GCB We're Not Bitter About Brexit, Traditional English Ale Competition

[fishjam45 (Colin)]

Garden County Brewers would like to announce their 2018 Competition:

"We're Not Bitter About Brexit"

Traditional English Ale Competition

Details:
Dropoff and Entry Close? Friday 11th May 2018
When? Saturday 19th May 2018
Where? The Harbour Bar, Bray, Co. Wicklow

Online Entry Here

Prizes:
We have a nice haul of prizes lined up, including vouchers from:
The Homebrew Company €100 Voucher
Brickyard Gastropub €50 Voucher
thebeerclub.ie €50 Voucher
All will be revealed shortly as more prizes are on the way.

Categories:
Ordinary Bitter
Best Bitter
Strong Bitter
British Golden Ale
English IPA
Dark Mild
British Brown Ale

This competition is officially BJCP registered.

The competition will be to be BJCP Styles with one exception, please see below for our updated style guidelines of 12a to be in keeping with the overall theme and style of the competition. We really do hope now that this clears up any misinterpretation that may occur of what to enter and what ingredients to use.

In keeping with the overall theme of the competition, English hops, malt and overall English character will be the emphasis. 

British Golden Ale

Aroma: Hop aroma is moderately low to moderately high, emphasis is on floral, herbal and earthy. English hops are most common. Frequently a single hop varietal will be showcased. Little to no malt aroma; no caramel. Medium-low to low fruity aroma from the hops rather than esters. Little to no diacetyl.

Appearance: Straw to golden in color. Good to brilliant clarity. Low to moderate white head. A low head is acceptable when carbonation is also low.

Flavor: Medium to medium-high bitterness. Hop flavor is moderate to moderately high of primarily an English hop variety. Medium-low to low malt character, generally bready with perhaps a little biscuity flavor. Caramel flavors are typically absent. Little to no diacetyl. Hop bitterness and flavor should be pronounced. Moderately-low to low esters. Medium-dry to dry finish. Bitterness increases with alcohol level, but is always balanced.

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body. Low to moderate carbonation on draught, although bottled commercial versions will be higher. Stronger versions may have a slight alcohol warmth, but this character should not be too high.

Impression: A hop-forward, average-strength to moderately-strong pale bitter. Drinkability and a refreshing quality are critical components of the style.

Comments: Well-hopped, quenching beer with an emphasis on showcasing hops. Served colder than traditional bitters, this style was originally positioned as a refreshing summer beer, but is now often brewed year-round. Golden Ales are also called Golden Bitters, Summer Ales, or British Blonde Ales. Can be found in cask, keg, and bottle.

Ingredients: Low-color pale or lager malt acting as a blank canvas for the hop character. May use sugar adjuncts, corn or wheat. English hops primarily used.  Somewhat clean-fermenting British yeast.


Registration will be open shortly.

[Blueshed]

Also date for the Royal wedding 😂

[Simon_]

Fantastic. I miss Belfast's comp

[fishjam45 (Colin)]

Also date for the Royal wedding 😂

Well we did say "In keeping with the overall theme of the competition, English hops, malt and overall English character will be the emphasis" 

[Simon_]

overall English character will be the emphasis

[fishjam45 (Colin)]

overall English character will be the emphasis

No green bottles allowed 

[Blueshed]

Plus the FA cup final is on that day.⚽⚽🍻🍻

[molc]

Can I ask for a clarification on 12a, British Golden Ale, which can be made quite like an american pale ale with citrusy hops. You mentioned above english hops and malt, but this is a style that pushes clean and american characteristics. Will this be ok for the comp, or not in the spirit of what you're intending and as such be marked down?

From the BJCP:

"12A. British Golden Ale
Overall Impression: A hop-forward, average-strength to moderately-strong pale bitter. Drinkability and a refreshing quality are critical components of the style.
Aroma: Hop aroma is moderately low to moderately high, and can use any variety of hops – floral, herbal, or earthy English hops and citrusy American hops are most common. Frequently a single hop varietal will be showcased. Little to no malt aroma; no caramel. Medium-low to low fruity aroma from the hops rather than esters. Little to no diacetyl."

Don't mind either way, just need to know before designing a recipe

[fishjam45 (Colin)]

Hi Molc, that's a good and fair question.

We are going with the theme of a Traditional English Ale, so in the overall spirit of the competition we would be leaning away from punchy and bold American or New World Hops. We would like to emphasise the use of English Hops.

When designing a recipe think traditional, sitting in an English Country Pub. So no, for example, Mosaic or Citra Hop Bombs getting entered.

I hope this helps,
Colin

[Pheeel]

No english porter 😢

[Will_D]

No english porter 😢

Pheel: The average English beer drinker would have no idea what a porter was (somebody on a railway station maybe)!

So says a Welshman!!

[irish_goat]

Top marks for the poster. 

[Tom]

Will_D, will you and me enter a Welsh Pale Ale, see if anyone notices? I think Brains, maybe? Or Felinfoel?

[fishjam45 (Colin)]

The Competition is now officially registered with BJCP.

[SlugTrap]

We would like to emphasise the use of English Hops.

What about newer English hops?
Olicana tastes like passionfruit; Admiral acts like other super alphas - lots of resin - when you load up on it.
I take these are not what you had in mind....?