Ireland's single biggest collective of homebrewers, with representation in all four provinces.
11
Competitions / National Brewing Championships...
Last post by SlugTrap - February 02, 2023, 01:33:17 PMWe are happy to announce that the NHC's 2023 National Brewing Championships will be held at BrewDog Dublin Outpost upstairs on Saturday, March 25, 2023.
Registration for entries is open: https://competition.nationalhomebrewclub.ie/comp/index.php?section=register&go=entrant
Bottle drop locations are TBD; submissions are due March 10th.
Need help choosing a style for your entry? Read more here: https://www.nationalhomebrewclub.ie/forum/index.php?topic=19774.0
Want to judge? Follow these steps: https://www.nationalhomebrewclub.ie/forum/index.php?topic=19775.0
Want to steward? Sign up now: https://www.nationalhomebrewclub.ie/forum/index.php?topic=19776.0
Looking forward to seeing everyone in March!
Registration for entries is open: https://competition.nationalhomebrewclub.ie/comp/index.php?section=register&go=entrant
Bottle drop locations are TBD; submissions are due March 10th.
Need help choosing a style for your entry? Read more here: https://www.nationalhomebrewclub.ie/forum/index.php?topic=19774.0
Want to judge? Follow these steps: https://www.nationalhomebrewclub.ie/forum/index.php?topic=19775.0
Want to steward? Sign up now: https://www.nationalhomebrewclub.ie/forum/index.php?topic=19776.0
Looking forward to seeing everyone in March!
12
Competitions / Re: National Brewing Champions...
Last post by Inky - February 02, 2023, 01:25:55 PMWill it be Dublin based do you know?
13
Introductions / Hi from Bangor
Last post by MrJay83 - February 01, 2023, 08:31:36 PMHi,
I've been brewing for about a year now and got into all grain about 6 months ago with a brewzilla 35l. Slowly been building my kit up, will finally be completing my keezer this month and put my all rounder to use.
From Dublin but have been living in England & Scotland for the last 10 years and now residing in the North.
I've been brewing for about a year now and got into all grain about 6 months ago with a brewzilla 35l. Slowly been building my kit up, will finally be completing my keezer this month and put my all rounder to use.
From Dublin but have been living in England & Scotland for the last 10 years and now residing in the North.
14
Competitions / National Brewing Championship ...
Last post by helmet - February 01, 2023, 08:02:36 PMEvening all,
The first, long awaited, National Brewing Championship of the decade is almost upon us.
Helping out on the day, March 25th, as a steward is a great way to get to know your way around a competition and the day/afters is always good craic.
We need roughly 20 stewards, but the more the merrier.
Volunteers will be asked to be present from 9.30am to around 6pm. Venue has yet to be confirmed, but you'll be among the first to know!
Lunch and a pint will be included as a wee thank you! You will also, critically, get the opportunity to be part of a judging team and gain invaluable experience.
Duties on the day will include running beers from the cellar to the judges at your table, double checking judges' dodgy maths and keeping your judges on time.
If you're interested, and why wouldn't you be, please register and volunteer on the competition site.
The first, long awaited, National Brewing Championship of the decade is almost upon us.
Helping out on the day, March 25th, as a steward is a great way to get to know your way around a competition and the day/afters is always good craic.
We need roughly 20 stewards, but the more the merrier.
Volunteers will be asked to be present from 9.30am to around 6pm. Venue has yet to be confirmed, but you'll be among the first to know!
Lunch and a pint will be included as a wee thank you! You will also, critically, get the opportunity to be part of a judging team and gain invaluable experience.
Duties on the day will include running beers from the cellar to the judges at your table, double checking judges' dodgy maths and keeping your judges on time.
If you're interested, and why wouldn't you be, please register and volunteer on the competition site.
15
Competitions / National Brewing Championships...
Last post by SlugTrap - February 01, 2023, 07:32:00 PMNationals is on Saturday, March 25, 2023 in Dublin (venue TBA later this week) and we'd love to have as many NHC members as possible to judge.
Registration is now open - enter your details if you haven't yet, or edit your profile if you already have an account.
Please be sure to enter these 3 pieces of information:
Registering on the site is the only way to add yourself to the list of judges - there are no signup sheets like in past years.
We have more homegrown BJCP judges than ever before, so I'm excited to have us all together on one day.
Hope to see you there!
Register here.
Registration is now open - enter your details if you haven't yet, or edit your profile if you already have an account.
Please be sure to enter these 3 pieces of information:
- Your BJCP number - so you can collect points + advance your rank
- Your style preferences + dislikes - so I can assign to you judge beers you like
- Your experience level - people who just passed the exam will pair with more experienced BJCP judges but veteran judges will pair with pro brewers
Registering on the site is the only way to add yourself to the list of judges - there are no signup sheets like in past years.
We have more homegrown BJCP judges than ever before, so I'm excited to have us all together on one day.
Hope to see you there!
Register here.
17
Competitions / Choosing a Style for Nationals...
Last post by SlugTrap - January 31, 2023, 04:48:12 PMStyle v. Category
When you enter your beer into Nationals, you must choose a style.
Styles are defined in the BJCP guidelines.
Categories are groupings of styles used to award medals; the NHC announces these a couple of weeks before judging.
How to Choose a Style
1. Check the Guidelines
Read the characteristics of a beer - that's what the judges will look for.
Note! We are using the 2021 Guidelines. There are several changes from 2015; it's worth giving the new version a read.
2. Brew with Style in Mind
A tasty beer may still not match a style - have an idea of where your beer fits.
3. Taste Your Beer + Adjust
Enter in the style you actually brewed, not the style of your recipe - judges rate on what's in the bottle.
Specific style questions are answered below...
FAQ/"What style is this beer?"
The descriptions below use the term base style.
This means a broad description of the beer; it doesn't need to match the guidelines. It's enough to say "stout" without specifying Irish Stout, Sweet Stout, etc.
Adding spices to your beer? Read this:
What style should I use for...
..."ice cream" IPA with raspberry puree, vanilla + lactose?
29C.
This style is for additional sugars - without the lactose, this goes into 29B.
Specify a base style and the fruit/spice used.
...New England IPA?
21C.
NEIPAs have their own style in the 2021 Guidelines: Hazy IPA.
This style is not strict about water chemistry or yeast esters, as long as an entry is soft with low bitterness.
Note
...Baltic Porter aged on bourbon-soaked oak chips?
33B.
Specify the base style, the type of alcohol and the wood or barrel used.
...kettle sour?
28D
Another new style for 2021.
This is for quick sour beers with no Brett.
If you're adding fruit to a basic sour, enter it as 28C.
...Gose?
23G
If you're adding fruit to a Gose, enter it as 29A.
Be aware that judges will still look for signature characteristics (salt, coriander, etc.) even with fruit.
..."dessert" stout with cocoa nibs, walnuts, cinnamon + maple syrup?
30D.
This style is for additional sugars - without the maple, this goes into 30A.
All of the other ingredients are considered spices.
Always specify the base style.
Note - Keep in mind with beers like this:
...sour DIPA with milk sugar, jasmine, green tea + lime purée?
28C.
Any sour with fruit, herb + spice goes here.
Specify fruit, yeast and a base style or describe the beer.
Specify "Double" as strength.
...Cold IPA?
21B.
Cold IPA is not yet a defined style, so describe key characteristics for the judges to look for.
Kveik IPAs and IPLs are similar; describe them when entering.
Brut IPAs have their own sub-style: 21B(7).
West Coast IPAs are simply 21A.
If you have any further questions, please post below.
Thank you + good luck!
When you enter your beer into Nationals, you must choose a style.
Styles are defined in the BJCP guidelines.
Categories are groupings of styles used to award medals; the NHC announces these a couple of weeks before judging.
How to Choose a Style
1. Check the Guidelines
Read the characteristics of a beer - that's what the judges will look for.
Note! We are using the 2021 Guidelines. There are several changes from 2015; it's worth giving the new version a read.
2. Brew with Style in Mind
A tasty beer may still not match a style - have an idea of where your beer fits.
3. Taste Your Beer + Adjust
Enter in the style you actually brewed, not the style of your recipe - judges rate on what's in the bottle.
Specific style questions are answered below...
FAQ/"What style is this beer?"
The descriptions below use the term base style.
This means a broad description of the beer; it doesn't need to match the guidelines. It's enough to say "stout" without specifying Irish Stout, Sweet Stout, etc.
Adding spices to your beer? Read this:
Quote...explicitly includes all culinary spices, herbs, and vegetables, as well as nuts (anything with 'nut' in the name, including coconut), chile peppers, coffee, chocolate, spruce tips, rose hips, hibiscus, fruit peels/zest (but not juice), rhubarb, and the like.If your beer has any combination of these, without fruit, sour or wood, then it goes in 30A or, if you're adding lactose, 30D.
What style should I use for...
..."ice cream" IPA with raspberry puree, vanilla + lactose?
29C.
This style is for additional sugars - without the lactose, this goes into 29B.
Specify a base style and the fruit/spice used.
...New England IPA?
21C.
NEIPAs have their own style in the 2021 Guidelines: Hazy IPA.
This style is not strict about water chemistry or yeast esters, as long as an entry is soft with low bitterness.
Note
Quote...examples with a dry, crisp finish, at most medium body, and high perceived bitterness should be entered as 21A American IPA.
...Baltic Porter aged on bourbon-soaked oak chips?
33B.
Specify the base style, the type of alcohol and the wood or barrel used.
...kettle sour?
28D
Another new style for 2021.
This is for quick sour beers with no Brett.
If you're adding fruit to a basic sour, enter it as 28C.
...Gose?
23G
If you're adding fruit to a Gose, enter it as 29A.
Be aware that judges will still look for signature characteristics (salt, coriander, etc.) even with fruit.
..."dessert" stout with cocoa nibs, walnuts, cinnamon + maple syrup?
30D.
This style is for additional sugars - without the maple, this goes into 30A.
All of the other ingredients are considered spices.
Always specify the base style.
Note - Keep in mind with beers like this:
QuoteIf you list every individual ingredient, judges will expect to detect each one.
...sour DIPA with milk sugar, jasmine, green tea + lime purée?
28C.
Any sour with fruit, herb + spice goes here.
Specify fruit, yeast and a base style or describe the beer.
Specify "Double" as strength.
...Cold IPA?
21B.
Cold IPA is not yet a defined style, so describe key characteristics for the judges to look for.
Kveik IPAs and IPLs are similar; describe them when entering.
Brut IPAs have their own sub-style: 21B(7).
West Coast IPAs are simply 21A.
If you have any further questions, please post below.
Thank you + good luck!
18
Wanted / Re: Grain Mill
Last post by Matt DBrewer - January 30, 2023, 05:45:38 PMNo worries, happy hunting! 
19
Equipment & Chemicals / Re: [Fermentation] Conical + T...
Last post by Phil.cork - January 30, 2023, 04:41:01 PMI brew in an ssBrewtech 7gal bucket which I love but doesn't help with yeast management tbh.
For temp control I strongly recommend looking into the brewpiless. There is a thread on this forum somewhere (I'll try and find it) wiht really easy to follow instructions. I put mine together for about €30 and it controls a undercounter fridge to give fermentation control to about 0.2-0.5c accuracy.
For temp control I strongly recommend looking into the brewpiless. There is a thread on this forum somewhere (I'll try and find it) wiht really easy to follow instructions. I put mine together for about €30 and it controls a undercounter fridge to give fermentation control to about 0.2-0.5c accuracy.
20
Wanted / Re: Grain Mill
Last post by spiritcrusher - January 30, 2023, 04:20:11 PMGreat memory! I didn't see anything on the page earlier but there it is. Sadly collection only from Longford which I don't think I can realistcally get to. Probably should have put that I'm Dublin (and sometimes Galway) based.
Appreciate the info though!
Appreciate the info though!