Brew Dudes Homebrewing Blog

Warm Fermented Amber Lager

On December 25, 2019

Mike has been going nuts with brewing up lagers at room temperatures. When you get a yeast strain that has been proven successful at producing quality beers through non-traditional processes, you keep at it. Let’s learn more about this warm fermented amber lager!

Brewed Warm – Tastes Good

This is the second time Mike has brewed a lager with the Fermentis SafLager W-34/70 yeast strain. The first time was a light colored lager that was great. This amber lager had more malty goodness in its flavor profile but the end result had the qualities of a lager – low fruity esters and a crisp finish.

I have a packet of this yeast too but I am going to brew my lager the old fashioned way. My temperatures will be at 50° F (10° C) and I will store the beer in my fridge at the coldest setting for 6 weeks at least.

We will see how that beer comes out in a future video. BREW ON!

Brewing Up a House Stout Recipe

By John Krochune

On December 19, 2019

In Recipes, Videos

As experienced homebrewers, we want to be known for certain standard beers that we brew all the time. There is something special about the idea of having 3 or 4 beers that your friends, family, and acquaintances know you brew and brew well. Mike has been a champion stout brewer since the start of his homebrewing tenure. Here’s his video explaining his process and first stab at a recipe for his House Stout.

Why Have House Beers?

If you are homebrewers like us with over a decade of homebrewing experience and have the equipment to showcase 3 or more beers at any time, then having house beers is for you. Mike has been working on some “go-to” styles recently. One that I would suggest that he always have on tap is his Cream Ale with Liberty hops. That beer is very good.

Mike has always been a stout man and as the calendar shifts to winter, his mind is focused on dialing in a stout he can have on tap whenever anybody wants it. Here’s his first try at a recipe:

House Stout Recipe

5 pounds of Maris Otter Pale Malt
5 pounds of American Pale Malt
1 pound of English Chocolate – 450°L
1 pound of Roasted Barley – 500°L
1 pound of Briess Caramel – 60°L
1.5 pound of Flaked Oats (Quaker)
2 oz East Kent Goldings hops – 60 mins to go in the boil
1 oz East Kent Goldings hops – 15 mins to go in the boil
1 oz East Kent Goldings – at Flameout
2 Packs of Nottingham Ale Yeast

Overall, this was a good beer. Mike’s going to take the Roasted Barley and the Chocolate down a bit in the next go round.

BREW ON!

Passionfruit Peach Gose Tasting Notes

By John Krochune

On December 12, 2019

In Brew Log, Videos

Back in the summer, we brewed a beer and it was a collaboration with Oregon Fruit and North Country Group. We were trying to meet up with Elliot but we couldn’t get it going on our end. With a keg full of Gose and our ever-demanding production schedule, we present to you this Peach and Passionfruit, Kettle Soured, Gose Tasting Video (phew):

Our Gose Tasting Notes

Certainly the fruit flavors hit the mark. The purees were a great addition and came though the final beer with vigor. The salt was also present and made for a nice added element to the fruit additions. Lastly, the sourness was in the right place to shape the entire flavor profile of this beer.

Our heartfelt appreciation for this collaboration goes out to Elliot and Justin as they provided us with the ingredients for the recipe and the fermentor.

Let us know your thoughts on kettle souring and gose beer brewing.

Strata Hops SMaSH Beer Review

By John Krochune

On December 4, 2019

In Hops, Videos

I got a 2 ounce packet of this hop variety from Yakima Valley Hops and wanted to learn something about it. Watch this video as we try to figure out what aroma and flavor notes we get from this Strata hops SMaSH beer!

Our Strata Hops Notes

If there was one takeaway from this Strata SMaSH beer, it was the flavor and aroma note of ruby red grapefruit. There was a little hint of pith but the majority of this hop for us was really the essence of the particular type of grapefruit that is sweeter than the yellow pulp variety.

As a substitution, try Strata hops instead of Cascade or Centennial. This hop will make for a nice change of pace for your typical recipes that call for the big “C” American hops.

It was a nice hop to brew with and it is definitely one that can stand on its own.

Cheers and brew on!

Homegrown Cascade Hop Beer

By John Krochune

On November 28, 2019

In Hops, Videos

Although I had planned to brew three beers using homegrown hops, my brother gave me his Cascade hop harvest and so 3 beers became 4. This video talks about the process that I followed to brew this beer which was a little bit different from the Chinook beer I brewed. Let’s watch and learn now, ok?

A Tale of Two Pale Ales

I brewed this Cascade hopped beer differently. Outside of a First Wort Hopping, I added most of the hops late in the boil. When we tasted the beers side by side, you could certainly tell that the Chinook beer, with its early hop additions, was noticeably more bitter than the Cascade one.

The Cascade beer had a pleasant taste. The black tea aroma and flavor was there, but not as much as the Brown Ale. Since this beer did have some Chinook in it, the resiny, pine flavor was present but not overpowering.

It made a nice thirst quencher for Thanksgiving. My brother got what he wanted with a homegrown hop ale. We drank many pints around the turkey fryer.

Brew ON!