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Yeah recipe would help. If you used a lager yeast (which is quite likely if you were doing a Hoptoberfest clone) it would probably be lacking in esters that judges are consciously (or unconsciously) looking for in an IPA. Might be best as a Cat 23, but post the recipe and we'll see.

So while newish (been brewing for 5 years) I brew between 80-120 gallons a year so I figure that qualifies me to throw a couple good screw ups out there. My friend and I who brew together most of the time are actually more concerned when things go smoothly then when we screw up... c'est la vie...

Dude, congrats! Glad to hear this turned out okay.

So just joining in. Here's the damage: 5 gallons Imperial Bourbon barrel stout 5 gallons British style Best Bitter 5 gallons Maple Amber Ale 5 gallons of Pilsner 5 gallons Hefeweizen 5 gallons of Imperial Coffee Stout 5 gallons of Hefeweizen 5 gallons of Dunkelweizen 5 gallons of ESB...

I did a "bourbon barrel" recipe I made by soaking two ounces of oak chips in a cup of bourbon during the primary fermentation. I aged it in Secondary for a month. Like someone else on here mentioned the bourbon taste was there intitially but faded as the beer aged. The oak stayed the whole time...

Good to know about funky belgians. I actually want to do a Flemish sour red sometime soon. Anyone got pointers for it besides funky hops?

So a friend of mine who I brew with from time to time is taking to the road for about two or three months, and as such, I reap the benefits of his departure by receiving all his as yet unused grain and hops to make use of until he returns. However, I noticed some of the hops have a cheesy...

So perhaps this is a Neophyte question, but what's the difference between a "west coast" IPA and an American IPA? Is there one? I admit that I ask out of ignorance and as someone who likes a nice fresh IPA (personal favorite would probably be 3 Floyds Dreadnaught, but I enjoy DFH 60 as well) and...

Get me like this :drunk: and that might seem like a good idea.

after looking at that I don't think you'll need the racking cane. But you will definitely still need bottle caps.

I didn't see bottle caps in there. Make sure the kit includes at least 50 as that will probably cover the first batch. I think you'll need something called a racking cane as well, though that might be included in the "transfer tubing"

I made an Imperial Coffee Stout with Wyeast 1450 Denny's Favorite. It's got an obscenely delicious mouth feel. +1 on a little extra priming sugar, though that depends on how you're getting the coffee in there. If you're coldbrewing don't adjust it. If you're steeping crushed beans then...

I'd use WLP023 again... maybe. I and a friend of mine have had bad experiences with it though. Both of us made adequate starters and used temp control and both of us had the yeast just stop and get a stuck fermentation. The problem is mine it happened on the high end of the terminal...

Huh, I didn't know extract was taxed! No wonder my AG batches are significantly cheaper. I figured grain was cheaper just because of the extra work involved.

Yeah I'm kinda lazy. I've also gotten some REALLLY grungy bottles from friends who don't bother to rinse the bottles... it's amazing what oxyclean will get out of the bottom of a bottle by just soaking overnight. Though that water will be thoroughly disgusting the next day.

If you're looking to upgrade your brew pot...

you could always make an extract of them and then add that to most recipes to taste. I had a blueberry porter a couple months back at the local brew pub that was rather good.

Oxyclean -- perfume free kind. throw them in a batch of that, let them soak overnight and voila labels come right off.

Are you planning on batch sparging or fly sparging? If fly sparging you'll need an HLT. If you're just planning to batch sparge that should work.

+1 on the Belgian beers. There's a whole range from abbey beers to golden ales to sour ales that aren't hoppy and have flavors from either addtives or just from the yeast itself. Also try some mild english ales. There are brown ales and even quite a few british bitters that aren't hoppy (I know...