Brew Dudes Homebrewing Blog

Calibrating pH Meter For Homebrewing Beer

On March 4, 2026

In this post, Mike walks through how to calibrate a pH meter for homebrewing. Specifically, he demonstrates the process using the Milwaukee MW102 pH meter, the same meter he used during his mash pH experiments across multiple beers. Accurate mash pH readings depend on a properly calibrated meter, so getting this step right helps ensure reliable brewing data.

Calibrating the Milwaukee MW102 pH Meter

Mike starts by showing the components of the MW102 system. The meter uses a separate probe and thermometer, which plug into the main unit. This design is helpful because the probe can be replaced if it wears out, without replacing the entire meter.

The probe is stored in a pH storage solution, typically potassium chloride. Keeping the probe moist prevents it from drying out and maintains its accuracy. Before calibrating, Mike places the probe in clean water to rinse off the storage solution and allow it to equilibrate.

To calibrate the meter, he prepares two calibration solutions:

pH 7.01 (neutral)
pH 4.01 (acidic)

These solutions can come in bottles or single-use packets. Mike pours each into small cups so the probe can be submerged safely above the protective teeth surrounding the probe tip.

The calibration process follows a simple sequence:

Turn on the meter and place the probe in the pH 7 solution.
Press the calibrate button and allow the reading to stabilize.
Press confirm to lock in the neutral calibration point.
Rinse the probe with clean water and dab it dry.
Place the probe in the pH 4 solution.
Wait for the reading to stabilize and press confirm again.

Once both calibration points are confirmed, the meter is ready for accurate pH readings.

Mike also emphasizes measuring mash samples at room temperature. To cool a hot wort sample quickly, he places the sample cup in an ice bath for several minutes before taking the measurement.

Conclusion

Calibrating a pH meter is straightforward but important for reliable mash pH measurements. Using pH 7 and pH 4 calibration solutions ensures the meter reads accurately across the brewing range. Taking care of the probe, rinsing it properly, and storing it in electrode solution helps extend its lifespan. With a properly calibrated meter, brewers can trust their pH readings and better control their brewing process.

Brew ON!

American Blonde Ale Experiment Gone Hazy

By John Krochune

On February 25, 2026

In Experiments, Videos

Mike set out to brew a clean, crisp American Blonde Ale. Instead, he ended up with something that looked suspiciously like a hazy pale ale.

Mike called me over claiming instant carbonation magic. By the time I arrived, it was pouring with a solid head. I had no idea what the style was supposed to be. That uncertainty made the first sip even more interesting.

This beer is the start of Mike exploring lighter styles. The goal was pale, hoppy, and sessionable. What we got was flavorful, soft, and noticeably hazy.

The Recipe & What We Did

Mike built this beer for drinkability!

Batch Size: 3.5 gallons
Mash In: 5 gallons total water

Water Profile (Post-Adjustment)
Calcium: 77 ppm
Magnesium: 9 ppm
Sodium: 60 ppm
Sulfate: 138 ppm
Chloride: 140 ppm
Bicarbonate: 51 ppm

Water was split 50/50 between soft spring water and tap water. It was treated with Campden, gypsum, lactic acid, and magnesium sulfate.

Grain Bill
88% American Pale Malt (Valley Malt)
8% Flaked Barley
4% Biscuit Malt

The flaked barley was inspired by Spotted Cow. The idea was to add softness and body. The pale malt sits between standard two-row and pale ale malt in color.

Hops
60 minutes: Nugget hops (25 IBUs)
Flameout (no chill): ~0.5 oz Centennial hops
Flameout (no chill): 1 oz Amarillo Cryo hops

All flameout hops were added, sealed up, and left overnight. No chill was used due to winter brewing conditions.

Yeast
1 packet of Mangrove Jack M66 Hop Head

Mash & Fermentation

Mash: 152°F for 75 minutes
Target mash pH: 5.2
Fermentation: 68°F for 10 days

Stats

Original Gravity: 1.048
Final Gravity: 1.014
ABV: Just under 4.5%

Analysis and Tasting Notes

Now here’s where things shifted: The M66 yeast is designed for hazy beers. That enzyme blend encourages biotransformation and haze stability, which explains the beer’s appearance.

Visually, it looked more like a hazy pale ale. The haze made it appear darker than it really was. Holding it to the light showed a much paler base.

On the nose, the Amarillo Cryo hoos brought bright orange peel aroma. The Centennial hops layered in citrus character and there was noticeable yeast expression as well.

Flavor-wise, it was soft and hop-forward. The flaked barley delivered a smooth mouthfeel. Bitterness was firm but restrained. The finish was fairly dry, though Mike wanted even more attenuation.

Head retention was solid. Carbonation was lively and appropriate. Overall, it was 85% of the way to the intended target.

Thoughts for Next Time

The biggest takeaway was yeast choice matters. It make sense that a hazy-focused yeast will produce haze. The base malt likely added a touch of color and character. Combined with suspended yeast and hop polyphenols, clarity suffered. If the goal is crystal-clear blonde ale, a clean American strain like US-05 or BRY-97 would be better.

That said, the beer tasted great. It was soft, citrus-forward, and highly drinkable. If I told you it was a hazy pale ale, you would believe it immediately. Next iteration will use California ale yeast and lighter two-row. Amarillo might get a slight boost. Same bitterness, same sessionable intent.

This is beer one of many in Mike’s blonde ale exploration. He’ll refine it and dial it in.

Brew on!

Helios Hops SMaSH Beer Tasting and Review

By John Krochune

On February 18, 2026

In Hops, Videos

We are back with another SMaSH beer experiment. This time we focused on Helios hops. As always, the goal is simple. One malt, one hop, clean yeast, and let the hop speak for itself. We brewed a one gallon batch to isolate the aroma and flavor. Then, we let Mike break it down on camera.

SMaSH Recipe & Process

As we do, we followed our standard SMaSH format.

Batch Size: 1 gallon

Ingredients
Water: Spring water (2 gallons, no sparge)
Grains: 2 pounds Rahr 2-row pale malt
Hops: 1 ounce (28 grams) Helios (17% alpha acid):
Yeast: US-05 (3.5 grams)

Instructions
Mash: 60 minutes
Boil: 60 minutes
Fermentation: 2 weeks at 72°F
Hop addition schedule:

3.5 g at 60 minutes
17.5 g at flameout
7 g dry hop after one day of chilling

Our Thoughts On Helios Hops

Helios is a dual purpose hop from the Hopsteiner breeding program. With alpha acids around 17%, it has strong bittering potential. The low cohumulone content should create a smoother bitterness.

On the aroma, Mike picked up cucumber right away. There was also an herbal, earthy component and a hint of stone fruit, like peach. As it opened up, the aroma became more intriguing.

On the palate, the herbal note was more pronounced. There was a savory quality and a dry overall profile. The peach did not carry through strongly, but subtle cucumber and possibly green melon notes remained. The hop sat right on the edge of pithy. Not overly harsh, but close.

Flavor descriptors for Helios include resin, grapefruit, melon, citrus, and light floral spice. We could see some of that. For us, the green melon leaned more cucumber than sweet fruit.

Helios works well as a bittering hop. The high alpha acids make it efficient and firm. In an IPA, it could provide a solid bitter backbone.

As an aroma hop, I would be cautious. On its own it is interesting. Paired with lower quality lots of other hops, it could amplify pithy or vegetal notes. With strong fruit forward hops like Citra or Galaxy, it might add complexity.

Overall, Helios is intriguing. I would reach for it in American ales when I want to change up my standard bittering hop. As a SMaSH, it gave us a clear picture of its character.

Brew ON!

Bottle Dregs Witbier – Yeast Collection for Homebrewing

By John Krochune

On February 11, 2026

In Recipes, Videos, Yeast

I got an email asking if I still had that Hoegaarden yeast I harvested years ago. So, I checked my fridge and found a jar that looked like peanut butter. I decided not to revive the old sample. Instead, I grabbed a fresh six-pack and started over.

The goal was simple. Harvest the bottle dregs and brew my own witbier.

Here we go!

Bottle Dregs Witbier Recipe & Brewing Process

We kept this one straightforward and let the yeast experiment lead the way.

Name: Because I Can Witbier

Batch Size: 5 gallons

Water:
Spring water from the store – no additions

Grain Bill:
50% Dingemans Pilsner Malt (I used 4.5 pounds/2 kg)
50% Flaked Wheat (I used 4.5 pounds/2 kg as well)

Hops:
1 oz (27 grams) of Karma hops 8.7% AA added with 60 minutes left to go in the boil
0.5 oz (14 grams) of Karma hops 8.7% AA added with 10 minutes left to go in the boil

Extra:
0.75 oz (21 grams) of Fresh Orange Peel – added with 5 minutes left to go in the boil

Yeast:
Dregs from a six pack of Hoegaarden, added to a liter yeast starter made with Fast Pitch canned wort

Instructions:
Mash for 60 minutes at 150°F (66°C)
Boiled for 60 minutes
Fermented for 2 weeks at 72°F (22°C)
Kegged and carbonated to 2.5 volumes

Outcomes:
Original Gravity: 1.046
Final Gravity: 1.009
% ABV: 4.8%

What We Learned

On the tasting side, the aroma was immediately recognizable. It had that slightly sulfury, wheaty character typical of a witbier strain. The beer poured hazy with a classic wheat beer appearance. I wanted a bit more citrus on the palate from the zest. The soft water made it very easy to drink.

The Karma hops brought a green, almost umami character with minty citrus notes. I think I was heavy handed on the 60 minute addition. The bitterness pushed the IBUs higher than traditional witbier ranges. If I brewed this again, I would scale that back. Still, the yeast character came through clearly. By day two of the starter, it smelled like witbier. That told me the harvest worked.

I can tell you that harvesting bottle dregs still works. Even with rumors about different bottling strains, this fermented like a proper witbier. Building a healthy starter made the difference. The yeast took off and finished clean.

Next time, I would reduce the bittering hops and maybe bump the citrus. But overall, this proved again that you can source yeast from commercial bottles and brew a solid beer at home. It is a fun experiment and a practical skill for homebrewers.

Mash pH in Homebrewing Beer Research Project

By John Krochune

On February 4, 2026

In Experiments, Videos

In this video, Mike walks through his deep dive into mash pH and water chemistry. He collected mash pH data across fifteen beers using a proper pH meter. The goal was to understand how mash pH affects attenuation, clarity, and overall beer perception.

This video is a long one but it’s well worth it for the data and the conversation

What Mike Presented

Mike compared mash pH readings from a pH meter, pH strips, and BeerSmith predictions. The meter consistently read higher than strips, which tended to run about 0.5 lower. BeerSmith predictions tracked closely with measured values when water chemistry inputs were accurate.

He showed how calcium additions generally lowered mash pH through phosphate reactions. Higher bicarbonate levels raised mash pH, especially when working with very soft water. Beer color alone did not correlate strongly with mash pH once salts were adjusted intentionally.

To test whether these differences mattered in the glass, Mike brewed three identical amber ales. The only difference was water source and mineral additions.

Amber Ale Test Recipe

Grain Bill:
86% Pale Malt
8% Crystal 40
4% CaraVienne
2% Carafa Special II

Hops:
1 oz Tettnang at 60 minutes
0.5 oz Tettnang at 5 minutes

Yeast:
Cellar Science Cali

Mash:
152°F for 75 minutes

Fermentation:
68°F for approximately 10 days

Water Treatments:
Beer 1: Straight tap water with Campden
Beer 2: Straight spring water with no additions
Beer 3: Spring water with calcium and bicarbonate additions

Mash pH landed at roughly 5.3, 5.4, and 5.5 across the three beers. Attenuation ranged from about 77% to 82%, with only minor differences.

In tasting, the tap water beer leaned maltier but felt less bright. The untreated spring water beer tasted the most balanced and pleasant. The heavily treated water beer finished drier but showed a noticeable mineral character.

What We Learned About Mash pH

Mash pH within the typical 5.2 to 5.6 range did not strongly impact attenuation here. Good fermentation practices likely play a larger role in achieving dryness.

pH strips are usable for spot checks if you understand their limitations. Starting with soft water simplifies both pH control and flavor balance.

Mash chemistry matters most when brewing at style extremes or with challenging water.

BREW ON!