What BJCP category does my beer belong in? THE OFFICIAL THREAD

[beerfly]

i would be thinking 28D for turbo cider.
the raisins are just for nutrient and dont really impart any flavour

[Dunkel]

And would cider made from the group buy juice be 27A or 27D?

[Will_D]

i would be thinking 28D for turbo cider.
the raisins are just for nutrient and dont really impart any flavour

They Do when you Eff up the recipe: I added 1 kg instead of 120 gms!!

Something to do with 4 boxes of sunmaid raisins ( I thought a box was like half a pound or about 350 gms so put 1 kg in blender) Turned out to be 4 boxes of the Kiddies Snack box raisins ( 35 gms or so)

Ho Hum Happy Days!

[biertourist]

What  category does a baltic porter aged on French oak chips fit into? 23 or 12c.

12C is clearly a Baltic Porter category: If it looks/tastes/is a BP the maybe it is a BP! (Oak Chips: an adjunct)

22C: A wood aged beer: Have you aged on wood? (Thrown in a few oak chips?: maybe the answer is NO)

23: Speciality: Anything goes! (Is it that special NO; Its just a great 12C)

If I was you I'd enter it as 12C

The judges may or may not pick up on the French Oak.

Any one eaten a Louis XV sideboard recently?

Wood isn't an adjunct; "adjunct" = adjunct fermentables; oak isn't fermentable.

If you can't taste the oak put it in Baltic Porter, if you can put it in wood-aged beer. 23 is almost like throwing your entry fee away.

[biertourist]

Hi guys, i've brewed a chocolate and roast fig stout with a Belgian Dubbel yeast strain... 16E... Belgian Speciality Ale?

Just mail it to me and I'll make my own award to send you because that is just that freaking awesomely creative!


Adam

[biertourist]

A spiced pumpkin ale based on an English pale or Irish red.

20A or 23A? Pumpkin is technically a fruit.

Gordon Strong has stated in the past that beers should align to the vegetable, fruit, spice, and nut categories based upon flavor; not botanical classifications.  Many pumpkin beers don't even include pumpkin; the defining and overwhelming flavor is spice, not fruit.

[mr hoppy]

23 is almost like throwing your entry fee away.

Maybe it was a total one off but I thought the feedback from the judges on that category was very good at last year's NHC.

[biertourist]

23 is almost like throwing your entry fee away.

Maybe it was a total one off but I thought the feedback from the judges on that category was very good at last year's NHC.

I'm sure it was.  The point is that when you enter category 23 your beer is compared to a gazillion other, completely different beers; after you meet the minimum bar of making a good tasting, flaw-free beer it's just luck of the draw; it's a "Beer lotto" for the remaining entrants.  Is your particular beer what the judges like to drink, or not?

Looking at this thread there's going to be a whole lot of category 23 entries, too.

It's akin to the "protesters: protest here" area at the Sochi olympics; don't brew to the style guidelines? -Get throw  in this pen with all the other "animals"; we'll pick out one of the more clean-looking animals in the pen at random to be the category 23 winner...


Adam

[biertourist]

23 is almost like throwing your entry fee away.

Maybe it was a total one off but I thought the feedback from the judges on that category was very good at last year's NHC.

This statement just highlights the issue; when category 23 beers end up being among the most enjoyable and memorable beers in the competition, and they're clearly where the creativity is, but only a single beer in the category wins. 


Supporting creativity in more than just a single category is where BJCP needs to go if it's going to support where BEER should be going...
Creativity shouldn't be a category, it should be a modifier on EVERY category.  There should be a 1-22"z" category which is taking the traditional style guideline for a style and going "Freestyle" / improv with it. 

Style bender beers that exist between categories should be encouraged, too.




Adam

[Rossa]

I agree Adam. 23 is where homebrew lives. Blurred lines, creativity, madness.  In the future I'd like to think we could take a lead and filter beers into new categories leading to more creativity and honours awarded along those lines. This would make 23 a great place for brewers to experiment and get those creative juices flowing.

To create a one off is really a marvel. This should be celebrated.

[Cahalbrua]

I suppose a NZ hoped pale ale will have to go in 23 yeah !
C.

[Will_D]

I suppose a NZ hoped pale ale will have to go in 23 yeah !
C.

Why?

Assuming NZ hops are like the funky Yanks then why not 14B American IPA?

Its not Where the hops come from its more as to the STYLE (English, German, American) and what that puts into the beer

[Cahalbrua]

Will be interesting to see what Gordon says. There needs to be a category to take in all PA' s and IPA's. Id be more worried about a judge knowing they were NZ hops and  knowing the bjcp states American hops.
C.

[BrewCity]

Ok guys, I can NOT decide on my category for this beer!

IBUs 55
EBC 18
ABV 5%
Hops: US and NZ

Pours a copper colour with white foamy head. Very clear, low-medium carbonation. Aroma is fruity with citrus notes. Taste is malty (but not very sweet) with low fruit esters and hoppy grapefruit notes. Bitter finish with hints of grain.

Possible options are:
American IPA
English IPA
Extra Special Bitter

Any thoughts? It seems too malty for an American IPA. Should I just make it a Special IPA?

[Rossa]

American would be the best fit I'd think, with the US style hopping. They intend to add these new world hops in the future bjcp guides.