Comp category for oaked imperial porter

[AaronKeller]

I've got a very strong Imperial Porter (beyond style guidelines for a Baltic) that I have aged on oak and am confused about the appropriate BJCP category for an upcoming comp. 22C because of the oak? or 23A because the base beer is not covered by any other category? Any advice would be appreciated. By the way, the oak is tucked away nicely in the background. . .the dominant aromas/flavors are chocolate, chewy malt, and raisin rather than vanilla/bourbon.

 

[breez7]

I think you would be safe in either but someone who competes more will know better, I just drink the stuff!

 

[DRoyLenz]

I'm no expert, never entered any comps, and by no means very well read on the BJCP Guidelines, but you may consider 13F: Russian Imperial Stout. Reviewing the guidelines, they talk about chocolate qualities, dark fruit characteristics (like raisins), and I know, from my Oaked Imperial Porter recipe, they can really inherit many characteristics you would find in an RIS.

 

[twigboy2000]

Wood-aged does not require a base style to be listed unless it is based on a classic style:

IF THIS BEER IS BASED ON A CLASSIC STYLE (E.G., ROBUST PORTER) THEN THE SPECIFIC STYLE MUST BE SPECIFIED. CLASSIC STYLES DO NOT HAVE TO BE CITED (E.G., “PORTER” OR “BROWN ALE” IS ACCEPTABLE). THE TYPE OF WOOD MUST BE SPECIFIED IF A “VARIETAL” CHARACTER IS NOTICEABLE.

I think you would be safe for the 22C category. 23 would be ok as well since it seems to be a catch-all category. If there are discernable wood characteristics, then 13F would not be a good decision since the style guideline does not describe wood aging. You might get dinged a few points for that.

 

[sjlammer]

I just recently entered my bourbon barrel imperial porter into category 23.

here is an excerpt from the online BJCP style guidelines for category 23

This category can also be used as an “incubator” for any minor
world beer style (other than Belgians) for which there is currently
no BJCP category. If sufficient interest exists, some of
these minor styles might be promoted to full styles in the future.
Some styles that fall into this grouping include:
• Honey Beers (not Braggots)
• Wiess (cloudy, young Kölsch)
• Sticke Altbier
• Münster Altbier
• Imperial Porter
• Classic American Cream Ale
• Czech Dark Lager
• English Pale Mild
• Scottish 90/-
• American Stock Ale
• English Strong Ale
• Non-alcoholic “Beer”
• Kellerbier
• Malt Liquor
• Australian Sparkling Ale
• Imperial/Double Red Ale
• Imperial/Double Brown Ale
• Rye IPA
• Dark American Wheat/Rye

 

[AaronKeller]

I'm no expert, never entered any comps, and by no means very well read on the BJCP Guidelines, but you may consider 13F: Russian Imperial Stout. Reviewing the guidelines, they talk about chocolate qualities, dark fruit characteristics (like raisins), and I know, from my Oaked Imperial Porter recipe, they can really inherit many characteristics you would find in an RIS.

Funny you should mention that, because this imperial porter was originally intended to be an imperial stout but I spaced out during the brew and didn't add the roast barley to the mash. . . otherwise its the same recipe. As a result, I think it really lacks that distinct coffee-like roasty, burnt flavor I like in a stout. Good thought though. . ., it would be fun to enter an un-oaked version of it as an imperial stout to test the judges

 

[AaronKeller]

I just recently entered my bourbon barrel imperial porter into category 23.

here is an excerpt from the online BJCP style guidelines for category 23

This category can also be used as an “incubator” for any minor
world beer style (other than Belgians) for which there is currently
no BJCP category. If sufficient interest exists, some of
these minor styles might be promoted to full styles in the future.
Some styles that fall into this grouping include:
• Honey Beers (not Braggots)
• Wiess (cloudy, young Kölsch)
• Sticke Altbier
• Münster Altbier
• Imperial Porter
• Classic American Cream Ale
• Czech Dark Lager
• English Pale Mild
• Scottish 90/-
• American Stock Ale
• English Strong Ale
• Non-alcoholic “Beer”
• Kellerbier
• Malt Liquor
• Australian Sparkling Ale
• Imperial/Double Red Ale
• Imperial/Double Brown Ale
• Rye IPA
• Dark American Wheat/Rye

Did you get your score sheet back yet? I'm curious if the judges thought it was appropriate for the category. I see that Imperial Porter is specifically listed as appropriate for 23, so I guess the question is, does the oak aging take precedence over the "experimental" nature of the base beer (not the imperial porters are truly experimental anymore).