Brew Dudes Homebrewing Blog

Brew Dudes Homebrewing Gift Guide

On November 22, 2023

Hey – it’s that time of year again. Time to buy gifts for that homebrewer in your life. Maybe that homebrewer is yourself. That’s pretty sweet. If you’re looking for some suggestions for gift giving, here are some ideas for the holiday season.

Gift Ideas From Us To You

Here are the top 3 homebrewing gift recommendations for the holiday season.

Our first recommendation is the Brew Bucket from SS Brew Tech. We love fermenting in stainless steel because it’s easy to clean and they feel better about it. The Brew Bucket is also easy to get in and out of, and it has a large opening that makes it easy to hose out.

Follow this link and buy a Brew Bucket!

Our second recommendation is the UKeg from PerfectDraft. This is a small, copper-looking growler with a nice tap on it. It’s perfect for traveling with your homebrew, and it makes a great conversation starter.

Follow this link and buy a UKeg

Our third recommendation is the Torpedo Mini Keg from Torpedo. This keg is a great option for homebrewers who are brewing smaller batches of beer. It’s also portable, so you can easily take it with you on the go.

Follow this link and buy a Torpedo Mini Keg.

All of the products that we recommend are great additions to any homebrewer’s collection. If you’re looking for gifts for the homebrewer in your life, be sure to check out these recommendations.

BREW ON!

Tree House Style IPA – Brewing Best Practices

By John Krochune

On November 15, 2023

In Beginner, Recipes, Style Profiles, Videos

Mike has been watching other YouTube channels. I know, I can’t believe it either. He got hot tips from the Tree House Brewing Company’s channel about how to brew an IPA like they do. He took that knowledge and brewed a Tree House Style IPA that uses the holy trinity of Citra, Amarillo, and Simcoe hops. Watch this video to learn more about the best practices to mimic the beers they brewed at one of the top rated breweries in the world.

Tree House Style IPA Recipe

Here’s Mike’s take on the information he gathered from the brewery.

Water Chemistry:
50 PPM Calcium
29 PPM Sulfate
67 PPM Chloride
Targeting a 2:3 Chloride to Sulfate ratio

Grain Bill:
85% Briess 2-Row Brewers Malt
10% Flaked Oats
5% Carafoam (he substituted with Honey Malt)

Hops:
Bittering Hops: 20 IBUs of Magnum
Flavor and Aroma Hops (20 minutes in and flame out): 5 IBUs each of Amarillo, Citra, and Simcoe hops
Dry Hopping (after fermentation): 7 to 15 grams per liter of Amarillo, Citra, and Simcoe

Yeast:
1 packet of LalBrew Verdant IPA Dry Yeast
Cold crash after fermentation
Additional dry hopping post-fermentation (7 to 15 grams per liter)

Process:
Mash temperature: Step mashing at 147 °F, 158 °F, 168 °F, with a mash out
Fermentation temperature: 65° F for two weeks

Outcome:

Original Gravity: 1.062 (target 1070)
Final Gravity: 1.011
Alcohol content: Almost 7%

Tasting Notes

I think Mike nailed it with this one. With aromas of pine and citrus, and a hint of berry in the flavor, this IPA hit the spot. It is reminiscent of the beers you can get at Tree House. Tasting it, the descriptor of juicy came up. It has that orange/tangerine citrus profile that balances pithiness and fruit character. The source for the hops in this beer is Yakima Valley. If you’re going to brew a hoppy beer, make sure you get great hops.

I was satisfied with this brew and I hope there is more examples coming our way.

Brew On!

Chechil Beer Snack Cheese Review

By John Krochune

On November 8, 2023

In Videos

For this post, we are doing something different. The makers of a brined, smoked braided string cheese sent us their product and we decided to check it out. Since this type of cheese is to be paired with beer, we poured a couple of pints and tried it. See our review of Chechil Beer Snack.

Let’s Learn About Chechil

As you may have guessed, we didn’t know about this type of cheese when we were first contacted buy the Chechil USA company. After some research into the topic, we found out it is an Armenian brined string cheese. It is produced from cow’s milk and stretched into strings which are braided.

At some point, but looking at the product we figure it gets smoked as a braid. We are guessing it is brined before the braiding, but it is definitely brined. Before we get to far into the taste, let’s wrap up with how this product is packaged. This particular company packs the braid into clear plastic and it allows you to see it before you open the package.

Once it’s opened up, you need to take some steps to make it ready to eat. I took a knife and cut the knot at the bottom of the braid. After the knot is cut, you tear apart the strings to make more manageable pieces. With the strings separated, they can be selected from a plate or a bowl for eating.

Our Take – It’s Different But Good

After you pull apart the strings, the smoked aroma permeates the room. Eating the cheese, it has the consistency of other string Mozzarella cheeses we have had. The big difference is the salty, smoky notes.

It presents like a big pile of thick noodles but once you get past that, the cheese is good and fun to eat. The beers we chose (Miketoberfest and Amarillo Pale Ale) paired well with this smoky snack. We think it would go well with some other spicy meats and crackers.

Thanks for much for the sample. We appreciate it.

BREW ON!

Creating a New Beer Style: Miketoberfest

By John Krochune

On November 1, 2023

In Experiments, Style Profiles, Videos

As homebrewers, we have the ability to create our own beer styles. Although there isn’t much new under the sun, a few sources of inspiration can allow us to craft a beer that doesn’t quite fit a “standard” style. Watch as we talk about the plan behind this beer and how you can craft your own Miketoberfest!

Miketoberfest Recipe

Let’s get into what this new style is all about with the recipe. Maybe you can brew your own version at home?

Water:
Distilled water with addition to match this profile.
75 PPM of calcium.
5 PPM of magnesium.
20 PPM of sodium.
65 PPM of sulfate.
133 PPM of chloride.
Sulfate to chloride ratio of 0.5 (2 to 1 chloride to sulfate) to favor maltiness.

Grains:
German Pilsner malt – 74%
Aromatic Munich malt – 18%
Crystal Malt 120°L – 3.7%
Chocolate Rye Malt – 3.7%

Hops:
First wort hopping with 2 ounces (56 g) of Styrian Goldings hops (3.1% AA)

Yeast:
1 packet of LalBrew NovaLager

Brewing Process:
Mash 60 minutes at 152°F
Mash out at 168°F
Boil for 60 minutes
Ferment for 2 weeks at temperature in the range of 62 to 65°F

Outcomes:
Original Gravity: 1.048
Final Gravity: 1.014
ABV: 4.12%

Our Review Of This New Beer Style

We love copper colored beers in Fall and this beer looks the part. It is a beautiful looking beer that entices one to dive in.

Because this beer has never been brewed before, we tried to understand its unique flavor profile. It has great malt punch that is balanced with earthy hop bitterness.

The beer has an intriguing dry aftertaste, making it perfect for the fall season. We feel that the use of specific malts, hops, and yeast, along with careful attention to water chemistry and fermentation temperature, contributes to the distinctive character of this beer.

So get out there – make up your own style. If you’re not ready for that leap, you can always brew a Miketoberfest while you think up your contribution to beer history.

Cheers and BREW ON!

Amarillo Hops and The Pursuit of Orange Essence

By John Krochune

On October 25, 2023

In Hops, Recipes, Videos

Mike brewed an Amarillo Pale Ale to see if he could bring out the orange aroma and flavor notes that make this hops variety special. While doing so, we muse on the subject of hops freshness. Let’s dive in.

Amarillo Pale Ale Recipe

To get to the heart of the matter, Mike brewed this recipe to seek the orange essence of Amarillo hops. This recipe is for a 3.5-gallon batch of beer.

Water:

Calcium: 87 ppm
Magnesium: 5 ppm
Sodium: 20 ppm
Sulfate: 139 ppm
Chloride: 100 ppm
Sulfate to Chloride Ratio: 1.4

Grains:

92% Pale Malt (US 2-row)
8% Munich Type 1

Hops:

0.5 ounces (14 g) of Cascade hops. boiled for 60 minutes – approx. 16 IBUs.
1 ounce (28 g) of Amarillo hops at 10 minutes to go in the boil
1.5 ounces (42 g) of Amarillo hops at flameout
1.5 ounces (42 g) of Amarillo hops for dry hopping for three days.

Yeast:

Fermented with Mangrove Jack’s Hophead Ale yeast, which is a blend of Ester yeast strains and enzymes to promote aromatic esters and beta-glucosidase.

Process:

Mashed at 140°F (60° C) for 60 minutes
Ramped up to 154°F (67°C) for another 20 minutes
Followed by a normal Mash out at 168°F (76°C) for super fermentability

Fermented at 68°F (20°C) for 2 weeks.

Outcomes:

Original Gravity (OG): 1.046
Final Gravity (FG): Approximately 1.010
Alcohol by Volume (ABV): Almost 5%

Results And Hops Tips

We Brew Dudes are generally positive about Mike’s Amarillo Pale Ale. It has a pleasant and well-constructed hop-forward profile, with a focus on orange flavor. The aroma is enticing with a strong citrus note. Mike didn’t think it has the essence of orange juice, but it is quite enjoyable.

Discussing hops freshness and quality, we discussed these tips:

Buy Hops from Hop Suppliers Directly: We recommend purchasing hops directly from hop suppliers rather than from local homebrew supply stores. Purchasing from the source ensures that the hops are in their original packaging and are likely fresher.
Purchase Larger Quantities: Instead of buying one or two-ounce packages, consider purchasing larger quantities like 8 ounces or 16 ounces. Even if you buy these larger packages from your local homebrew store, they are often original packages from the suppliers, helping maintain freshness.
Use a Vacuum Sealer: If you have a vacuum sealer, you can take the hops you don’t immediately use, vacuum-seal them to remove excess air, and store them for future use. Following this process helps prevent the oxidation that can occur when hops are repeatedly exposed to air.
Store Hops in the Freezer: Keep your hops in the freezer to extend their shelf life and preserve their freshness. Freezing hops can help slow down the degradation of hop oils and flavors.
Consider Hop Varieties and Turnover: Some hop varieties have a higher turnover and are more readily available and fresher at your local store. If you’re looking for a specific hop variety, it’s a good idea to check its popularity and freshness level

Thanks for reading and best wishes on your hop flavor adventures.

Cheers and BREW ON!