Brew Dudes Homebrewing Blog

Bottle Conditioned English Strong Ale

On August 5, 2026

Mike recently brewed a bottle-conditioned English-style strong ale inspired by traditional British pub beer and real ale service. Instead of force carbonating the beer in a keg, he conditioned each bottle naturally with measured carbonation drops. The result was a fresh, lively beer combining rich malt character, earthy hops, expressive yeast, and firm carbonation.

British Pub Ale #1 Recipe

Batch Size: 3.5 gallons

Water:
Combination of tap water and spring water
Gypsum
Magnesium sulfate
No additional chloride

Grain Bill:
85% Rahr Pale Malt
12% Baird’s Crystal 50/60
3% Biscuit Malt

Hops:
1.5 ounces, or 42 grams, Fuggles hops at 60 minutes to go in the boil

Yeast:
1 packet each of SafAle S-04 and Mangrove Jack’s Empire Ale Yeast
Both yeast packets were rehydrated together before pitching

Outcomes:
Original Gravity: 1.061
Final Gravity: Approximately 1.015
ABV%: Slightly above 6%

Mash Schedule:
Mash at 150 degrees Fahrenheit for 60 minutes
Slowly ramp toward mash-out during the following 15 minutes

Bottle Conditioning:
Fill bottles directly from the fermenter
Add one Cooper’s carbonation drop to each bottle
Cap each bottle and allow natural refermentation

First Thoughts

For bottling, Mike filled directly from his SS Brewtech fermenter while his son capped each finished bottle. Each bottle received one Cooper’s carbonation drop, simplifying sugar measurement and supporting consistent natural carbonation. After six days, the beer opened with a clear pop and already showed surprisingly active carbonation.

The aroma presented noticeable yeast character, light esters, mineral qualities, and an earthy contribution from the Fuggles hops. Those flavors continued into the tasting, alongside blended malt sweetness, hop bitterness, and persistent carbonation across the palate. Mike noted that S-04 can emphasize mineral and herbal qualities, especially when paired with earthy English hops. However, I thought those qualities worked together and supported the traditional personality of a bottle-conditioned English ale.

What We Learned

This first British Pub Ale showed that bottle conditioning can produce lively carbonation within a surprisingly short period. The beer delivered malt depth, earthy hops, yeast expression, and the rustic character Mike wanted from real ale. Next time, he plans to reduce the strength and brew something closer to a standard English bitter. He may also replace the remaining Fuggles with East Kent Goldings, one of his preferred English hop varieties.

Overall, the experiment created a strong starting point for Mike’s evolving series of British pub ale recipes.

BREW ON!

Crystal 40 vs. CaraMunich I in American Pale Ale

By John Krochune

On July 29, 2026

In Malts, Recipes, Videos

Mike brewed two American Pale Ales to compare Crystal 40 malt directly against CaraMunich I malt. Both beers shared the same base malt, hopping schedule, yeast, water profile, fermentation, and finished gravity.

The only recipe difference was the specialty malt providing eight percent of each beer’s total grain bill. This approach kept the colors nearly identical while giving us a focused comparison between the two malts.

Watch this video to see all of the details of this APA experiment.

A Specialty Malt Experiment

Mike designed the beers around Valley Malting American pale malt, which made up ninety-two percent of both recipes.

He kept the hopping restrained because the purpose was comparing malt flavor rather than creating an aggressively hopped pale ale.

American Pale Ale Malt Comparison Recipe

Batch Format: Two nearly identical American Pale Ales

Base Malt:
92% Valley Malting American pale malt

Beer A Specialty Malt:
8% Briess Crystal 40

Beer B Specialty Malt:
8% CaraMunich I

Original Gravity:
1.048

Final Gravity:
1.012

Estimated Alcohol:
Approximately 4.7% ABV

Mash Schedule:
Mash at 152°F for 60 minutes. Mash out at 168°F for approximately 20 minutes.

Hops:
12 grams Nugget for bittering
20 grams Centennial with five minutes remaining

Yeast:
Rehydrated Cellar Science Cali Ale yeast

Water:
Equal parts spring water and tap water, with gypsum favored and no additional chloride.

Fermentation:
Fermented for approximately ten days, transferred into kegs, then rapidly carbonated before tasting.

Our Thoughts On The Experiment

During the blind tasting, Beer A seemed drier and carried a noticeable biscuity character through the finish. Beer B tasted maltier and fuller, with slightly more body from the CaraMunich I addition. However, the differences remained subtle because the Centennial hops gradually coated our palates during repeated tasting.

Mike then revealed that Beer A contained Crystal 40, while Beer B contained CaraMunich I. I preferred Beer A because its flavor matched my memories of classic American Pale Ales more closely. The Crystal 40 also allowed the Valley Malting base malt to remain clearer throughout the tasting. Meanwhile, CaraMunich I added more malt weight, although it never made the second beer unpleasant or unbalanced. Crystal 40 was our preferred specialty malt for this straightforward American Pale Ale recipe. Its drier, biscuit-like character supported the hops while preserving the flavor of the American pale base malt. CaraMunich I produced a slightly fuller beer with more malt presence and a rounder overall impression.

Still, the differences were small enough that either malt could produce a very good American Pale Ale. Mike would continue using CaraMunich I in German and Czech styles where its malt character fits naturally. However, Crystal 40 remains his likely choice when building a more traditional American Pale Ale. This experiment also showed how ingredient comparisons can improve future recipe design without adding unnecessary specialty malts. Understanding Crystal 40’s biscuit-like contribution could reduce the need for separate biscuit malt in some recipes.

For this style, Beer A delivered the balance and familiar malt profile we wanted most.

BREW ON!

Kentucky Common Beer – 4th Attempt

By John Krochune

On July 22, 2026

In Recipes, Style Profiles, Videos

Kentucky Common is one of those historical American beer styles that Mike has been exploring for some time now. He has brewed one over the last several years, but in this version, he changed the recipe and fermentation approach considerably.

For this batch, he wanted to respect the traditional concept while brewing something more enjoyable for his preferences. The result was a darker, malt-forward beer featuring plenty of corn without an overwhelming cooked corn character. We tasted the beer together and discussed the recipe, fermentation problems, and improvements over Mike’s previous Kentucky Common. Here is everything you need to know about his 4th attempt.

We Learn and Do

This is the 2026 version of Mike’s Kentucky Common Beer Recipe

The Fourth Kentucky Common Recipe

Grain Bill

50% Pale Malt
23% Pilsner Malt
23% Corn
2% Crystal 40
2% Blackprinz Malt

Hops

2 ounces Willamette hops at 60 minutes

Yeast

1 packet Fermentis SafLager S-23

Mash

Mash at 152°F for 75 minutes

Fermentation

Fermented initially between 62°F and 65°F
Later warmed to approximately 72°F after fermentation slowed
Lagered for an extended period before tasting

Original Gravity: 1.052
Final Gravity: 1.018

First Takes

Mike hoped the longer mash would encourage better fermentability, although the final gravity remained higher than expected. The fermentation stopped around 1.021 initially, so Mike gently roused the yeast and increased the fermentation temperature. Those changes only brought the beer down several additional points before fermentation appeared completely finished at 1.018. Despite the fermentation issue, the extended lagering period made a noticeable difference when we finally tasted the finished beer.

The beer poured very clear with an off-white head that remained persistent throughout much of our tasting. On the aroma, malt was clearly the dominant characteristic without much noticeable yeast character coming through. The flavor was considerably smoother than Mike’s earlier attempt at brewing a Kentucky Common beer. More importantly, I did not get the cooked corn character that stood out in some previous adjunct beers. Using 23 percent corn seemed like a good compromise between representing the style and keeping the beer enjoyable. Meanwhile, the pale malt provided additional malt character instead of relying entirely on Pilsner malt for the base. Even with only two percent Crystal 40, the finished beer had a surprisingly noticeable malt character.

Mike thought the S-23 yeast also helped support that malt character after spending considerable time lagering. One of our bigger discussions concerned why fermentation stopped considerably higher than Mike originally expected. His working theory involved pitching dry yeast directly onto the sanitizer foam remaining inside his fermentation vessel. Mike wondered whether some yeast remained trapped within that foam instead of immediately reaching the wort underneath. Recently, he has started rehydrating dry yeast before pitching, allowing the liquid yeast mixture to penetrate that foam. We do not know whether that explains the attenuation problem, but it gives us something worth testing. Even with the higher final gravity, this Kentucky Common remained balanced, smooth, and easy to drink.

Final Thoughts

This version was an improvement over our previous Kentucky Common experiments, particularly regarding the corn character. For my tastes, keeping corn around one quarter of the grain bill produced a much more enjoyable result. The combination of pale malt and Pilsner malt also provided enough character without making the beer overly heavy. Additionally, extended lagering appeared to smooth out fermentation characteristics that were unpleasant when the beer was younger.

The biggest unanswered question involves the stalled fermentation and whether yeast handling contributed to the higher final gravity. Mike has already changed his dry yeast process, so future batches should give us more information. Ultimately, this Kentucky Common respected the historical idea while still reflecting Mike’s preferences as a homebrewer. That is usually the right approach for us: understand the style, then adjust the beer to your tastes.

BREW ON!

Peach Mango Kettle Sour Wheat Beer

By John Krochune

On July 15, 2026

In Experiments, Recipes

Mike brewed a peach mango kettle sour wheat beer for hot weather and shared his complete process. This batch combined a simple wheat beer base with heavy fruit additions and controlled lactic sourness. We tasted the finished beer and discussed its aroma, flavor, acidity, and performance using older brewing cultures.

Peach Mango Kettle Sour Wheat Beer Recipe

Batch Size: Approximately 3.5 gallons

Water Profile:

50 percent tap water
50 percent spring water
Slight emphasis on sulfate

Grain Bill:

50 percent Pilsner malt
50 percent white wheat malt

Hops:

20 grams Centennial hops at flameout

Yeast:

1 packet of Lallemand New England yeast
1 packet of Mangrove Jack’s Hophead yeast

Mash Schedule:

Mash at 152°F for 60 minutes

Kettle Souring Process:

Bring the wort briefly to a boil for sanitation
Cover the kettle and cool the wort to approximately 95°F
Pitch two 10-gram packages of Lallemand WildBrew Sour Pitch
Hold the wort between approximately 85°F and 95°F
Taste after 24 hours and continue souring when necessary
Sour for approximately 48 hours total
Boil again to stop the souring process
Continue boiling approximately 60 minutes to reach the target gravity

Fermentation:

Ferment for approximately ten days

Fruit Addition:

2 pounds frozen mangoes
2 pounds frozen peaches
Thaw the fruit completely
Blend the fruit into a puree
Press the puree through a fine strainer

Packaging:

Add the strained puree to a 2.5-gallon serving keg
Transfer the fermented sour beer directly over the puree
Chill and carbonate before serving

Additional Details:

After mashing, Mike briefly boiled the wort to sanitize it before beginning the kettle souring stage. He cooled the covered kettle to approximately 95°F, then pitched two packages of Lallemand WildBrew Sour Pitch. The culture had expired in 2023, so he doubled the pitch and allowed extra time for souring. After 24 hours, the wort tasted mildly sour, but another day produced a noticeably stronger lactic character.

Mike then boiled the wort again, stopping further acid production and preparing the beer for fermentation. At flameout, he added 20 grams of Centennial hops for citrus and orange peel character without meaningful bitterness. He fermented for roughly ten days using Lallemand New England yeast blended with Mangrove Jack’s Hophead yeast. Both yeast packages were approaching expiration, but fermentation started quickly and completed without any apparent problems.

For fruit, Mike thawed two pounds each of frozen mangoes and peaches before blending everything into puree. The mixture remained too pulpy for keg service, so he repeatedly blended and pressed it through a fine strainer. That effort produced a smooth fruit base while removing enough solids to reduce the risk of clogged fittings. He added the puree to a serving keg, then transferred the fermented sour beer directly over it.

After chilling and carbonating the keg, the beer was ready for our summer tasting session.

Tasting Notes and Learnings

The finished beer showed restrained sourness rather than an aggressively puckering acidity, making the fruit easier to evaluate. Mango dominated the aroma, including a slightly underripe or cucumber-like quality that became softer as the beer warmed. Peach remained in the background, while the combined fruit contributed additional acidity and a smooth nectar-like texture. The lactic character reminded us of yogurt, although it stayed balanced enough for a refreshing summer beer. I enjoyed the first glass, but the intense fruit and acidity made this better as an occasional pour. Mike found it especially refreshing during hot Fourth of July weather and considered trying another fruit combination.

This experiment showed that kettle souring can remain simple when temperature, tasting, and sanitation guide the process. The expired culture still worked effectively, although fresh bacteria would probably reach the desired acidity more quickly. An all-in-one brewing system could simplify this method by controlling temperature and limiting unnecessary transfers. However, the fruit preparation required patience because heavy puree additions can create practical challenges inside a keg. Overall, the beer delivered noticeable mango, softer peach, balanced lactic tartness, and the refreshing character Mike wanted.

BREW ON!

American Blonde Ale with Citra Hops

By John Krochune

On July 8, 2026

In Recipes, Style Profiles, Videos

Mike brewed an American Blonde Ale with Citra hops for something light, crisp, and easy to enjoy. He wanted an ale that could work well during the warmer months, especially around the Fourth of July.

This beer had a clear golden appearance, a rocky head, and a clean fermentation profile. The goal was simple enough, but the Citra hops became the biggest variable in the recipe.

In this video, Mike walked through his American Blonde Ale recipe before we tasted the finished beer.

American Blonde Ale with Citra Hops Recipe

Here is the recipe from the video:

Batch Size: 3.5 gallons

Water Profile:
Balanced chloride to sulfate ratio

Grain Bill:
82% Pilsner malt
12% Crystal 10 malt
6% white wheat malt

Hops:
12 grams Citra at 60 minutes
60 grams Citra at flameout
72 grams Citra total

Yeast:
1 packet of Lallemand House yeast

Mash Schedule:
145°F for 30 minutes
152°F for 30 minutes
168°F mash out for 10 minutes

Fermentation:
Fermented around 68°F for about a week and a half

Other Process Notes:
Whirlfloc was added near the end of the boil

Our Hot Takes On This Cold Beer

The beer cleared well on its own, even with the small amount of wheat in the grain bill. That wheat likely helped the beer produce a persistent, rocky head that stayed around in the glass. The aroma had a big punch of Citra, with a clear citrus character coming through first. The flavor followed the aroma, bringing a light citrus quality that made the beer refreshing.

There was a small oniony and resiny note from the hops, but it stayed in the background. Overall, the Citra worked better than expected, especially for hops bought from a local homebrew shop. Mike thought he got lucky with this package, since hop freshness can vary quite a bit.

Overall, this American Blonde Ale with Citra hops showed how well this variety can work in a lighter, cleaner beer style. The beer had enough malt support from the Pilsner, Crystal 10, and wheat without becoming heavy. The clean yeast character kept the focus on the crisp body and citrus hop expression. For warm weather, this beer fits well as an easy-drinking alternative to a lager. If you feel that you can’t brew lagers, a blonde ale like this is a good style to keep around. The Citra hops were the biggest risk, but they helped make this batch bright and refreshing.

BREW ON!