National Homebrew Club Ireland

General Discussions => Brewing Communities => Rebel Brewers => Topic started by: johnrm on September 17, 2013, 10:28:14 PM

Title: Summer session Beers
Post by: johnrm on September 17, 2013, 10:28:14 PM
Quote from: shiny on July 17, 2013, 04:54:01 PM
    I'm just proposing a date in September for our own mini competition to select what beers will be put forward for the final. I know its ages away yet but I'm just trying to plan in terms of recipe formulation, brewing, fermentation and ageing time.
    Info:

    From the original thread (http://nationalhomebrewclub.com/forum/index.php/topic,3116.0.html):
    ****************************************************************************
    The inaugural mid year competition will be titled Summer Session Beers of <4%.

        The idea is to run it at club level at the local meet ups for members only.
        Each member gets a vote as to the best beer on the night.
        Entrants should bring brew sheets to show how their beer was made.
        Two beers get selected at the meet up and will be sent through to a national final.
        The final will take place in early Oct.


    It is not a BJCP categorized competition so the tag line is 'Summer Session Beers of <4%'. The beer should reflect the following -  Summer in a glass. Light, refreshing, medium body, thirst quenching, balanced beer of low ABV (a lawnmower beer). Something to enjoy on those two days of summer we get every year.

    Prizes and entry fee are to be announced but it is time to get brewing.

    Tips to brewing a low ABV beer -

        Be careful not to mash too low and end up with a very dry & light bodied beer.
        Use different malts to build body
        Be careful to balance hop bitterness with the lighter body.
        Attenuation of a beer like this is key so choose your yeast carefully


    We are a little short on time on this one but low alcohol beers ferment and mature quickly so get brewing.
    More details to follow. [/list][/list]
    ****************************************************************************

    How does 24th 25th September sound as I think the 30th is a bit late?

    So lads, any brews bottled that you'd like to submit?
    Title: Re: Summer session Beers
    Post by: LordEoin on September 17, 2013, 11:16:00 PM
    <4%? nope
    Title: Re: Summer session Beers
    Post by: Garry on September 17, 2013, 11:17:07 PM
    I had a beer that I sparged too much and I thought it would be a contender for this. Fecking thing fermented out to 1002 which equates to 5%.

    I have a kit lager (ale yeast) which is 4% but it's tasteless. Besides, I think ciderhead said kits weren't allowed?
    Title: Re: Summer session Beers
    Post by: Taf on September 17, 2013, 11:25:31 PM
    Nothing in that range from me at the moment. New it was on, but haven't brewed much recently, so didn't want to dedicate a batch to a session beer, when my stocks are so low at the moment. Will be better organised for next year.
    Title: Re: Summer session Beers
    Post by: johnrm on September 17, 2013, 11:25:34 PM
    I'm shy on low ABV beers myself. :(
    Title: Re: Summer session Beers
    Post by: Garry on September 17, 2013, 11:33:10 PM
    We could lie about the abv but it's not on our nature? Daycent lads that we are :P
    Title: Re: Summer session Beers
    Post by: LordEoin on September 18, 2013, 10:43:14 AM
    We could just fill a bottle with hopped ballygowan and submit it claiming that it's 3.6% but with a very clean ferment and subtle late additions..
    Title: Re: Summer session Beers
    Post by: mr hoppy on September 18, 2013, 08:25:06 PM
    I've a bottle or two of gratzer left. 2.8% abv. :D

    Does that make me the winner of the rebel comp?
    Title: Re: Summer session Beers
    Post by: LordEoin on September 18, 2013, 08:58:06 PM
    seems so...
    well done?
    Title: Re: Summer session Beers
    Post by: mr hoppy on September 18, 2013, 10:09:25 PM
     :D

    Not a hollow victory or anything...
    Title: Re: Summer session Beers
    Post by: Dara on September 18, 2013, 11:31:56 PM
    Nope, very little from me too. Had been designing my beers with merryment/drunkeness in mind for the summer. Have a 6% IPA which I could add water to.
    Title: Re: Summer session Beers
    Post by: Eoghan on September 20, 2013, 09:32:23 PM
    I bottled some St. Peter's Ruby Red Ale Kit (http://www.thehomebrewcompany.ie/st-peters-ruby-red-ale-kit-3kg-makes-40-pints-p-748.html) a few weeks ago. I worked out the ABV as 3.4%.

    The reason that the ABV is that low is that I put the FV into the sink to add water up to the 20 litre line.
    When I put the FV back on the floor it read 23 litres :o

    I tasted it a few days ago and it still needs time in the bottles.

    I just hope that I'm not too late to compete with mr happy's gratzer
    Title: Re: Summer session Beers
    Post by: johnrm on September 21, 2013, 12:18:29 AM
    Ooooh,  a contender!
    Title: Re: Summer session Beers
    Post by: mr hoppy on September 22, 2013, 10:52:36 AM
    Erm, I think I've 3 bottles left. (I drank the rest of them during the summer.)

    Is that enough?
    Title: Re: Summer session Beers
    Post by: johnrm on September 22, 2013, 06:47:39 PM
    For the nationals last year 2x500ml was enough.
    TBH I've not been keeping an eye on this as all the banter was in Liffey Brewers forum and I've not been able to focus on brewing for a while.
    Title: Re: Summer session Beers
    Post by: Ciderhead on September 22, 2013, 08:06:27 PM
    Here is me pissing on chips, I'm not sure kits are allowed?
    2 bottles for finals.


    Sent from my divining rod v2.0
    Title: Re: Summer session Beers
    Post by: mr hoppy on September 22, 2013, 09:15:02 PM
    yep, me neither.
    Title: Re: Summer session Beers
    Post by: Ciderhead on September 22, 2013, 09:27:01 PM
    Enter it anyway if you win I won't tell:)


    Sent from my divining rod v2.0
    Title: Re: Summer session Beers
    Post by: Shane Phelan on September 22, 2013, 09:43:48 PM
    Kits are allowed, Rossa clarified in the main thread a while back.
    Title: Re: Summer session Beers
    Post by: Ciderhead on September 22, 2013, 09:54:05 PM
    Like I said ...
    Balls that could have saved me hours in formulation and brewing.


    Sent from my divining rod v2.0
    Title: Re: Summer session Beers
    Post by: LordEoin on September 23, 2013, 11:20:28 AM
    I totally agree.. so convenient and delicious. I'm not sure why people bother All Grain  :-X
    *runs away*
    Title: Re: Summer session Beers
    Post by: Ciderhead on September 23, 2013, 12:02:31 PM
    LE we need a "Kit Off" competition, the best of the kits verses AG competition, very simple 3 categories, stouts, PA and Lager, modified in any way seen fit and best of all get Padraics BJCP judges to do the judging in a totally blind taste test ???
    Maybe that could be their final exam ;)
    I think I would be wanting to be in the group submitting a modified kit tho :)
    Now where is that competition secretary lurking, I saw him around here earlier.
    Title: Re: Summer session Beers
    Post by: Dunkel on September 23, 2013, 12:15:00 PM
    Briiliant idea CH  ;D
    Title: Re: Summer session Beers
    Post by: Garry on September 23, 2013, 12:16:52 PM
    I think we're allowed 2 entries per club so I nominate mr happy's gratzer (as long as he hasn't drank anymore of them) and Eoghan's Ruby Red. I did the Ruby Red kit before and it was a grand drop.

    Has anyone else brewed a girl's drink refreshing summer session beer <4% for this?
    Title: Re: Summer session Beers
    Post by: johnrm on September 23, 2013, 11:28:18 PM
    I have a kit mild that I demo'd at work.
    I'm not sure the Abv of the top of my head.
    Title: Re: Summer session Beers
    Post by: LordEoin on September 23, 2013, 11:31:24 PM
    Garry, you should enter your ''Geordie Lager, Red + hops abv 3.8%''.
    It's good :)
    Title: Re: Summer session Beers
    Post by: mr hoppy on September 24, 2013, 10:59:22 PM
    Things are heating up!
    Title: Re: Summer session Beers
    Post by: LordEoin on September 24, 2013, 11:30:06 PM
    Two men enter, one man leaves!
    Title: Re: Summer session Beers
    Post by: Garry on September 25, 2013, 08:46:39 AM
    Quote from: LordEoin on September 23, 2013, 11:31:24 PM
    Garry, you should enter your ''Geordie Lager, Red + hops abv 3.8%''.
    It's good :)

    You drank the last bottle of it  :P
    Title: Re: Summer session Beers
    Post by: LordEoin on September 25, 2013, 11:06:55 AM
    and it was marvelous!  ;D
    Title: Re: Summer session Beers
    Post by: LordEoin on September 25, 2013, 11:08:22 AM
    Quote from: CH on September 23, 2013, 12:02:31 PM
    LE we need a "Kit Off" competition, the best of the kits verses AG competition, very simple 3 categories, stouts, PA and Lager, modified in any way seen fit and best of all get Padraics BJCP judges to do the judging in a totally blind taste test ???
    Maybe that could be their final exam ;)
    I think I would be wanting to be in the group submitting a modified kit tho :)
    Now where is that competition secretary lurking, I saw him around here earlier.
    only just noticed this. bring it on!  ;D
    Although, I'm sure that next year's NHC competition will have interesting results ;)
    Title: Re: Summer session Beers
    Post by: johnrm on October 08, 2013, 09:15:46 PM
    Lads, what have w eno drank tat we can submit for this?
    I'm heading for the Pale on Saturday.
    Title: Re: Summer session Beers
    Post by: johnrm on October 08, 2013, 09:21:01 PM
    I checked my Kit Mild.
    It says 4% on the bottle.
    I could well have rounded up from 3.9, but have no more notes as it was a quickie beer.
    Title: Re: Summer session Beers
    Post by: mr hoppy on October 08, 2013, 10:08:46 PM
    John, I can give you the gratzer and the dubbel (latter for BJCP tasting purposes) thursday or friday if you are in town and it suits?
    Title: Re: Summer session Beers
    Post by: johnrm on October 08, 2013, 10:09:59 PM
    Perfect. Friday 12:30.
    Meet for coffee? Bring your own sambo?
    Title: Re: Summer session Beers
    Post by: mr hoppy on October 08, 2013, 10:15:56 PM
    sounds like a plan.