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Steiner · 08-29-2009, 11:49 PM

Dear all,
I uncovered a homebrew contest entry just last week that will be held the first week of October. Fresh off a thrilling and quite honestly, surprising 1st place win at the county fair (it was my first contest entry), I figured it would be a fantastic opportunity to brew once again for another tourney. So I brewed it up last Tuesday with a few tweaks. Albeit rushed and considering the circumstances, I'm wondering what's the best approach for me to get my beer in the most presentable shape in 5 weeks (now 4, it's been fermenting for 5 days).

Because I bottle-carb and need to present bottles for the contest entry, I cannot keg and force-carb to shave off time.

Do I rack to a secondary (if so, for how long)? Skip secondary, wait three weeks in primary? Bottle after about 10 days and condition as long as I can?

I have two different beers that I'll be entering:
1. Brown Porter: brewed on 8/26, still in primary. OG: 1.081
2. Belgian Blonde: brewed on 8/14, still in primary (very vigorous fermentation, I experienced my first explosion, in fact). OG: 1.071

Please advise to these two different situations. Much appreciated folks. If a brew a winner, I'll ship yall some in appreciation!

**KYB** · 08-30-2009, 12:03 AM

You will probably get points off for something in the process of rushing. There are plenty of contests. Just wait and enter your beer when it's the best.

**bad coffee** · 08-30-2009, 04:31 PM

if you've got the stuff, you could brew a mild. Look up grain to glass in 10 days. That's with force carbing, so you could do grain to contest in 27 days...

B

Steiner · 08-31-2009, 01:48 AM

Thanks OD. I understand that, and considering the less-than-ideal time available, I'm trying to do the best I can considering the circumstances.

And thanks BC, but I'm already content with my brews, not looking just to enter something for the heck of it, but hopefully something that I think may be promising since the previous win. I also can't force-carb, only bottle naturally. Good idea though.

Any suggestions?

Professor Frink · 08-31-2009, 01:51 AM

If you need to natural carbonate for the first week of October, I can't imagine either of those beers will be ready by then, they're both quite big.

bhatchable · 08-31-2009, 02:05 AM

Are you talking about the contest in escondido, for the holiday wine cellar?

Steiner · 09-12-2009, 07:28 AM

Yup, that's the one bhatch. I found out late in the game. After sampling, I've decided to sit on these ones for a while rather than rush it. I think they taste great at this stage, but the size is a problem. Bummer.

bhatchable · 09-12-2009, 07:58 AM

Yeah, i feel ya man. I preregistered, but decided to sit this one out. None of my pipeline has aged well enough yet (for my tough standards). I'd rather keep the beer until it rounds out than enter it at partial potential... where abouts in san diego are you brewing?

**Whiskey** · 09-12-2009, 02:59 PM

A Weizen could be done in that time period if you brew it this weekend.

1 week in primary, WLP300 or Wy 3068 will typically ferment out in about 1-3 days. Leave it in the primary for the rest of the week (maybe a few days extra) to give the yeast a little time to clean house.

Bottle for 3 weeks to get a good carbonation on the beer, they should be pretty high co2 volume so shoot for 3 volumes at least.

Weizens, especially Bavarian Weizens are best young and fresh so you will not have ny issues with them not being aged.

I did the same thing when I entered the state fair, I wanted a third entry and was short on time so I crapped out a quick recipe and entered the beer.

Steiner · 09-26-2009, 12:48 AM

Thanks for the help fellas, but I'm pretty sure I'm gonna sit this one- at least I'm doing nothing to rush it otherwise.

I'm near Mission Bay, bhatch- close to HomeBrewMart. How about yourself?