National Homebrew Club Ireland

So get off your Arset and let yourself run riot! Plunder your recipes and bring the judges to Valhalla with your entry.

This competition is limited to one yeast, as selected by The Wicklow Hops Company, but the styles you can brew are unlimited.
An exception has been made for those who are going to bottle condition - If bottle conditioning with added yeast, only http://www.thehomebrewcompany.ie/lallemand-cbc1-11g-p-2825.html (http://www.thehomebrewcompany.ie/lallemand-cbc1-11g-p-2825.html) may be used. Any use of CBC1 must be communicated to us by sending a pm to fishjam and by also writing it onto your bottle label before drop off.
This competition will be BJCP registered and is open to any style but the yeast must be fitting with your chosen style and compliment it.

Overall balance is the key to a successful entry. The entry should be a harmonious marriage of the beer and the yeast, with neither overpowering the other. The yeast should complement and enhance the underlying beer, and the resulting product should be pleasant to drink. This is a BJCP competition, the existing style guidelines are there for your chosen style of beer. If the beer is out of balance it won't score as well, like any competition.  Creativity and showcasing the yeast will win you added points.

€7 Entry fee includes a direct pitchable liquid yeast strain of The Wicklow Hops Company unreleased Arset yeast, which will be posted to you, upon receiving your entry fee.  Entry fee is payable through via PayPal (it will take credit card too).

Entries can and will be professionally analysed to make sure the supplied yeast is actually used in the entry.

So get off your Arset, 'Kviekly' and get your creative homebrew juices flowing and brew a beer that would match with this yeast.


A little about the yeast:

The Overall flavour profile is similar to Hornindal, but this kveik yeast has a broad temperature range but its recommended temperature range is 15-38 degrees.  It can tolerate acidic wort quite well.  Stouts, Ales, Sours have been brewed with it, it really is a versatile yeast.
It can be used at lower temps to provide a clean taste with a slightly fruity finish.
And at higher temps for in your face outrageous New England fruitness.
It could work well in a kettle sour, maybe with some dry hopping.

Attenuation : 70-80%
Flocculation : High
Alcohol Tolerance: Very High


Details:
Dropoff and Entry Close?    
Contact your local club rep
7th September 2019

When?                        
Saturday 21st September 2019

Where?
The Harbour Bar, Bray, Co. Wicklow (https://theharbourbar.ie/).

Entry?            
Entry Form Here (https://gcbrewers.wordpress.com/entry-form/).
Yeast will only be posted out to entrants after €7 entry fee is sent via paypal (credit cards accepted too).
Yeast will be posted out early July.

Prizes:

1st     
Gold Medal
Winner gets to name the Strain of Arset Yeast for commercial release.
Dinner Voucher for €100 in a restaurant of your choosing.
Professional Beer Analysis by The Wicklow Hops Company

2nd   
Silver Medal
Professional Beer Analysis by The Wicklow Hops Company
€75 Circle K Voucher

3rd         
Bronze Medal
Professional Beer Analysis by The Wicklow Hops Company
€25 Home Brew Company Voucher

Spot Prize
To keep it light-hearted, a Bag o' Cans for the best named entry.
Name to be chosen by The Harbour Bar on the day of the competition to keep it impartial.
(PM fishjam45 with any name/style changes etc to your entry up until a week before dropoff closes)

(https://gcbrewers.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/kviek.jpeg?w=636&h=900%5B/img)

Excellent idea guys - well played.

The yeast is meant to be fruity at the high end - any idea what sort of fruits you mean? Might help when deciding what it will compliment.

Cheers Molc and a good question too.
From what we know it is meant to be similar to Hornindal so I'd start by looking up and researching that yeast.
Personally I reckon citrus/tropical.

Great idea for a comp guys.

Any entry restrictions other than the ones mentioned? I know a few guys in London playing around with some of these strains

I suppose the most important thing to remember is that only the yeast supplied after entering your beer can be used.  The guys at The Wicklow Hops Company can and will analyse the beer in the lab if it's suspected a different yeast has been used.  Otherwise it's basically choose what style of beer you reckon wood marry well with this yeast. Read what's been said about the yeast in the OP. Be creative. It's an exciting idea for a competition and we are genuinely excited about what beers are going to be entered. 

I hope that answers your question?

Sorry one last question, I take it all the yeast will be supplied at once so we're working with the same sample and also date. Rough idea of when it will be supplied to work out when to brew?

Alternatively is it just been supplied when people enter and its up to us to work out the right timings of when to brew the entries?

Promise that's my last question!

Keep them coming Molc, not a bother at all.

Yes you are correct, the yeast will be sent out at the same time to entrants and it will be from the same batch etc. to give everyone a level playing field.  The aim is to get everybody the freshest yeast as possible after production and in the best condition it can be but also give them enough time to brew as we don't know what style they will be entering.  This is a robust strain of yeast with great viability.

We are looking at the beginning of July for the yeast to be posted out.  That should give everyone plenty of time to brew and condition etc. for the competition.  Considering these kveik beer can be turned around fairly quickly (3 days I've heard), July should be loads of time.

Hopefully that answers your question?

Yup that's great! Now just to figure out what to brew :)

Sent from my ANE-LX1 using Tapatalk

Entry System is live!

OP updated.

Entry Form Here (https://gcbrewers.wordpress.com/entry-form/)

Click on the above link and fill out the form.  Your bottle labels will then be emailed to you.

Make sure to click on the Green Pay Here button when you've finished filling out the form.
This will take you to the paypal page.

Colin, I've paid but I got stuck on having to enter a style as I've no idea yet. Can I leave the Google form until nearer the time or do you need that entered to send out the yeast? Bit of a Catch 22

Simon, go ahead and fill out the form and you can just update the "style" section at a later date.

Cheers

hi guys,

is it only 1 entry per person?

Cheers,
Jon

Entrants can enter upto 3 entries. €7 entry fee per entry.

Thanks,
Colin

Looking forward to this one!

Great idea for a comp. Will likely enter one or two myself, sure you're basically making money with the yeast included in the comp fee.

So we've seen some of the names of the beers entered and we've had an idea.  To add a little bit of fun to the competition we'll be giving a spot prize to the best named entry.  The prize? A good ole bag o' cans  ;)

A staff member from the Harbour Bar will choose the name from the list of entries on the day to keep it impartial.

I've decided on my beer, how do I update the form without submitting a new one. I can't find a link to it in the email.

Tony / Robotmonkey,

Please PM me any changes/updates to your entry, for example style or entry name.  I'll change your entry on our spreadsheet then.  If you want to hand write any changes onto your existing bottle label when you print them off too that'd help.

Thanks,
Colin

The entries are coming in thick and fast, thanks to everyone who has entered so far.

We've already crossed the half way point of the maximum amount of entries.

Some entrants have left the beer style and beer name section of the entry form blank to fill in later when they decide exactly what they are brewing.  This is a great idea for those who want to enter but are undecided as to what beer style they are going to brew, at least that way you are in the competition before the max amount of entries is reached.

Just a reminder to make sure to pay for your entry after filling out the entry form.

"Make sure to click on the Green Pay Here button when you've finished filling out the form.
This will take you to the paypal page."

There has been an amazing response to the competition and thanks to everyone who has entered so far!


We've literally got a couple of places left to enter so if you are thinking of entering then now is the time and we will have to stop accepting entries shortly.

Doh was holding off while I figured out entries but will put in 2 this evening with what I think I'm doing. Thanks for the heads up!

Sent from my ANE-LX1 using Tapatalk

That's probably the best thing to do Molc.

You can always change your beer style and beer name etc after entry.  The most important thing now is to fill out the entry form and pay for your entry/entries.

If you're not in and all that  ;)

2 entry slots left folks ...

We've hit the 48 entries mark folks so we are going to have to stop accepting entries now.

Thanks again to all those who have entered!

How is everyone's recipe formulation coming along?

Just a reminder to anyone who has entered but hadn't decided on a beer style that you can PM/email me with any changes to your entry and they'll be updated accordingly.

Thanks
Colin

An email update went out to all entrants this morning.
If you have entered but didn't get an email then get in touch.

Thanks,
Colin

Good Morning,
Just giving this thread a bump.


How is everybody's recipes coming along?

Any beer style or name changes just pm me or mail gcbrewers@gmail.com.

Played with a few recipes and have had different results each time. You can't just put the yeast in without some tweaking I'm finding. Going to be a very interesting competition to see how people work with the strains.

I was planning on doing one trial batch beforehand so I have a rough idea of what I'm dealing with (never used a kveik yeast before). What kind of 'tweaking' are you finding is effecting the yeast? Is it all temperature or is there more to it?

Quote from: Water_Wolf on June 21, 2019, 10:37:28 AM
I was planning on doing one trial batch beforehand so I have a rough idea of what I'm dealing with (never used a kveik yeast before). What kind of 'tweaking' are you finding is effecting the yeast? Is it all temperature or is there more to it?

Honestly, I'm still trying to figure that part out. I've managed to make a savoury fruity beer with my first attempt and some hot alcohols with my second. Haven't got a handle on it at all yet alas.

I did a test with kveik lager that turned....ok. Biggest problem I had was with bottle carbonation, I'm not sure if it needs to be conditioned at a higher temperature. I take it adding a bit of US-05 for bottling would be breaking the rules?

I have heard that some kveik strains have lost the ability to get make nutrition from the wort - centuries of brewing in high gravity wort means that they struggle to get what they need from more more sessionable gravities.

If you are trying to make a Kveik session IPA or Kveik mild, you might hit this problem and encounter yeast stress/underpitching kind of problems. Adding yeast nutrients might sort this out.

I've brewed a couple of times with kveiks now and I've found good results fermenting at 35 degrees and doubling the amount of yeast nutrient you would normally add.

Quote from: fishjam45 (Colin) on June 21, 2019, 07:10:36 PM
I've brewed a couple of times with kveiks now and I've found good results fermenting at 35 degrees and doubling the amount of yeast nutrient you would normally add.

Have you bottle conditioned using Kviek? I've read fairly varying reports.

Sent from my SM-A505FN using Tapatalk

No I haven't.
We must have read the same reports  ;)

Quote from: helmet on June 21, 2019, 09:23:50 PM

Quote from: fishjam45 (Colin) on June 21, 2019, 07:10:36 PM
I've brewed a couple of times with kveiks now and I've found good results fermenting at 35 degrees and doubling the amount of yeast nutrient you would normally add.

Have you bottle conditioned using Kviek? I've read fairly varying reports.

Sent from my SM-A505FN using Tapatalk

I've bottle conditioned a few and found it to be fairly sluggish. If you can bottle condition at a higher temp and give the bottles an occasional shake it seems to speed things along. In my experience it takes about 3 weeks so if you want something sooner I'd cold crash and bottle with CBC-1 for more reliable results.

As a note the flocculation seems to impact bottle conditioning the most. Above I was talking about Hornindal which drops clear a couple of days after fermentation but Ebbegarden that stays hazy will bottle condition in about a week.

Hi just so everyone knows, the yeast strain in question has the commercial name Odin (Arset). It is available on the HBC, Malt Miller and our own website as of Monday (www.whclab.com).


Cheers,
Philip

Is this full? Entree is closed  :(

Quote from: fishjam45 (Colin) on April 26, 2019, 02:12:02 PM
We've hit the 48 entries mark folks so we are going to have to stop accepting entries now.

Thanks again to all those who have entered!

Folks we will start with Philips help to scale up your yeasts for distribution and get to you by either direct or postal delivery.
We will be in touch in the coming weeks by email you registered with just to make sure you are around to receive it and not on hols.

Great. Ya reckon it'll distributed by 23rd July? Have a brew day planned for the 24th  ;)

Quote from: Jonnycheech on July 10, 2019, 07:02:51 AM
Have a brew day planned for the 24th  ;)

That's impressive scheduling.

Quote from: Simon_ on July 10, 2019, 10:08:11 AM

Quote from: Jonnycheech on July 10, 2019, 07:02:51 AM
Have a brew day planned for the 24th  ;)

That's impressive scheduling.

It's the only way to ensure life doesn't get in the way of brewing!

That should be possible they are being produced this week and I will start first deliveries next week. Can you act as drop point for Capital? As the weather is warm going to try and get as many as we can chill delivered so that everybody is at the same start point.

Remember folks this is a robust yeast that can ferment between 18-35.
My understanding is that it lends itself to bringing out fruit profile and so NEIPA. Tropical Stout or even an APA
Fishjam can you throw your 2p in here based on your own experience to help others?

Finally anybody that can't brew can you please let us know at the point after you receive your yeast, it will allow others to enter where we have a waiting list.
We are keeping a few spare vials for just that purpose and to keep everything simple only the organisers will facilitate that activity.

Quote from: CH on July 11, 2019, 10:13:18 AM
That should be possible they are being produced this week and I will start first deliveries next week. Can you act as drop point for Capital?

Yeah sure, no problem.

Quote from: CH on July 11, 2019, 10:13:18 AM

Fishjam can you throw your 2p in here based on your own experience to help others?

In short, you need to do the opposite of what you would normally do with a standard ale yeast  ;)
Underpitch it in a big enough starting gravity of around 1.050 or higher and ferment it at 35 degrees is what I've done.
It lends itself particularly well to any hop forward beers. I reckon it would work well with a kettle sour or even a tropical stout also. It will ferment out in around 3 days but you will need to leave it in the fermentor for a little longer if you are dry hopping.

That's all I can think of now. If anyone has any questions about the yeast just ask.

Might be one for the company but does it cause Bio-transformation with dry hopping in the same way only certain yeasts do? Conan, London Ale III,...

Good question, it has crossed my mind alright too. I've asked Philip.

I tried making a neipa with the Hornindal and it didn't taste like it :(

You will see some biotransformayion if your making something really hoppy especially if you dry hop during active fermentation. 

Was that with the Bjorn strain? Was it lack of fruity esthers or something else?

Philip

Does dry hopping at 35C change anything compared to a lower temp for dry hopping?

Quote from: Jonnycheech on July 13, 2019, 10:42:05 AM
Does dry hopping at 35C change anything compared to a lower temp for dry hopping?

Exactly my concern as well! :D

Quote from: molc on July 13, 2019, 01:30:10 PM

Quote from: Jonnycheech on July 13, 2019, 10:42:05 AM
Does dry hopping at 35C change anything compared to a lower temp for dry hopping?

Exactly my concern as well! :D

Do you hold it at 35 the whole way through primary/secondary or can you let it drop after primary fermentation is done?

I've held it at 35 all the way through.
Reading online, some breweries have dropped temps to around 29 for the dry hop.

Yeast will be heading out in the next few days folks ..... 

Quote from: Jonnycheech on July 13, 2019, 10:42:05 AM
Does dry hopping at 35C change anything compared to a lower temp for dry hopping?

I've read online and noticed myself that dry hopping at high 20s+ doesn't extract as nice a flavour from the hops. Personally I'd skip bio transformation hop and just dry hop at a more normal temperature after fermentation has completed.

Just wanted to say thanks to those involved in the organising of this comp. Got a text today for my address and had yeast in my hands 2.5 hours later. Seriously impressive.

Fair balls to John, got the nod earlier for hand delivery of Wee County's yeast!

No worries lads we just want you to get it in optimal condition and we are all on the same playing field so WHC fridge-my fridge-icebox in car-your fridge.

Capital SCD NCD Liffey thurs-Friday I'll be in touch
Wee County Fri
Galway Limerick Next week

Better service then most of the homebrew shops.
Once again fair play John.

Ok folks;

Delivered are
Rebel
Kilkenny
Capital
NCB
South Dub

only outstanding yeast deliveries are
Wee County:tomorrow
Tip, Limerick and Galway next week.

Please thank your respective facilitator as without them it doesn't happen.

Quote from: CH on July 18, 2019, 08:05:57 PM
Ok folks;

Delivered are
Rebel
Kilkenny
Capital
NCB
South Dub

only outstanding yeast deliveries are
Wee County:tomorrow
Tip, Limerick and Galway next week.

Please thank your respective facilitator as without them it doesn't happen.

Great work John!

Cheers for the delivery the other day John.

I now have all of Capital members Kveik yeast. I have only been contacted by two people so far to arrange handover. If you have entered under capital can you DM me to arrange something. Cheers,

Johnny

I have my beer rocketing away as we speak. Pitched the Odin yeast at midday and the airlock was kicking goodo 3 hours later.
Just wondering if it would be against the competition rules to use a dry yeast at bottling for carbonation? There seem to be issues with Kviek and bottle conditioning.

Quote from: helmet on July 29, 2019, 09:35:21 PM
I have my beer rocketing away as we speak. Pitched the Odin yeast at midday and the airlock was kicking goodo 3 hours later.
Just wondering if it would be against the competition rules to use a dry yeast at bottling for carbonation? There seem to be issues with Kviek and bottle conditioning.

I bottled last night and the Odin was in a fairly compact yeast cake after 5 days. I added a sprinkle of US-05 to the bottles as the beer was crystal clear. Kegged most of the batch do can use that either.

OP has been updated regarding the use of yeast at bottle conditioning stage.

An exception has been made for those who are going to bottle condition - If bottle conditioning with added yeast, only http://www.thehomebrewcompany.ie/lallemand-cbc1-11g-p-2825.html (http://www.thehomebrewcompany.ie/lallemand-cbc1-11g-p-2825.html) may be used. Any use of CBC1 must be communicated to us by sending a pm to fishjam and by also writing it onto your bottle label before drop off.

All yeasts have now been dropped directly to each entrant or their respective club reps nationwide, thanks again John.

Happy brewing ladies and gentlemen !!!!!

Hi folks,

once the beer is made and packaged where and when do we drop it off or just bring it on the day?

Do tell!

Cheers,
Jon

Hi Jon


Drop off closes 7th September 2019 and please contact your local club rep to drop off.

Thanks,
Colin

Most entrants have messaged any changes to their beer name and style.

Can those who didn't declare a beer style/name when entering or who want to change anything on their entry please let us know.

Thanks,
Colin

Can we drop these off ourselves to the venue?

Quote from: Donny on August 28, 2019, 08:24:10 AM
Can we drop these off ourselves to the venue?

Donny we'd need to have them well before the competition for sorting etc. 

Drop off closes on 7th September, you need to get your entry to your local club rep by then and we'll liase with them.  Have you contacted your local club rep?

We are happy to have anybody attend the competition on the day but it'd have to be after judging is finished.  We'll have more precise times closer to the day.  No doubt we'll all be hanging around for a few well earned beers after the judging is finished as their is a great selection of beers in The Harbour Bar.

Thanks,
Colin

Folks apologies out of the loop for a while just get your beers to the individual who you got your yeast from.

Ok will be collecting beers from the 9th to the 13th from the kind folks that facilitated you collecting your yeast, any problems just let me know.
Make sure they are labelled and elastic bands only please on bottles
They will be stored in a fridge up to the comp unless you mark on bottle otherwise but will go into fridge night before

The first of the entries have started coming in folks, thanks.

More entries received folks, thanks again.

If anybody has any difficulties, problems, questions regarding collections, bottle labels, name & entry style changes just make sure to get in touch and we'll sort you out.

Thanks again,
Colin

Medals have been collected ... will you be bringing one home with you?

Folks just to remind everybody please have your beers at the same places the yeast was dropped, bobbing around the country from Tuesday on.
Thanks in advance!

There's still some entrants who haven't informed us of the beer style / name that they will be entering.

If your entry hasn't been collected can you handwrite the info on your bottle label. 
Either way please make sure to message me any changes/updates to it.

Thanks,
Colin

Folks thanks to all that were able to get their bottles to us in time. I know some of you didn't brew but sometimes life gets in the way and that's ok too.
At the moment bottles are in crates in my shed, last bottles will be received tomorrow night and we relabel very carefully, then down to the Harbour Bar on Thursday night for chilling before judging on Sat, so your beer will be in tip top condition.
Best of Luck to all that entered!

40 entries in total were received and were sorted last night  :)

So many colours...  :o

Prize Update

The guys over at O'Brother Brewing have very kindly donated a bag box of cans as a prize!

I hope there are some of those beers for the judges too  ;)

Well done to all that entered.

You have been sent already tonight an email with a link to your results.
If you have any queries please address them to the organising team at the following email address only.

nationalhomebrewclub@gmail.com

Winners
1Daryl Doyle APA  GCB
2 Colin Bolton NEIPA   GCB
3. Simon Finnegan  NCB
HM Peter O Brien GCB

All judges commented that the standard of beer was exceptionally high for what was a tricky beer to brew and there were no real duffers.

Winner of the Best Name and O Brother box of Cans chosen by the Harbour Bar staff was Oisin Boydell with "Couldn't be Arset"

Great job on the competition! Everything seemed to be run very slickly!

Appreciated, great team and support from Judges, stewards, sponsors and venue really helps.
Having done 4 nationals, 3 mini nationals and 6 local comps makes it easier as well but that's my last one now, I've retired