocolate malt.

On the palate, the beer carried a strong toasty character. The combination of Munich and Caramunich malts added depth and sweetness. The roast was restrained, but the toastiness made it seem more pronounced than expected. The oat malt contributed noticeable body and a smooth mouthfeel.

Mike noted that the yeast fermented quickly but stayed very clean. That left the malt profile doing most of the work. He suggested that a yeast with more character could enhance complexity in future batches.

This stout experiment showed how small ingredient changes can shift the entire flavor profile. The pale chocolate malt stood out as a key contributor, adding chocolate and nutty notes without harsh roast. The oat malt improved body, while the Caramunich introduced additional toastiness.

If brewed again, Mike would likely swap in a different crystal malt to reduce the bread crust character. He may also try a more expressive yeast to add depth. Overall, the beer was smooth, balanced, and a solid variation worth refining.

Southern Cross Hops SMaSH Beer Tasting & Review

By John Krochune

On April 8, 2026

In Hops, Videos

This SMaSH beer experiment focused on showcasing Southern Cross hops in a simple setup. With a single malt and hop, the goal was to isolate the variety’s aroma and flavor characteristics clearly. I (John) built the recipe to emphasize late hop additions, which would highlight aroma and flavor over bitterness. This approach helps us understand what this New Zealand hop brings to the table without interference.

Tasting The Southern Cross SMaSH Beer

In the glass, this beer leaned heavily into bright, citrus-forward flavors with a noticeable acidity. The first impressions brought a mix of lemon-like citrus and subtle tropical fruit notes. We both picked up hints of kiwi, especially that slightly raw edge you get near the rind. There were also touches of lychee, passion fruit, and even under-ripe guava, giving the beer a layered but not overly sweet profile.

The bitterness came across as soft and restrained, which made sense given the late hop additions. According to hop references, Southern Cross is known for lemon zest and pine characteristics. We did not get much pine, though some of that raw, slightly sharp note could be interpreted that way. If used earlier in the boil, it likely would contribute more bitterness and resinous qualities.

This hop seems versatile depending on how it is used. For a more traditional IPA, it could work well as a bittering hop paired with stronger varieties like Columbus or Chinook. It could also complement hops like Simcoe in later additions to build complexity. In this beer, the late additions kept things bright, citrusy, and slightly tropical without becoming overpowering.

Conclusion

Southern Cross hops delivered a unique combination of bright citrus and subtle tropical flavors in this SMaSH beer. The soft bitterness and lemon-forward profile stood out the most. While it did not show much pine in this version, different brewing techniques could bring that out. This experiment reinforced how much hop timing impacts flavor. It also showed that Southern Cross can play well both as a feature hop or as part of a blend. Availability may be limited, so it is worth grabbing when you can!

BREW ON!

Homebrew Jar of Destiny: The Eighteenth Pick

By John Krochune

On April 1, 2026

In Style Profiles, Videos

The Jar of Destiny series keeps things unpredictable as we continue this homebrewing challenge with pick number eighteen. We continue pulling random styles from the 2015 BJCP guidelines with no preparation beforehand. That randomness is what makes this challenge fun, frustrating, but educational. This round gave us two very different beer styles to figure out. Both styles bring unique challenges, especially within a three-month brewing window. The goal is simple: learn the style, brew the best version we can, and come back to taste it.

What Did The Jar Give Us This Time?

16A – Sweet Stout
For my pick, I landed on a sweet stout, also known as a milk stout. This style relies on lactose to create residual sweetness without fermenting out completely. The challenge is balancing that “sweetness” with the right roasted malt profile. The roasted grains need to support the “sweetness” without becoming too bitter or harsh. I have brewed this style a couple of times before, but not recently. That means I will likely revisit some commercial examples before brewing to dial in expectations.

I put sweetness in quotes because I never really tasted sweetness from lactose in beer.

28C – Wild Specialty Beer

Mike pulled a wild specialty ale, which is essentially a flexible, experimental category. The base beer can be anything, but the defining feature is mixed fermentation. This could include Brettanomyces, Lactobacillus, or other microbes contributing sour or funky characteristics. Unlike kettle sours, this approach takes longer and can be unpredictable. Mike discussed possibly culturing microbes from bottle dregs or even experimenting with a coolship method. Time is the biggest constraint here, since wild ales often benefit from extended aging. He may end up doing an early sample for the deadline and revisiting it later.

See You Again In A Few Months

This round highlights how different brewing approaches can be within the same challenge. The sweet stout focuses on balance and drinkability, while the wild ale leans into experimentation and time. Both styles require thoughtful planning, especially given the three-month turnaround. We will need to start brewing quickly to stay on schedule. It will be interesting to see how each beer develops by tasting time. The real takeaway is that the Jar of Destiny continues to push us outside our comfort zones. That is where the best learning happens in homebrewing.

Rauchbier – Jar of Destiny

By John Krochune

On March 25, 2026

In Style Profiles, Videos

The Jar of Destiny handed us Rauchbier, a smoked beer style that can be intense. I have brewed smoked beers before, but they can easily become overpowering. This time, Mike aimed for balance and restraint instead of full smoke dominance. The goal was simple: keep the smoke present, but let the base beer shine through.

The Recipe and Tasting Notes

Mike built this Rauchbier on a Märzen-style foundation with a restrained smoke profile.

Water:
50/50 spring water and tap water
Small additions of gypsum and magnesium sulfate

Grain Bill:
44% Pilsner malt
29% Beechwood smoked malt
15% Light Munich malt
11% Caramunich II (45L)
1% Carafa Special II (450L)

Hops:
Hallertau Mittelfrüh at 60 minutes
Small addition at flameout

Yeast:
1 packet of Saflager 34/70

Mash & Fermentation:
Mash at 152°F for 90 minutes
Slight temperature drop during fermentation, then corrected

Batch Details:

Original Gravity: 1.050
Final Gravity: 1.016
ABV: ~4.5%
Bitterness: just under 20 IBUs
Color: ~12 SRM

Our Thoughts on Rauchbier

The beer pours a dark amber with lighter highlights and an off-white head. The aroma carries a pleasant, inviting smoke without being aggressive. On the flavor side, the smoke becomes more noticeable but stays balanced. There is a smooth, malty backbone with bready and toasted notes supporting the profile.

Compared to heavier smoked beers, this version avoids the “liquid bacon” effect. Instead, it leans into subtle smokiness that complements the base beer. That said, the flavor still evokes strong food memories like ham, baked beans, or sausage. It is one of those beers that pairs naturally with hearty, outdoor meals.

This beer lands in a really interesting place. The smoke is clearly present but never overwhelming. That balance makes it far more drinkable than many examples of the style. It feels like a fall beer, perfect for cool evenings and backyard cookouts.

Rauchbier remains a niche style. The smoky character is distinctive and tied closely to food memories, which can be polarizing. We enjoyed this version quite a bit, but we are still undecided on how often we would brew it.

What stood out most is how well the restrained approach worked. Keeping the smoke around 30% instead of pushing higher made all the difference. It allowed the Märzen-style base to come through cleanly while still delivering that signature Rauchbier character.

Thanks Jar. BREW ON!