What Should I Do?

I recently brewed (and am drinking) a very good beer. The 'problem' is that a home brew contest is open for entries and I like this beer and what to enter it. However, it doesn't fit a style. Anyway here is what I brewed:

6 lb vienna
4 lb pilsener
0.5 lb wheat
0.5 lb carapils

90 min at 152

1 oz perle (60 min)
1 oz saaz (20 min)
1 oz saaz (10 min)
1 oz saaz (2 min)

Fermented at 52 with 34/70 for 10 days; 3 days d-rest at 68.

The beer has a nice amber color, good bitterness, and just enough noble hops to make things interesting. So, here's the rub: under what category can I enter this delicious beer? It's too hoppy for a vienna lager/marzen; not corny enough for a cap; and too dark for a pils. Thoughts?


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That is a Sazzy beer.

How off is it (color) for a pils? I would enter it there and see if they even notice.

Is there a "specialty" entry?

masskrug said:

That is a Sazzy beer.

How off is it (color) for a pils? I would enter it there and see if they even notice.

Is there a "specialty" entry?

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Thanks. It's a light amber. I think it's a bit too dark for a pils. I didn't brew for the comp, but rather for my personal taste. There is a cat 23A. Maybe that's the ticket.


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Alt-7c?

I would enter it as a pils and a category that doesn't fit any style. Don't limit yourself. Vienna is still pretty light... What gave it the amber color?

Maybe a slightly darker kolsch?

Bamsdealer said:

I would enter it as a pils and a category that doesn't fit any style. Don't limit yourself. Vienna is still pretty light... What gave it the amber color?

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Are you suggesting to enter it twice? In two different categories? Hmmm......

Color-wise, it's similar to Yuengling. My guess is the Vienna contributed to the light amber color. It's got too much late addition hops (IMHO) to be called a Vienna lager. It's pretty balanced and Vienna lagers, to my taste, are pretty light/nonexistent on flavor/aroma hops.

It's mighty tasty, nonetheless.


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killian said:

Alt-7c?

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Thanks for suggesting 7c. I think that style's description is pretty close. Düsseldorf Altbier it is.




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mccabedoug said:

Are you suggesting to enter it twice? In two different categories? Hmmm......

Color-wise, it's similar to Yuengling. My guess is the Vienna contributed to the light amber color. It's got too much late addition hops (IMHO) to be called a Vienna lager. It's pretty balanced and Vienna lagers, to my taste, are pretty light/nonexistent on flavor/aroma hops.

It's mighty tasty, nonetheless.


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Click to expand...

Yep. Nothing against that. It may score great on one category and terrible in another.

I've used Vienna and it doesn't impart much more color than pils. Maybe it's a different maltster. I think the stuff I use is only around 2 or 3lovibond