Brew Dudes Homebrewing Blog

First Gold Hops SMaSH Tasting

On July 13, 2022

A viewer from the UK suggested we use First Gold hops in our next SMaSH beer. So, we did. We had never brewed with these hops before in our single malt and single hops format before. Here’s our experience with this variety.

First Gold Details

I wrote a First Gold hops profile over 10 years ago. They are a dwarf English hop variety that we understood to have spicy notes of cinnamon and orange peel. We were told that we should try them for the fruit flavors. So, I brewed a one gallon batch using 1 ounce of hops with American pale malt and Safale US-05. After the fermentation was done, the beer was carbed for our tasting.

What Was Our Take?

Well, the promise of fruit was not fulfilled. We experienced more earthy aromas and flavors. I detected a strawberry note but not orange. I was hoping for some zest-like expressions in this beer but there was none to be had. Now, that’s not to say this was a bad hop. We may have had an old pouch and it may not have been as potent as when it was fresh.

I think this hop would be good in traditional English ales if you are looking to shake it up a bit. There were a lot of Kent-like earthiness to it that will work well in ales.

BREW ON!

Homebrew Jar of Destiny: The Third Pick

By John Krochune

On July 6, 2022

In Style Profiles, Videos

The Homebrew Jar of Destiny series continues with the third pick of the year. What does the Jar have in store for us this time around? Watch as we choose our fates at random for our forced education of beer styles.

You Never Know What You’re Gonna Get

The idea is simple – put all the recognized beer styles in a jar and choose one to brew. We planned to do four rounds of this series and we’re on number 3. Here are the beers we selected for this round.

5B. Kölsch

When I saw the wooden nickel, I was a little disappointed since I know this style well. That doesn’t mean I can brew an excellent version of it. The challenge of this pick is to learn how to nail all right characteristics and make a worthy version.

22A. Double IPA

Again, we feel like we have a good understanding of this style too. I mean, we starting drinking beer in the 1990s. The American Double IPA was all around us and we consumed many. I think Mike will do a good job of doing the research and brewing up an excellent beer.

We plan to have these beers ready for September so keep an eye out for the post in a couple of months.

BREW ON!

Check out the British Strong Ale post
Check out the Black IPA post
Check out the International Amber Lager post
Check out the Belgian Tripel post
Check out the Double IPA post
Check out the Kölsch post

Homebrew Con 2022 Recap

By John Krochune

On June 29, 2022

In Festivals, Videos

After a long hiatus since the last in-person one, Homebrew Con 2022 offered these Brew Dudes a chance to take in a few educational sessions, see the latest offerings from different homebrewing vendors, and be amongst our people in the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, PA. Here’s our recap video of our experiences at the convention this year.

Key Takeaways

As compared to the one we attended in Providence, RI, this Homebrew Con was smaller. Smaller in terms of the number of attendees, the number of vendors on the exposition floor, and the number of sessions. Coming out of a pandemic, we understood that in-person participation would be lower. Seeing the smaller scale does support the notion that the hobby is in decline, but we’re hoping that by next year, we’ll see numbers back to 2019 levels.

The sessions they did have were informative – that’s something that has not changed. Like the last time, you get a bit tired of the information overload. It’s all well and good but when you go to this convention as a true student of the craft, you find yourself pretty spent after 3 sessions in the day.

The vendors who were there were great. It’s always nice to meet people who make a living either selling homebrew ingredients or equipment. Special shout out to Yakima Valley Hops as they were quite welcoming and gave out some much free hops to the attendees. There were always long lines for their booth.

Other Homebrew Con 2022 Thoughts

Lastly, it’s always tremendous when people you don’t know say hello and say nice things about the content that you put out on the internet. I am always surprised to hear it but appreciative. We Brew Dudes starting this blog back in July of 2007 and to be still typing out to you right now is pretty shocking. Especially when you think about the blogs that have come and gone in those 15 years, I get a sense that if we have anything – it’s persistence.

So, if you like what you see and read, let us know. Thank to all the people who said hey. It’s always great to talk to others who love brewing beer at home. Maybe we’ll see you at next year’s convention?

Cheers and BREW ON!

Blonde Ale Recipe With Fermentis K-97 Yeast

By John Krochune

On June 22, 2022

In Recipes, Videos, Yeast

Sometimes, when you want to try something new, it’s best to keep some of the things you do familiar. I think that’s what Mike was doing when he tried out SafAle K-97 German Ale Dry Yeast from Fermentis. He used it in an American Blonde Ale that he brewed and here’s how it turned out.

American Blonde Ale Recipe

Here is the recipe that Mike put together. It’s based on previous recipes he has created with an eye to try out this dry yeast strain.

This is for a 6.5 US Gallon – post-boil batch:

Ingredients:

8 pounds (3.63 kg) of Weyermann Pilsner Malt
1 pound (453 g) of Flaked Barley
1 pound (453 g) of Weyermann CaraHell Malt – 13 °L

0.5 ounces (14 g) of Cascade hops (6% AA) – added at 60 minutes left to go in the boil
2 ounces (56 g) Loral hops (10% AA) – added at 10 minutes left to go in the boil

Yeast: SafAle K-97 German Ale Dry Yeast

Instructions:

Mash at 150°F (65.5 °C) for 75 minutes
Mash out at 168°F (75.5°) for 10 minutes
Ferment at 60°F (15.5 °C) for 10 days, raise temp to 68°F (20°C) for an additional 3 days

Original Gravity: 1.052
Final Gravity: 1.009

Our Tasting Notes

The beer was freshly kegged so it was a bit hazy still. Mike was confident it would clear in the keg. From the Loral, I was getting a lot of woody notes.

The body was a little heavier from the flaked barley and the CaraHell malt. The finish was still crisp and provided a pillow-y aftertaste that we enjoy in a Kölsch.

We think this yeast strain did well in this beer style. If you’re looking for an alternative to an American strain like US-05, try out K-97. It makes a great blonde ale.

BREW ON!

Belgian Tripel – Jar of Destiny

By John Krochune

On June 15, 2022

In Brew Log, Style Profiles, Videos

You put your hand in the jar – The Homebrew Jar of Destiny – and pull out a style. This time, I received 26C from the 2015 BJCP guidelines – Belgian Tripel.

Once you are melded to the style, you have to do your research, maybe look up a recipe on your own blog, certainly taste a commercial example of the beer. All of these steps lead to a recipe formulation, a purchase of brewing ingredients, and a brew day.

Then, you get a video like this one that sums it all up with the payoff of a tasting.

First, let’s examine the recipe I put together.

Belgian Tripel Recipe

Recipe:
Boil Size: 5 US Gallons (18.9 L)
Batch Size (in fermentor): 3.5 Gallons (13.2 L)

Grains:
9 pounds (4.8kg) of Dingemans Pilsen Malt
0.5 pounds (.23 kg) of Rahr White Wheat
1 pound (.45 kg) of White Table Sugar (Sucrose)

Hops:
1.5 ounces (43 g) Saaz Hops (2.7 %AA) boiled for 60 minutes
1 ounce (28 g) Styrian Goldings Hops (4.2 %AA) boiled 15 minutes

Yeast: Wyeast 3787 Trappist High Gravity™

Water: Spring water from Maine was used for this beer

Mash at 149°F (65° C) for 60 minutes. Boil for 90 minutes. Ferment at 64° F (18°C) for 10 days or until active fermentation appears over. Slowly raise temperature to 72°F (22°C) over 4 days and hold for another 7 days. Package in bottles and prime to get 3.5 volumes of CO2.

Original Gravity: 1.085
Final Gravity: 1.008
Color: 4.44 °SRM
Bitterness: 35.2 IBU
Alcohol (%volume): 10.11%

Our Tasting Notes

This beer came out as a golden ale. The video doesn’t do it justice. I wanted to hit the color and it looks pretty good. It needs a few months in the bottle to clear.

I was trying to hit the bitterness note with the hops. The amount of Saaz is more than I expected to use. The finishing hops blend well with the yeast flavors.

Not too much clove flavor or other phenols, the cool fermentation worked well for me. This beer finishes dry and is deceptive. I can sense the high alcohol in this beer without any taste of it.

By this winter, the flavors should smooth out and I am excited to taste it then.

BREW ON!

Check out the British Strong Ale post
Check out the Black IPA post
Check out the International Amber Lager post