Brew Dudes Homebrewing Blog

Most Hops SMaSH Beer Tasting and Review

On October 15, 2025

We continue our work with SMaSH beers to learn more about hops. For this one, we decided to put a spotlight Most Hops (a Czech-bred hop variety). We brewed a one US gallon batch, push it through a quick turnaround, and see and taste what this variety is all about. Is it a bridge between UK and Czech styles? Let’s walk through the process and share our impressions.

The most.

Process Notes & Commentary

We used our typical our SMaSH beer ingredient list: spring water, Rahr 2-row hops, US-05 yeast. For the hops, I split the 28 grams evenly across the schedule, with equal measures.

I added 7 grams at the beginning of the boil, then at 15 minutest to go, at flameout, and for a 24 hours cold addition before packaging.

Because the alpha acids were modest, I figured it would lean more subtle and nuanced than punchy.

Tasting Notes and Opinions

Aroma and First Impressions
Right off the bat, Mike and I both detected something like cream or vanilla, which was weird and unexpected. Underneath that, there was a faint hint of green melon or some vegetal note. It struck Mike as “odd”. It was not bad, but peculiar. The descriptions I found online touted black currant, pineapple, grapefruit, spicy/herbaceous notes, even bubblegum. According to Yakima Valley’s materials, it’s a “dual purpose” hop with a lot of flavor possibilities. We did not smell or taste black currant or grapefruit notes in any obvious way.

Flavor & Aftertaste
On the palate, that creamy / vanilla vibe intensified. The fruit notes were soft and dull. If we were forced to pick something, there was a hint of melon or the outer rind of grapefruit, but nothing bold. Instead, I was more drawn to herbaceous, peppery, slightly bitter edges. The finish leaned spicy, with a sort of herbal bite more than a fruity one.

Verdict
Would I use Most hops as a standalone in a big hop-forward beer? Probably not. I think it has more of a supporting / complementary role: something to soften or add nuance in a lager or lighter ale, or as a layer in a blend. If you’re into weird, subtle, creamy / vanilla-ish / herbal hop characters (think along the lines of Sabro), you might enjoy what Most hops bring. But if you want bold fruit or citrus, this one isn’t going to shout it out. Worth experimenting? Absolutely.

Brew ON!

Imperial Stout Tasting – Two Years Later

By John Krochune

On October 8, 2025

In Experiments, Style Profiles, Videos

Sometimes, we have beers that we can age and taste again for the first time. In this post, we rediscover Mike’s Imperial Stout from way back in late 2023 that was a part of our beloved “Jar of Destiny” series.
It has been in a keg for two years, buried in a corner, and doing mysterious aging things. We got many requests to retaste it so we tapped the keg again. Learn more about how flavors changed after 24 months or so.

Getting You Up To Speed

Mike’s 7th pick of the Jar of Destiny series was American Imperial Stout. He built it on a base of Golden Promise and Munich malt, with flaked barley for body and layers of roasted barley, chocolate malt, and Carastan for depth. His secret ingredient was a pound of dark brown sugar. It added a touch of molasses sweetness and helped push the gravity north of 1.096.

He hopped the beer with Cryo Columbus for backbone and Cascade and Willamette for subtle aroma. It was fermented with a blend of Cellar Science Cali and English yeasts harvested from a smaller beer.

The result was a rich, malt-forward stout with spicy bitterness around 8.4% ABV.

Aging Gracefully

Here are our notes from our most recent tasting.

Aroma & Appearance
Holding the pint up to the light, it is still pitch black in color. There is not an inch of brown or ruby showing. The aroma opens with unexpected elegance: dark cherry, molasses, maybe a whisper of liquor-soaked oak, tobacco leaf, roasted chocolate. There is no hint of cardboard or phenolic funk. After two full years at room temp, we are feeling pretty good about the aroma.

Flavor & Mouthfeel
This thing is full, rich, velvety, and still sticky in the best possible sense. The roast isn’t sharp or ashy. It’s folded into dark chocolate, plum, and black fruit. The hop bitterness that we chatted about when we first tasted it is gone. In fact, none of hop character remains. The alcohol presence feels more confident now (maybe creeping toward 9–9.5 %) than in its youth. The aftertaste carries a sweet-dark tobacco, lingering dark fruit, and a molasses sweetness. The palate shifts beautifully between chocolate, dried fruit, and a soft roasted edge.

Evolution & Surprises
What surprised us the most is how the beer mellowed without losing complexity. It didn’t turn into some dull, oxidized monster. The flavors morphed, mingled, and deepened. The flavor notes from our original tasting (graham cracker, dark toast, aggressive roast) have settled into something grander.

Also, the gravity crept downward (Mike measured for this second tasting ~1.025 vs. 1.032 for the first tasting), which points to continued maturation.

Imperial Stout Tasting Conclusions

It’s elegant, complex, bold but not punishing. It shows what happens when you’re patient and let a high gravity stout settle, mellow, and find balance. This beer turned out to be one of the better surprises we’ve had in the BrewDudes lab. Mike may bottle some and enter it in a competition. Either way, thanks for pushing us to revisit this. If you ever brew a monster like this, don’t rush the first sip. Give it time.

BREW ON!

Fast Tracked Hoppy Lager With Elani Hops

By John Krochune

On October 1, 2025

In Beginner, Hops, Videos

Traditionally, lagers get pigeonholed as “crispy, clean, and bitter”. It feels like that’s the only lane they’re allowed to drive in. I wanted to see if a lager could keep that drink-all-day clarity while putting hop flavor and aroma up front. It wanted to see if I could brew a bright, hoppy lager with a welcoming nose. So, here we are presenting what I’m calling a happy hoppy lager: simple Pilsner base, firm bittering, then both a whirlpool addition and a cold packaging addition of Elani hops to bring lime-zest, pine, and a touch of geranium-like florals. Fermented warm with 34/70 and fined for clarity, this beer turned out to be dangerously crushable.

Elani Hoppy Lager Recipe

For a 5 gallon batch:

Water:
Spring water with 5 grams of gypsum

Grain Bill:
10 Pounds (4.54 kg) Pilsner Malt

Hops:
1 ounce (28g) of Michigan Chinook hops 11%AA – first wort hopping
2 ounces (56g) of Elani hops – Whirlpool
1 vial of Elani hop extract – added at cold packaging

Yeast:
1 packet of Fermentis SafLager W-34/70 Bohemian Lager

Instructions:
Mash at 148°F for 60 minutes
Boil for 60 minutes
Fermented in keg for 2 weeks at warm room temperatures (~75 °F / 24 °C)

Outcomes:
Original Gravity: 1.050
Final Gravity: 1.010
ABV: 5.25%

What We Thought (Tasting & Takeaways)

Warm-Fermented Lager, Zero Drama
34/70 remains the people’s champion for home lagering. Even at ale-ish temperatures, the profile stayed clean and “lager-y”. There are no weird esters, no off-flavors. If refrigeration is keeping you from lagers, let this be your sign: you can absolutely pull it off with this yeast and a sane process. Then, cheat shamelessly with gelatin for that showpiece clarity.

Hop Forward Without Losing the Lager Soul
The Michigan Chinook hops provides familiar structure, but the Elani hops whirlpool plus a dash of hop oil at packaging give the beer its personality: piney, zesty, lightly tropical-leaning aroma without the esters of a pale ale. It drinks easy, finishes crisp, and makes you immediately want another pour. I think we accomplished getting more hop flavor/aroma up front while staying firmly in lager territory.

BREW ON!

Homebrew Jar of Destiny: The Sixteenth Pick

By John Krochune

On September 24, 2025

In Style Profiles, Videos

These Brew Dudes continue their quest for homebrewing knowledge. For our sixteenth round in the Jar of Destiny beer style challenge, we went back to that trusty container loaded with every style from the 2015 BJCP guidelines. As always, we reach in, pull out a style at random, and agree to brew it. No whining, no swaps (okay, maybe one or two in four years, but the Jar keeps us honest).

This round delivered a real “back to basics” moment: I drew 1C – Cream Ale, and Mike landed on 20B – American Stout. On the surface, it’s a classic American showdown—light and crisp vs. bold and roasty. Let’s break down our picks and what we’re each planning as we head into brew day.

My Pick: 1C – Cream Ale

This one is a real throwback for me. Cream Ale was one of the very first beers I tried to brew when I got into homebrewing (we’re talking mid-2000s territory here). It’s a style that doesn’t get a ton of love in the craft world, but when it’s done right, it’s clean, refreshing, and dangerously drinkable.

For this batch, I’m planning to keep it classic:

Grain Bill: Mostly American 2-row with a good portion of flaked corn for that signature dry finish
Hops: Liberty hops for a gentle bitterness and some mild floral notes
Yeast: Clean American ale yeast (or possibly a hybrid/lager strain)
Stats: OG ~1.048, FG ~1.010, 18-22 IBU, 4.7-5.2% ABV

The real challenge with Cream Ale isn’t complexity. It’s getting a flawless, crisp pint that you want to reach for again and again. I haven’t brewed this style in nearly a decade, so I’m curious to see how my approach has changed. Wish me luck getting that “just right” balance of simple and satisfying.

Mike’s Pick: 20B – American Stout

Mike pulled the dark side of the coin with American Stout. It’s a style that, to be honest, isn’t always in his comfort zone. Traditional American Stout is pretty hop-forward, with big roast and a punch of bitterness. Not always Mike’s go-to, but that’s the spirit of the Jar. He’s going to try what you might not brew otherwise.

His plan is to dig into the challenge, dialing in the roast and bitterness while still aiming for balance. With cooler months ahead, a hearty stout might hit the spot, even if Mike is more of a “light lager” guy most days. As always, we’ll see what surprises come out of the brew kettle.

What’s Next?

The best part starts now. Over the next month or so, we’ll each be working up our best shot at these classic American styles. Once both are brewed and ready, we’ll meet up, taste, compare, and nitpick the results. The Jar has a way of keeping us on our toes and pushing us to improve with every pick.

Wish us luck on this round! Let us know in the comments if you’ve brewed a Cream Ale lately, and tell us your favorite American Stout recipe or memory. As always, keep brewing, keep experimenting, and always respect The Jar.

BREW ON!

Check out the First Pick and the start of it all!
Check out the Second Pick
Check out the Third Pick
Check out the Fourth Pick
Check out the Fifth Pick
Check out the Sixth Pick
Check out the Seventh Pick
Check out the Eighth Pick
Check out the Ninth Pick
Check out the Tenth Pick
Check out the Eleventh Pick
Check out the Twelfth Pick
Check out the Thirteenth Pick
Check out the Fourteenth Pick
Check out the Fifteenth Pick

American Wheat Beer – Jar of Destiny

By John Krochune

On September 17, 2025

In Recipes, Style Profiles, Videos

If there is any doubt about the need for the hobby of homebrewing, try finding an example of an American Wheat Beer in your local craft beer store. I called around to a few places near me. Nobody had it in stock. Sheesh.

Welcome to another round of the Jar of Destiny homebrewing beer challenge, where we brew the random styles fate throws at us. This time, I pulled “1D American Wheat Beer” from the BJCP guidelines. It’s a style that seems to be not so popular anymore. Lucky for me, a side trip to Maine turned up some real-life inspiration at Island Park Brewing, which helped me answer the Jar’s call.

A reason to homebrew!

Lonely American Wheat Beer Recipe

This recipe is for a 5 gallon batch.

Water:
Spring water with 5 grams of gypsum

Grain Bill:
6 Pounds (2.72 kg) Rahr 2-Row Pale Malt
6 Pounds (2.72 kg) White Wheat Malt

Hops:
1 ounce (28 g) of Cascade hops – first wort hopping
1 ounce (28 g) of Cascade hops – flameout

Yeast:
1 pack of Wyeast 1010 American Wheat Yeast

Instructions:
Mash at 148°F (64.5°C ) for 60 minutes
Boil for 60 minutes
Fermented in keg for 2 weeks at room temperature

Outcomes:
Original Gravity: 1.052
Final Gravity: 1.012
ABV: 5.25%

Tasting Notes & Final Thoughts

If you’ve only brewed with barley, American Wheat is a total curveball. The 50/50 wheat blend gives it a soft, fluffy body. It’s has a Kolsch-like profile, but with a creamy wheat edge. The Idaho Cascade hops surprised us with a coconutty, floral aroma and a little apple juice note, nothing like your typical citrus-heavy Cascade punch. Flavors were grassy, with muted lemon and tangerine. Think peach without the sweetness.

What makes this beer a winner is how different it feels from the IPA crowd. It is light, intriguing, and endlessly drinkable. You know you’re not just drinking another pale ale. The wheat character and subtle yeast profile make sure of that. Would I change anything? Maybe not. Sometimes you want a beer that’s just “different,” and this one delivers. Shout out to Island Park Brewing in Winthrop, Maine for the inspiration.

Stay tuned for the 16th picks.

Brew ON!

Links To The Jar of Destiny Series Results
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
Check out the English IPA post
Check out the Wood-Aged Beer post
Check out the Belgian Golden Strong Ale post
Check out the American Amber Ale post
Check out the German Pils post
Check out the Brett Beer post
Check out the Munich Helles post
Check out the Imperial Stout post
Check out the Foreign Extra Stout post
Check out the Belgian IPA post
Check out the Eisbock post
Check out the Czech Dark Lager post
Check out the California Common post
Check out the American Light Lager post
Check out the Pale Kellerbier post
Check out the Belgian Pale Ale post
Check out the Trappist Single post
Check out the Classic Style Smoked Beer post
Check out the Czech Amber Lager post
Check out the Gueuze post
Check out the Irish Stout post
Check out the Tropical Stout post
Check out the Schwarzbier post
Check out the American Wheat Beer post